We're not trying to scare you @aprilfrankenstein, we just want to remind our members that we highly recommend them taking our Power Tools 101 Class so they can stay safe while using our tools at home!
Power Tools 101 Home Renovation Class w/ Ian Saunders. Next date is Tuesday, March 12th at 5:30pm
*This class is not mandatory but very highly recommended if you are a member of the Denver Tool Library
Learn how to safely and effectively use Denver Tool Library’s most common power tools. Understand best practices and best uses for circular saws, jig saws, miter saws, reciprocating saws, angle grinders, multi-tools, compressors, different types of nailers, different types of routers, different types of drills, and different types of sanders. This class is a mix of hands-on practice and lecture. There will be some time for Q&A at the end. All skill levels are welcome.
Class Spotlight! Mosaic Pendants (w/ Video!)
Class Spotlight! Mosaic Pendants (now with keychains!!) w/ @jessierodriguez.art. Next Class: Sunday February 25th, 4pm.
In this mixed media micro mosaics class, we will design and make a unique pendant that can be turned into jewelry or a key chain. We will work with a variety of source materials to include; glass, beads, buttons and more! Students will select a pendant base and learn how to cut glass using wheeled-tile nippers and glass cutters.
We will discuss the best materials for use and where to source objects that can be used for small scale mosaics. Students will mix and use epoxy-sculpt and inlay materials to create their piece. Everyone will leave with a completed pendant necklace, with choices of chain or cord fitting to make it ready to wear or, attach it to a keychain base.
If desired, students can bring a small charm or object they wish to inlay.
Midmod Candlesticks Woodturning is Back!
Midmod Candlesticks Woodturning w/ Chris Hoehle is back after a long hiatus! The next class will be Saturday, February 24th, 4pm - 7:30pm.
Midmod Candlesticks Woodturning is geared toward those of you who want to get a taste of woodturning, but may not have the time or budget to take a full day class. Not only will you learn some foundational woodturning skills, but you’ll be able to take home a beautiful candlestick base that you made to keep or give as a gift! Here are the details:
Working with the wood lathe is simultaneously exciting and meditative, and this class is perfect for you if you’ve been wanting to try it out without committing to the full day Intro class. Or, if you’ve already taken Intro and just want to take this class for more practice and a cool project, that’s all good too!
You’ll learn the basics of shaping a spinning block of wood on the lathe using just one tool- the spindle roughing gouge, and then you’ll use your new skills to craft an elegant midmod inspired candlestick with a brass accent. You'll also learn about the fundamentals of wood selection and working with the grain, sanding and finishing, and much more.
About the Teacher
This class is taught by Chris Hoehle, one of our community workshop monitors and a professional woodturner with over fifteen years of experience on the wood lathe. In addition to teaching woodturning for nearly three years here at the Denver Tool Library, he has also taught week-long workshops at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg Tennessee, and he sells his work at local galleries and art festivals. You can check out his work on his website, studiocsh.com, or on Instagram @studiocsh.
Meet Dave, Your Home Renovation Instructor
This is Dave. Dave teaches our Home Renovation series including Knowing Your Home Basics, Electricity, Drywall, Tiling, and Plumbing. Dave likes to say “Get this!” a lot before saying something of interest. So get this:
David Cooke has taught home repair classes for thirteen years. He’s written 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 ran his own home repair and improvement business for most of the last 30 years. Dave also plays in a band, was a comedian, and is a retired judge / attorney (which is truly wild to me).
You should take one or all of Dave’s classes. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, but most of all - you’re going to learn a lot about your home.
Here’s what people say about Dave’s Classes….
"David was hilarious. Also I feel much more confident."
"Incredible amount of information and practice for 3 hours without feeling overwhelming."
"Instructor was fantastic, kept the jokes coming and made the time fly by!"
“I would appreciate it if Dave would wear clothing next time!!!”
Four SUPER EASY Ways to Help the Denver Tool Library!
SHORT ON TIME, BUT WANT TO HELP?
We don’t all have time to be a regular volunteer, and we aren’t all rich beyond our wildest dreams, so here’s four super easy ways to help us out (if you’re rich beyond your wildest dreams, skip this article and click here).
WAY ONE: KING SOOPERS
King Soopers has a program where they kick a non-profit of your choice (DTL!) a small percent of all of your purchases. If you get groceries/ gas/ beer there on the reg, consider putting our name on your account.
Create an account at their website. It's quick - you can skip the little setup wizard that comes second if ya want.
Go to this Community Rewards page of your Account Dashboard and search for Denver Tool Library.
Click enroll. Easy peasy! Now a really mathematically obscure percentage of your spending will be donated to the DTL! Hoorah!
