A little help in return

[Noel Liogier]

All my life I have received countless grateful thanks, congratulations or even gifts from the woodworker communities around the world, and this is what has been and is still doing my job a daily pleasure.

It is maybe because I am getting old but I wish to give back a bit of what I have received. So I am thinking of a way to find and help a woodworker. It would be a small start, but better than nothing. For example it could be by giving a set of rasps to a promissing young woodworker that might have a hard time purchasing quality tools. Can someone suggest me an idea how to select one ? Does it exist a prize somewhere rewarding such a person ?

Asking these questions on my Facebook page, I have been adviced to consider creating a contest, with a full set of rasps as prize .
Does this make sense ?
If many people like the idea, I will consider any suggestions on how to organize this.
Thanks.

[Brian Kent]

Sounds like a wonderful idea. What moves you most? Helping a person from scratch, helping someone with talent but minimal tools? What sort of person do you dream of boosting?

[Jim Koepke]

Sounds like a great idea.

The is a program of woodworking at the College of the Redwoods in Fort Bragg, CA. If there are similar programs in European schools students in the classes may have work that is deserving of an award.

If there are judged showings of woodworking surely the show organizers would appreciate items for presentation to awardees.

jtk

[Noel Liogier]

@Brian Kent : « What sort of person do I would like to help ? » Well hard to say as there are many kind of different « good person ». I don’t know if this expression has the same meaning in English as in French, but the objective is definitively to help a « good person ». Surely someone that would appreciate some quality rasps, use them with pleasure and one day give them to his son ; probably someone who would have a hard time gathering the money to buy them, however this is not compulsory. In the end, if I can help someone just simple and honest, who is also a passionate woodworker, I think it would worth the time I will spend on producing his tools.

@Jim Koepke : regarding helping woodworking colleges, I have been doing this locally for a long time, and I think I prefer to do it this way. I like the contact I have with teachers and students.

[george wilson]

I have also given many,many tools to those students or learning craftsmen who I think will really use them to learn their work,and possibly make a career from it.

[Jim Matthews]

That's the best approach, I think.

Meet the teaching staff, have them vet the applicants.
While I'm naturally drawn to helping the next generation,
I've found greater satisfaction giving tools to people my age.

They're sitting on the fence, as I was.
Beginning woodworking should not be expensive.

[John Sanford]

The AWFS Trade Show also has a juried competition including student work, you could contact them to stretch your reach beyond "local." Likewise, Rob Lee may have some ideas.

[Roger Myers]

You will first note that this thread is many months old, but I am revisiting it to give a special thank you to a business owner who wanted to do some good, and has come through in a very big way!
First, this public thank-you to Noel Liogier was in no way expected or requested by him, in fact I asked him if it was ok...

When Noel first posted this back in May, he was looking for a way to give something back... I contacted him about the possibility of helping some students out and suggested the possibility of The North Bennet Street School, where I am in the two year program. As the school has a large focus on traditional tools and methods, I knew high quality rasps would be a welcome item in the students tool kit. And, as tuition, materials, and tools are all rather pricey, any help is always appreciated. Noel thought this a good idea and we continued to communicate for several months... His business is doing very well, and consequently their are many demands on his production output. But he never forgot what he wanted to do and he donated a number of cabinetmaker rasps. As we begin a Chippendale chair project in our third semester, and that has significant shaping involved, we decided that the third semester students would be the recipients. It is a very generous gift, and simply not possible to do more...but, I know my classmates, and we will be loaning our tools to others to use and to try...

The rasps arrived at my house yesterday...just in time as we begin the shaping part of the crest rails and back splats on our chairs. These are beautiful tools... And we will take very great pride in using them as we know that they were forged with us in mind.... I know on Monday when I bring these in and present them to my fellow students they will be both surprised,and delighted, and extremely grateful!! During the intervening months since we started talking Noel would keep me posted during the production cycle! Noel would apologize for the long time it took, as of course he must keep his production focused on his business customers first.

Well.... all I can say for myself and for my fellow classmates is Thank You!! Merci Beaucoup!! Your generosity will not be forgotten and we will be sending you pictures of the chairs that we have built!

To my friends on Sawmill Creek... Keep Liogier in mind...this is a class act!

To Noel, thank you again, and when you visit the US, please contact me so that I can bring you to the North Bennet Street School and give you a tour!

Roger

[David Weaver]

NBSS in massachusetts, Thaddeus Stevens College in Lancaster, College of the Redwoods....I'm sure some of those programs will have individuals who are tight on cash and who have a desire to build furniture. Thaddeus stevens is a public school and there are definitely kids learning to build 18th century furniture there, because one of them landed near here and is trying to make a living at it.

[Chris Griggs]

Thaddeus stevens is a public school and there are definitely kids learning to build 18th century furniture there, because one of them landed near here and is trying to make a living at it.

That's where Steve Latta teaches, and if you've ever seen any of his video's you know that he is the real deal. He definitely knows his way around 18th century furniture. I bet its a treat to study with him.

[David Weaver]

http://www.stevenstech.org/658315.ihtml

This is the guy who landed here, I don't know that he's making furniture full time, but he's making it seriously, and I saw nicer work than this at his booth at penns colony.

I'm sure there aren't dozens of kids a year doing the 18th century furniture, but there are at least some.

These kids are probably more deserving than someone who is a hobbyist who likely will have the rasps find a permanent home in a toolbox drawer, never to see the light of day.

[Chris Griggs]

Wow. That piece is as good as some I've seen at the Philly Art Museum (which has a great furniture collection by the way). Fantastic.

[Andrew Bell]

Sounds like a good idea to me; I also think giving advice and the benefit of your experience through things like video is something that could benefit many of us out there.