DTL Turns 9! Birthday First Friday Party!

Spring means our First Friday parties are back, and to kick off these events during @denversartdistrict’s Art Walks, we’re celebrating our 9th Birthday! Best thing about it is that First Fridays will now be hosted by your fav sewing instructor @jackieuvalltrades Jackie which means there’s going to be fun classes and live music in addition to the typical karaoke and libation shenanigans!

This party is also the kick off to our new Share the Tools Fund, which we are matching dollar for dollar all through our birthday month of April. This fund will give low-income individuals and organizations making a positive impact in our community free and heavily discounted access to Tool Library Memberships, Classes, and Open Workshop Hours.

Holy Moly, that's a lot of Shop Safety & Certification Dates!

We’ve been having a tough time keeping up with open Woodworking I: Shop Safety & Certification dates, but good news if you’re one of the people who have been waiting to get in - we just released a TON of new class dates!

Many thanks to your favorite woodturning instructor Chris Hoehle @studiocsh, who is teaming up with Ian Saunders to teach Shop Safety & Certification. They will be doing their darndest to get you into Open Shop Hours so you can build your dream project quickly, easily, safely, and even fun-ly!

What's Your Zodiac Tool Sign?

Which Tool Zodiac are you? Ugh, I knew it!! That's so you!

Oh you think this is BS? Then let me see your palm. Yup, says right here you need a Tool Library Membership. Well, good thing they're only $150/year.

Not into palms either? Well, I have your cards here and I’m pretty sure all those cups and swords and wheels mean you need to take a Bowl Woodturning class.

Share with a friend you want to upset.

And the Winner of Guess the Nuts is....

It's the day we've all been waiting for! The results are in for GUESS! THE! NUTS!

And the winner is.......
.................

.*suspenseful music plays*

..................

JASON AUGUST!!!

The total number of nuts in the jar is 779, and Jason's guess of 740 got the closest without going over. For being so talented when it comes to hardware jar quantity guessing, Jason wins a $25 DTL Bucks gift card that's good toward a Tool Library Membership, Class, Open Workshop Hours, or some super cool merch!

Lucky for you, these prizes aren’t as expensive as a brand new car. You can always be a winner get your own DTL stuff for cheap at denvertoollibrary.org

Thanks to everyone who played this round of The Nut Is Right! See you next time!

How Does Open Shop Work? Live Action Video!

Have you been wanting to use our industrial woodworking tools to start or finish a project, but don’t really understand how our open workshop works and you feel too afraid to ask? Don’t worry! Here’s what you need to know before you head down to our community workshop. Up to date hours, fees, and guidelines can be found on our website. While you’re there- check out our class calendar for Shop Safety and Certification times (hint: you'll need to take one of these before you can use Open Shop!)

Open Workshop Hours are not the same as tool library hours! Currently, the workshop is open Thursday’s from 2-7pm and Saturday’s 10am-3pm. See you in the shop!

Financial Assistance v2.0 is Coming!

We are in the process of expanding our financial assistance program for individuals and organizations so it can give bigger discounts to more people for more of our programs! Soon we’ll be able to offer 25% - 50% off Tool Library memberships, Classes, and Open Workshop Hours if you qualify. This new financial assistance program is planned to begin in May 2024, however you are able to apply early OR donate early to the fund now.

Beekeeping II: Hands-On Hives is Back!

Beekeeping II: Hands-On Hives is back just in time for spring! See what all the buzz is about on Sunday, April 21st at 4pm.

This class is the sequel to our Beekeeping I: Bees, Hives & Honey class. Taking Beekeeping I or having similar beekeeping education is highly encouraged before taking this class, but not required.

In this course we will go more in depth about what a hive inspection consists of, how to 'read' comb, diagnosing, and honey processing. Students will have hands-on opportunities to see and 'read' honey comb up close as well as harvesting honey. We will also cover how to gear an over-wintered colony up for spring.

Most beekeeping that is taught today is taught in a conventional manner, and Alex's class will help open your mind up to natural beekeeping tendencies as well as some of the folklore that is associated with the honeybee. Students will have the opportunity to ask general questions as well as specific questions regarding their hive throughout the class.

About Your Teacher: Alex has been keeping bees for 5 years and is passionate about sharing this knowledge with others in order to help the local pollinator population. She is interested in keeping bees on a spiritual level and aims to be a steward of the earth through this ancient practice. You can see more of her work on her Instagram @alma_apiary

Join the Resource Raisers!

"Release your inhibitions, feel the Raise on your skin"

-Natasha Bedingfield (Unwritten)

Here at the Denver Tool Library, we're proud to provide the Denver metro area with low (and no!) cost access to tools and the know-how to use them. We remove the common barriers to tool access, such as high cost, space, knowledge, and discrimination, so that everyone can have the resources they need to create and maintain the lives they imagine. We're not able to provide these resources without raising some resources of our own, and so we've formed a new committee to do just that: raise resources for DTL through fundraising, friend-raising and being ambassadors for our organization.

Introducing (drum roll, please) The Denver Tool Library Resource Raisers! 

This is a brand spankin' new committee for the Denver Tool Library and we are looking for passionate people to help build this into a valuable resource for DTL.

Some of the Resource Raisers goals are: 

  • Raise funds to support our artists, scholarships, tool maintenance and more. 

  • Be ambassadors by sharing the great work we do with your network. 

  • Introduce DTL to new donors and/or corporate sponsors. 

  • Plan community events to introduce DTL to new members.

We are looking for ten members to jump aboard this journey with us! You don’t need to have a history of fundraising or committee work, and we won't make you prove that you know how to use a chop saw. You just need the passion to join our team and the desire to make a difference in your community.

Interested? Please fill out this brief application and we'll reach out to you within 2 business days. 

Have questions? Want more information? Contact our fabulous fundraising coordinator Sandra Tucker at sandra@denvertoollibrary.org.

Brand New Class! Woodturning III: Lidded Boxes

Brand New Class! Woodturning III: Lidded Boxes. The first class is on 4/20 at 4pm, so make yourself a cute box for your 4/20 supplies (but please don’t partake in said supplies until after class!)

Woodturning I or equivalent experience is required. Woodturning II is not required.

In this class, we'll delve into the topic of end-grain hollowing to create a cute little round box or jar with a friction-fitting lid. You'll learn how to hollow with the spindle gouge and scrapers, how to dial in the fit of the lid just right by using the lid itself to mark the mating piece on the box base and sneaking up on the fit slowly, and finally you'll learn about using a self-made "jam chuck" to finish off the bottom of your box. We'll also cover good form and design for boxes such as considerations for making the grain between the lid and the base look continuous and disguising the join with a detail such as a small bead or v-cut.

Warning: Once you make one of these delightful little boxes, you won't be able to stop, and you will become a wood hoarder if you're not already because every little scrap you see will start to look like a box! Learning how to hollow into end grain will also unlock a variety of other project ideas for you such as goblets and cups.

About Your Teacher: Chris Hoehle is 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.