4 • The Southwest Portland Post
FEATURES
January 2014
Guild of Oregon Woodworkers relocates to Multnomah Village
By Erik Vidstrand
The Southwest Portland Post
Ian Wilson, a local resident, owns
a just a few woodworking tools and
wants to build raised garden beds for
a non-profit agency that focuses on
sustainable gardening.
He is the first student to arrive this
cold December morning at the Guild
of Oregon Woodworkers “Green Card”
class. It’s called that because after pass-
ing the course, it allows you to work
safely and correctly in the woodshop
with many of tools.
Whether you’re a beginner or an
expert, the guild can help you improve
your skills. There is an extensive and
free library; monthly meetings, classes,
and seminars; and volunteers work to-
gether side-by-side sharing their knowl-
edge and camaraderie with each other.
Founded in 1978, many of the projects
have helped other non-profit groups
with collaborative labor. In 2011, the
guild donated 1,800 volunteer hours
creating shelving units for the new
Clackamas County Library.
Currently, students are finishing solid
beech chest drawers for a 32-studio
apartment unit in Vancouver which
helps individuals get off the street and
into homes and job skill classes.
When one first meets Gig Lewis, the
president of the guild, one gets the
impression that he means business and
knows what he is talking about. He
exudes a presence that makes anyone
sit up and pay attention.
Lewis stresses safety and cleanliness:
eye shields, ear plugs, and a mask to
filter out wood dust particles. There is
absolutely no food or drink allowed in
the workshop.
A former Marine, Lewis is over six
feet tall, with straight posture, crisped
pressed shirt and slacks, and a clear,
distinct and commanding voice. He
makes sure everyone understands his
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instructions and
philosophy.
“All students
in the Green Card
class must first
take an exam,”
Lewis instructed.
“Approximate-
ly 80 percent pass
and you can take
it over and over
again until you
pass.”
The guild re-
ceived a state-
of-the-art Saw
Stop™, donated
by Roy Under-
hill of Tualatin,
the inventor of
the latest technol-
ogy in table saws.
These saws stop
in 1/1000 of a
second if coming
into contact with
a finger.
“Since 1978,
we have had not
one serious ac-
cident,” Lewis
said. “Sure, there
have been a few
sanded knuckles
Gig Lewis instructs new students on the safety and proper use of
and minor scrapes a table saw at the Guild of Oregon Woodworkers' new shop in
that a Band-Aid Multnomah Village. (Post photo by Erik Vidstrand)
couldn’t take care
of, but not one emergency room visit.”
business. Located at 7634 SW 34 th Ave
This morning the beginning class has
behind the Starbucks in Multnomah
approximately 25 students, 10 percent
Village, the shop is immaculate with
are women; the rest mostly older men,
routers, jointers, table saws, sawdust
except Wilson. Membership is approxi-
vents, and sanders.
mately 450 with 30 percent profession-
Wilson said he was nervous on test
als, and 70 percent amateurs and hob-
day and therefore didn’t pass. “I plan
byists of various skill levels.
on retaking it and become a member
Membership starts at $45 per year
so I can help fulfill my goal in helping
and grants students with a green card a
develop raised beds for those in need,”
set amount of hours to utilize the shop
he said.
outside of class during the year.
“I have full confidence Mr. Wilson
Guild members have a variety of
will pass the next time,” Lewis re-
woodworking interests, including fur-
sponded. “We’re here to help and learn
niture design and construction, cabinet
from each other.”
making, antique furniture restoration,
More information on the Guild can
turning, carving, and sculpture. This
be found by contacting Gig Lewis at gi-
year there will be over 100 classes of-
glewis42@gmail.com, 503-646-7056, and
fered.
www.guildoforegonwoodworkers.org.
High school students under 18 must
be accompanied by a parent or guard-
ian.
The woodshop space is donated
by Greenline: a fine woodworking
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(Continued from Page 8)
The most successful year to date in
the history of the program was 2012,
with 400+ registered cleanups, 92,500
volunteers nationwide, 3.5 million
pounds of trash removed from Ameri-
can waterways, and 39,000 miles of
waterway cleaned. The group is hoping
2013 will turn out to be another record
year for the program.
CONTACTS: NRDC’s “How to Clean
Up Our Water,” www.nrdc.org/water/
pollution/gsteps.asp; American Rivers’
National River Cleanup, www.ameri-
canrivers.org/take-action/cleanup.
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istered trademark of E - The Environmental
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