And that's a wrap: Wood Dust 23
The Woodworker Games, main stage: great audio and visuals made it easy to stay involved in the action.
Words and photos: Linda Nathan
Wood Dust 23 took place last week. This is the third edition of what is now an evolving and multi-faceted festival for woodworkers. The first event took place in Bungendore, NSW in 2018 and the second followed a year later in Melbourne. And we all know why it's taken a few years for this event, like many others to come back.
Strategising – April Wilkerson and team member on the sidelines.
The festival kicked off on May 18 with four 'masterclass' type workshops, each led by a visiting craftsperson/artist and taught in tandem with local makers, two of whom also made their workshops available for that purpose.
On the Friday night there was a ticketed launch party, and on the night after, a Q&A ‘Yarn’ event hosted by ABC presenter and Melbourne Football Club President Kate Roffey.
The Victorian era backdrop of the North Melbourne Meat Market was the perfect setting for a boutique trade show.
On Saturday and Sunday the main event kicked off at the Meat Market in North Melbourne. The Woodworker Games were a series of all-day challenges with set project builds that had to be completed within strict time frames.
Two teams were led by celebrity YouTubers Jimmy Diresta and April Wilkerson who were flown in from the US, with support from Matt Estlea from the UK. Melbourne makers Mark Dainer and Matt Black lent a hand to Jimmy, while Clancy Moore and Patrick Holcombe were on team April.
Presenters Robin Lewis, Joey Chalk and Bryan Cush kept the things moving and added another level of information and entertainment.
By the time I got there just about every seat in front of the stage had been taken, but there was standing room too, and you could also meander around to the boutique trade event that took place in the background at the other end of the Meat Market hall. The marketplace also featured a series of ‘rolling workshops’ that visitors were free to participate in. These included spooncarving, wood block carving, hand planing and sharpening.
All eyes to the front! Rapt audience members at Wood Dust 23.
With a built-up stage and huge video screen The Woodworker Games action was plain for all to see, while yet another team of locals, Robin Lewis, Joey Chalk and Bryan Cush (from The Shop Stool Podcast) gave a running commentary. There were Q&A opportunities and of course light-hearted moments as the teams dashed to complete impressive results within the limited time given. Each item was ‘won’ by a lucky audience member.
Sit or stand, the view to the stage, North Melbourne Meat Market
Wood Dust is a new concept in woodworking based events which offers a different level of engagement. The focal point is actual in-time, live woodworking, as opposed to the mostly static displays of tools, machinery and timber we’re used to seeing at 'traditional' wood shows.
In a 'rolling' workshop, Olivia O'Connor showed participants how to create and print from a wood block carving.
The all-day making challenges are instructive, and judging by the rapt attention of the audience, highly entertaining. At $75 per day it costs more than other wood shows to attend, but for the money you get to see, engage with and learn from a large cast of visiting and local woodworkers. There is non-stop, on-stage workshop activity within a relatively intimate, closed-circle atmosphere. In terms of participation, information, instruction and entertainment, there is a lot more on offer at Wood Dust besides purchasing opportunities and infomercial type demonstrations.
See a short video mash-up here
Find out more at www.wooddustaustralia.com.au
Dan Barker-Thompson @bricolagebuilt offered some hand tool know-how to Wood Dust 23 visitors.
Alma Arriaga @decoteca.au (centre) gave ongoing spooncarving workshops.
Timbecon team member Colin Truscett showed some of his Dremel masterworks and offered tips and tuition.
Melbourne maker Dominik Dudkiewicz @dudkiewiczdominik will soon tutor workshops at the Melbourne School of Fine Woodworking. Shown here with his superbly made workbench.
The Wood Epoxy Guru will see you now! With Boatcraft Pacific.
Showing woodworkers how to make their mark: Annelie Tucker, Leif Falk, Ed Nedelco from Pica Pens
Club members Kylie Thomas and David Hart represented the Melbourne School of Fine Woodworking.
Always popular, tools and equipment from Japanese Tools Australia.