There are many reasons for forming an AAW chapter in your area ...

• Share woodturning skills between individuals.
• Community promotion of the woodturning craft.
• Combine resources for volume purchases.
• Creating a lending library for the group.
• Organizing presentations by well known turners.
• Organizing combined exhibitions of your work.
• Promotion of the art and craft of woodturning in your area.
• Many other benefits.

Find a Local Chapter

Local AAW chapters are independent groups of woodturning enthusiasts who come together to learn more about the craft and enjoy fellowship with other turners. AAW local chapters are located in the USA and in several other countries. Find a chapter near you.

Star Chapter Recognition

Learn about the AAW Star Chapters recognition program and see a list of Local Chapters that have achieved 100% AAW membership.

We are pleased to recognize five new Star Chapters. To be a Star Chapter, all of the members of the local chapter must also be members of the AAW. Each Star Chapter receives a five-video set of Masters of Woodturning, a plaque recognizing the Star status, a listing on the AAW website, a listing in the Resource Directory, and the enthusiastic thanks of the AAW.

New Star Chapters 2010

• Genesee Valley Woodturners Guild –Henrietta NY
• Lancaster Area Woodturners – Strasburg PA
• Principally Pens
• SPA Woodturning Artists’ Guild - Ballston SPA NY

New Star Chapters 2011

• Bytown Woodturners of Ottawa - Ontario
• Peace River Woodturners - Port Charlotte FL
• Woodturners Guild of North Carolina

New Local AAW Chapters

Congratulations to all of you who now have local-chapter support near where you live! .

New Chapters 2010

• Council of Lakeland Area Woodturners, Greenwood SC
• Gateway Turners in West Wareham, Acushnet MA
• Golden Spike Woodturners Club, Ogden UT
• Grand River Woodturners Guild, Rockford MI
• Great Falls Turners, Great Falls MT
• Guild of Long Island Woodturners, Smithtown NY
• Mid Minnesota Association of Woodturners, St. Cloud MN
• Mid MO Woodturners, Jefferson City MO
• Northwest Washington Woodturners, Mt. Vernon WA
• Principally Pens, Online Virtual Chapter
• South Suburban Chiselers/Illiana Woodturners, South Holland IL
• Southeast Indiana Woodturners, Holton IN
• Southern Maine Woodturners, Portland ME
• Southern Utah Woodturners, Enoch, UT
• Southwest Association of Turners (SWAT), Center Point TX
• UB6 Woodturners, Oshkosh WI
• Up There Woodturners of Aroostoock County, Houlton ME

New Chapters 2011

• Kenai Peninsula Woodturners, Kenai AK
• Havelock District Wood Turners, Norwood ON
• Bytown Woodturners, Ottawa ON
• Rainy River Area Woodturners, International Falls MN
• Ames Area Woodturners, Ames IA
• Woodturners Association of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB
• Diamond State Turners, Jacksonville AR
• Upper Valley Woodturners, Thetford VT
• Chapel Hill Woodturners, Chapel Hill NC
• Endless Mountain Turners, Troy, PA
• South Saskatchewan Woodturners Guild Regina SK
• Bay Lake Woodtruners, Green Bay WI
• Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Woodworkers, Martintown ON
• Eastern Maine Woodturners, Bangor ME
• Western Massachusetts Woodturners, West Springfield MA
• Arkansas River Valley, Russellville AR

New Chapters 2012

• Big Apple Woodturners, New York NY

Chapter Best Practices

No need to re-invent the wheel on starting or running an AAW local chapter. Dial in here to view dozens of helpful how-to's written by those who have been there.

Starting a Chapter

Click here for information and recommendations on starting your own local chapter of the AAW.

Changes to Chapter Information

Chapter designated points of contact, usually the chapter President, are able to update their chapter's information online through the AAW members only area. If you have any questions on how to update or change chapter info, please contact the AAW office.

Recognizing Chapter Contributors

Quiet Stalwarts - View a list of those who routinely go beyond the call and have been chosen by their local chapter for special recognition. If you have one or two members like that, let us know (one or two nominations annually) by having your Chapter President (or designee) fill out the online form.

Chapter Demonstrations

Ensure that your club's demonstrations are effective, useful, and entertaining.

Local Chapter Info

AAW Local Chapter Committee of the Board of Directors will assist if you are interested in forming a new chapter. Contact the Local Chapter Committee Chair or the AAW office for more information.

AAW has created the Chapters Forum to assist chapters in their communications with each other. Chapter Board members, website administrators, newsletter editors, and other chapter representatives can discuss issues and experiences that affect their chapters.

While anyone can post to the Chapter Forum, we suggest the chapter President, webmaster and newsletter editor monitor the forum for new information and postings of interest.

AAW Chapter Credit Card Processing

AAW is pleased to offer our chapters, vendors and individual members the chance to process credit cards using the First Data System. More.

Local Chapter Annual Competitions

Best Chapter Newsletter and Website Contests

• Each year, AAW local Chapters compete for recognition - for the best Chapter Newsletter and Website
• Learn about the 2012 competitions.
• View a summary of past years' competitions - the "Chapter Hall of Fame."

Chapter Collaborative Challenge

Each year, the AAW encourages all chapters to participate in the National Symposium's Chapter Collaborative Challenge. Information about this annual event may be found in the American Woodturner journal, usually the October issue.

AAW Critique/Evaluation Form

This is the evaluation form that was originally referenced in the Spring 2004 American Woodturner journal. One way to improve your woodturning skills is to encourage a critique or evaluation of your current work. The AAW Evaluation Form will guide you through a constructive review process.