One Last Rodeo – Handworks 2026

In what will almost certainly be my last long trip unrelated to family matters, Mrs. Barn and I hit the road for a Labor Day weekend toolapalooza in Amana, Iowa, for the fifth (?) convening of Handworks, a mondo gathering of hand woodworking enthusiasts.  The trip was very long, two full days of driving each way (I took a full-to-the-brim truckload) and even though the gathering of several thousand friends old and new is a delight, it is just too much for us.  Part of the problem is that Mrs. Barn’s CR-V is excruciating for me to ride or drive; it was not made for linebacker-sized folks.  My large pickup is a perfect fit but Mrs. Barn hates driving it.  Oh well.  I still get many invitations to travel to speak and teach but at this point I decline them all.  The Wood and Shop school fits my needs just perfectly as it is two hours away from Shangri-la.  That I can do easily.  Two days each way?  Not so much.

 

We were joined by dear friends Mr. and Mrs. Ripplin’ John.

John was with me side by side throughout the event as multitudes of folks wanted to ask about historical wood finishing and we were delighted to explain and demonstrate.  While we were doing that the Misseses were out and about doing gal-pal stuff.

We were among the first to set up, near the center of the giant Festhalle.  I brought two of my smaller workbenches to use as display and demonstration space.  Soon the place was filled with enthusiasts of every stripe.  I was glad to see that the demographics of the attendees was becoming broader and especially younger.  It gave me hope for the future of the skill set.

The Festhalle was only one of many venues for the event, I think the total this time was seven.  They were all filled with a bajillion tools, old and new.  I only managed to get pictures of about 10% of the goings-on.

On the second morning the packed house was regaled first with a stirring rendition of The Star Spangled Banner magnificently presented by Mike Siemsen followed by a recitation by Chris Schwarz of some old-codger-ish correspondence between a Welsh Stick Chair maker and an American host regarding some workshops.  Very entertaining stuff.

One final note is a comment on the weather, which was a stark counterpoint to the first Handworks.  At Handworks 1 the weather was absolutely frigid, a very cold and rainy Memorial Day weekend fifteen years ago.  This year the air in central Iowa was stifling, temps in the mid 90s with a choking level of humidity.  With every handshake, two hands stuck together.  They day after the event was much cooler.  Oh well.