WAY TWO: LEAVE A 5 STAR REVIEW ON GOOGLE
Not into shoppy choices of how to help? Leave us a Google review. It’s super helpful in convincing people who say “wtf is a tool library” that we are cool and they should take a chance and try us out.
WAY THREE: TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW THAT WE’RE AWESOME.
Tell your friends how much we’ve helped you! Tag us in IG stories about your project or just be that annoying "crypto bro" but instead of crypto talk about what a cool concept a tool library is.
WAY FOUR: SEND US A COUPLE BUCKS.
And who can’t forget the last easy way to help - Venmo’ing us a few bucks @denvertoollibrary, or kicking a tax-deductible donation our way! For those who have the means, even a little money can go a long way in repairing/buying tools and subsidizing memberships for people/orgs.
THANK YOU, YAY, GOOD JOB, WOOHOO!!
This Monday: Eating Fish & Chips = Supporting the DTL
Join us on Monday, January 22nd between 4 and 8 pm at GB’s Fish and Chips when 20% of proceeds will be donated back to the Denver Tool Library! This is a great opportunity for you to support DTL, as well as meet some other members of our amazing community. Not a big fish fan (pun intended)? Yah me neither. Well no worries, we’re in luck because there’s a bar! See you there!!
Wanted! Garden, Lawn, Permaculture Teacher
It might not seem so now, but spring is just around the corner, and we’d LOVE to have a “Knowing Your Yard” type of class again for 2024! If you are or you know someone who enjoys teaching and is knowledgeable in gardening, lawncare, and/or permaculture, please contact us for details.
Thanks!!
DTL 2023 Wrapped (Plz don't sue us, Spotify.)
Oh boy it’s the end of another year which means we’ve exported the .CSV files and have done the questionable math so we can tell you the highlights of our Impact in 2023!
Thanks to all of you who have supported the Denver Tool Library in any way big or small. Any impact we make can only happen because you’re spending some bucks, donating some tools, or just DMing us to tell us what a cool concept we are (it keeps moral high). Because of you we’ve managed to break ALL of our records this year in terms of money we’ve saved members, free memberships we’ve given to people and orgs, and the sheer volume of tools that have gone in and out of our door.
Here’s some data points about what went down in 2023:
We had 771 Active Tool Library Members.
We reached 5,299 tools in our inventory (and those are just the ones with numbers).
We checked out 10,822 tools.
If you do some (real sketchy) math and assume the average of each tool checked out is $50 and you subtract that by an annual membership fee of $150, that means we saved members $425,450! That’s almost a half million dollars in tools that would end up draining your pockets, clogging your garage, and ending up in the landfill.
We’re not done! Because of your donations to our Financial Assistance Fund, in 2023:
We were able to give 43 free memberships to individuals.
We were able to give 15 free memberships to organizations.
That’s $15,450 in free memberships for people who need tools and for orgs doing very important work for our community.
Next year with your help we’ll break all of our records again, so be sure to pick yourself up a membership, take some classes, make a donation, or drop off a six-pack of your fav beverage during open shop hours. See you in 2024!
What are your New Year's Resolutions?
Here are some totally non-bias New Year’s Resolution recommendations: be more creative, save money, be more social, get the tools and education to finally do that project you’ve wanted to do forever. Well coincidently, the DTL can help you achieve all of these things! And here’s how…
First, pick yourself up a super affordable annual Tool Library Membership starting at just $150 so you can check out practically as many tools as you want for a whole year. After that, sign up for a few of your favorite classes that will show you how to use those tools to do things like fine woodworking, renovate your home, sew, weld, do artsy stuff, and so much more. Need some bigger tools for your woodworking project? Well take a Shop Safety & Certification class and pick yourself a discounted Open Workshop Punch Card and use our Open Community Workshop Hours to build that project with assistance from our super pro shop monitors.
Happy New Year to all! This year is your year! You can do it! (and remember, even if you don’t, shoot for the moon and land among the stars).
Happy New Year & Thank You So Much!
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR AN AMAZING 2023! Thanks to all y’all who bought memberships, took classes, used the workshop, donated for Colorado Gives, donated tools, came by the shop to drop off a six-pack, and did anything else to support us big or small. This past year we had the privilege to introduce amazing new volunteers, employees, and teachers to the team who make the DTL what it is through new outreach programs, keeping your tools running smoothly, or just a familiar friendly face helping you battle to load the string on your string trimmer. Between all of y’all, we were able to lend out TONS of tools and save people a BUNCH of money and fix A LOT of leaky sinks.
We have some exciting plans for 2024, and we're stoked to share them with you (we’re not just saying that - we really, really do!). Stay tuned for more news, updates, and opportunities to get involved. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and (even) YouTube to see what we’re up to.
!!!❤️❤️❤️TRIPLE HEART TRIPLE EXCLAMATION POINT❤️❤️❤️!!!
-Denver Tool Library Team
