About Front Range Woodturners

We are the Denver area chapter of the AAW (American Association of Woodturners) serving woodturners throughout Colorado’s Front Range.

Our Meetings

We meet on the first Tuesday of every month from 6:15 PM to 9:00 PM in the basement of Rockler Woodworking and Hardware, 2553 S Colorado Blvd, Denver, 80222.

Visitors are welcome to join us at one of our meetings to see what we are all about.

Upcoming Demonstrations

Apr – Pat Carroll – Beaded Trinket Box demo, Pot With Legs class

Bio:  Our April demonstrator is Pat Carroll. A builder and carpenter by trade, Pat knew almost nothing about woodturning until 2001, when he discovered night classes taught by Willie Stedmond—one of Ireland’s finest turners and a founding member of the Irish Woodturners Guild. Those early lessons shaped his path, and Pat still urges every new turner to take classes and join a club.

Pat’s work has evolved across many facets of the craft, even through long stretches when life left little time for turning. The pull of the lathe—and the need to make shavings—always brought him back.

He’s proud of the recognition his pieces and demonstrations have earned, and honored to have work in collections around the world. When Mark Baker of GMC Woodturning invited him to write for the magazine, Pat initially declined, but with Mark’s encouragement he went on to publish many articles.

More recently, Pat has embraced virtual woodturning through IRDs (Interactive Remote Demonstrations). He also hosts Meet the Woodturner, an online interview series featuring artists from around the world. The live conversations and global audience help bring the woodturning community together for evenings of shared insight and connection.

Demo Description: Beaded Trinket Box
Safety will be the first topic discussed. This demonstration will show how to create a trinket box with a beaded external embellishment which incorporates various techniques. General turning, fitting of the lid and base, box hollowing, and embellishment are just some parts of the process.

Class description:  Pat will be teaching a class on “Pots with Legs” the following day Wednesday, April 8th, from 10am-4pm.

Demonstrators for 2026:
May – 
Jun – 
Jul – Rick Orr – Goblets
Aug – Michael Anderson – Spin Top on Coin Bearing
Sep – Steve Newberry (RMWT) – One Piece Teapots
Oct – J.Paul Fennel – Piercing
Nov – Patrick Crumpton – Sea Urchin Ornament w/Painted Interior
Dec – Holiday Party 

Member Benefits

• Library – The Front Range Woodturners has an extensive collection of books, magazines, and videos available for members to check out at no cost.
• Demonstrations – Monthly meetings feature an exciting demo given by one of our club members or a professional turner. When available we also offer a full day hands-on class with these renowned turners at a nominal cost.
• Brown Bag Demo – Bring your lunch and watch a free in-person mini demo on a variety of topics in a smaller, more relaxed setting.
• Wood Drawing – Members can bring some of their excess (good) wood to a meeting so it can find a new home with a different member.  You can never have too much wood!
• Group Buy – Do you want to save money?  We have vendor discounts with Internet suppliers, local suppliers, tool and steel suppliers and wood suppliers. Through our deals with these vendors our members can easily earn back the cost of membership!
• Ladies of the Lathe – All female members of the FRW, aged 18 or older, are invited to join the Ladies of the Lathe. LOTL is intended to provide a comfortable, easy-paced, and non-threatening environment for women to learn and advance their skills in turning.
• Mentoring – Members have access to several programs to help increase their woodturning skills. Group sessions are held monthly and one-on-one mentoring on various topics can be arranged with experienced FRW volunteers.
• PHEOG – The Pete Holtus Educational Opportunity Grant program provides grant money to members through an application process. Applicants may request money for woodturning related classes, workshops, or symposium fees.
• Workshop Tours – monthly tour of members workshop. Get ideas and get inspired!