Calling all art students and teachers! Office Space 2.0 is coming.

It may not look like much now (especially with Jessie’s incredible 2008 camera phone - though it does make Chris look sort of like a Greek God), but we are gearing up for Denver Tool Library Office 2.0! This upgrade is coming with big modular tables that are going to double as a second classroom specifically for our lighter arts based classes. This means less dust in your mouth while carving your block print, less scary tools hovering over your while soldering jewelry, and a cuter aesthetic to accompany you while making your moss box. It also means we can host MORE ART CLASSES. If you haven't already, check out our first Intro to Oil Painting class on 11/21, and keep an eye out for a sewing machine basics class in the near future. If you want to stay up to date with all these classes and more, join our classes specific newsletter at denvertoollibrary.org/classes-newsletter

PS, if you're a teacher or know a teacher doing artsy classes, reach out and let us know what you're into at denvertoollibrary.org/teach

WANTED! Muralist(s) to make our workshop look less boring!

WANTED! Muralist(s) to make our workshop look less boring! We repainted the walls of our community workshop recently to make it look less scary, which was mostly successful, but now it looks so sad and boring like a lifeless office building. We are not a lifeless office building. We are a place where people create cool weird stuff and we want our walls to show that! The catch is, we are constantly broke, so instead of paying local artists the money that they deserve, we are here pleading on social media. We can trade a couple hundred dollars worth of DTL membership, classes, and/or open shop time and a prestigious spot in DTL cult history. We provide the paint/materials/snacks. Reach out to hello@denvertoollibrary.org if you're into it. THANKS!

Brand New Class! Intro to Oil Painting

First Class: Monday, November 21st // 5:30pm-8:30pm

Learn to create realism while listening to your intuition, and expressing yourself freely with Jen!

During this three hour class we will go through the step by step process of completing an oil portrait. We will use a reference photo that I will send you. We will focus on correct proportions, composition, and paint application. You will watch me paint, work on your painting, and receive feedback. You will be encouraged to find your personal creative voice, listen to your instincts, and play! No experience required.

Jen Starling has been teaching youth and adults in a variety of settings for over twenty years, she has an elementary Teaching License and currently teach art at The Art Student League in Denver CO and Curtis Center for the Arts. Her teaching philosophy is positive, encouraging, and inclusive. She gives individual feedback both online and in-person, and encourage creativity while teaching technique.

Brand New Class! Coffee Tables

Sign Up for our first Coffee Tables class here! 11.5.22 & 11.12.22

In this class you will learn how to make your very own coffee table. This solid hardwood modern coffee table is made from rustic alder and looks fantastic in front of the couch, under a window with your favorite plant on it, or as a gift!

We will start by discussing milling techniques and how to prepare your lumber for a table top. Next you will learn how to properly layout your boards to minimize warping/wood movement. As well as how to use a biscuit joiner to help with alignment during the glue up. Working in teams of two we will glue up each table top and leave them to cure. This will end the first day. On day two we will sand our table tops smooth and talk about different techniques for filling knots in wood if that is the look you are going for. Next we will attach the hairpin legs and discuss different types of finish and staining techniques.

This class will be taught by Tomas Vallejos. He is a Denver local who works as a custom picture framer, carpenter and woodworker with an emphasis in custom furniture making. He is also a current student and teachers assistant of the fine woodworking program at Red Rocks Community College where he continues to ever expand on his woodworking knowledge and skills. Take a look at some of his work via his Instagram page @north20_finewoodworking

Wanted: Woodworking Class Instructor!

We’re looking for a woodworking class instructor who would like to teach multiple product based woodworking classes. These classes could include: cutting boards, lamps, live edge, resin poor, wooden utensil carving, and furniture making with plenty of room for you to incorporate your specific skills and design your own class.

  • Job Title: Woodworking Class Instructor

  • Hours: 1-4 classes per month

  • Compensation: 50% of ticket sales

  • Requirements:

    • Have at least a few years experience working in a woodshop. You do not need to be a formal experienced instructor

    • Have an outgoing and friendly personality.

Fore more details and to apply, click here!

Hiring: Tool Inventory Coordinator

We’re hiring for a brand new position! We’re calling this person the Tool Inventory Coordinator. They make sure all of our tools are running smoothly, staying sharp, and there’s enough of them available for checkout. This person also sees to it that our donations get sorted and inventoried. Lastly, they’ll make sure our broken tools get fixed (don’t worry, you won’t be alone - there will be volunteers and staff to help - you’ll just be pointing them in the right direction).

If all this doesn’t sound daunting and you’re a super organized/self-motivated person who knows a thing or two about tools & tool repairs - please apply! The job is just 5-10 hours per week with a flexible schedule. The full job description and how to apply can be found at denvertoollibrary.org/hiring

Brand New Class! Tiling: Knowing Your Home

First Tiling Class: Tuesday, 9.20.22 // 5:30p-8:30p

This is our second class in our Knowing Your Home Series! Stay tuned for plumbing, drywall, painting, and more soon!

Tackling Tile, Porcelain with a Plan! Installing ceramic, porcelain, or glass tile to make a kitchen or bathroom pop. Learn to plan the project, buy what you need, and how to prep before you start mixing the mortar. Learn about substrates, surface prep, transition and border pieces, mastic, spacers, and grout. Learn about the proper tools including levels, and squares, trowels, and wetsaws. There will be time for Q&A at the end of class.

David Cooke grew up as the third generation of a construction family. He taught an eight-week basic home repair class several times each year for twelve years. He also wrote articles on home repair and improvement for a local magazine and appeared weekly on a television program in Boston as the "Resident Home Repair Guy" for two years. David has also run his own home repair and improvement business for most of the last 30 years.

Donate a Membership

Donate to the Denver Tool Library AND give a Free Membership!

With Denver housing prices soaring and inflation making everyone's lives more expensive, there are more and more people struggling to make ends meet. Some people rely on our memberships because they can't afford to buy their own tools (let alone hire contractors), and some fantastic local nonprofit organizations use our tools to build gardens, playgrounds, shelters for the homeless, etc. We want them all to have equitable access to tools, whether there's room in their budgets or not!

You can help us further our mission to make tools accessible to all by making a donation today. Your donation will buy a membership for an individual in need or for an organization making a meaningful positive impact in Denver.

Making a contribution to the Denver Tool Library has a metro-wide ripple effect. You're not just helping us get better/nicer/cooler/more tools for you, you're supporting equity and local social projects as well!

  • For a $100 donation you will give a membership to someone who has applied to and has been accepted to our Pro Bono Membership Program, providing no-cost tool access to folks whose income, race, gender, orientation or ability has ever seemed like a barrier to tool access.

  • For a $250 donation you will give a membership to another nonprofit or organization working toward social, environmental, and economic justice through our Rad Orgs Program.

  • Donations of any amount are also very welcome and valuable to the community! Take a look at the drop down menu to see examples of the impact your contribution will have.