About

Dates: September 1st & 2nd @ 10am - 5pm

For the fourth time, join modern woodworking hand tool makers and fellow enthusiasts for a weekend immersion in all things handwork. Unplug from the world of machines, dust and noise while listening to the crisp sounds of the hand plane, chisel and saw in a restored timber-frame dairy barn in the traditional, historic German village of Amana.

Ask the makers about their tools and learn first hand how hand tools make woodworking more precise, easier, more enjoyable, and more meaningful.

Special Presenter

Roy
Underhill

Saturday @ 10AM

Join Roy Underhill on Saturday morning to raise up the ancient/new spirit of handworks and begin our day with renewed faith in the strength of our muscles and the excellence of our edge! The wood abides, the tools abide, so let us unplug – that we may reconnect stronger than ever, taking up the skills of yesterday to build our better tomorrow!

No ticket required. First come first serve. Doors open at 9am.
We ask that no commerce take place before or during the presentation.

merchandise

Poster

T-shirt

Screen printed by hand. Only available at the show!

Now only available at the show, in limited quantity!

ALL proceeds go to support Handworks.
Original art by Steve Thomas Art.

Venues

Located in the center of the National Historic Landmark Amana colonies, Handworks is being held in the Festhalle Barn, Timber & Tools, and Greenwood Barn right in the middle of Main Amana.

Festhalle Barn
Greenwood Barn
Timber and Tools
Amana Furniture Shop

Vendors

Handworks is hosting more craftsmen than ever before with over 70 unique vendors!

Location

Venture off on foot into surrounding old-world furniture shops, traditional woolen mill, laceworks, smokehouse, and brewery. Have lunch at one of many traditional German restaurants, or hop in the car and visit six other villages replete with history and pre-industrial charm.

There are plenty of bed and breakfast options in the Amanas, in old German homesteads, as well as smaller hotels and inns.

A 30 minute drive gets you to Cedar Rapids, Iowa's second largest city, with lots of lodging options. A 20 minute drive gets you to Iowa City/Coralville, a college town with lots of good food options plus unique shops in the downtown pedestrian mall.

travel

The closest airport to Amana is the Eastern Iowa Airport (Cedar Rapids). It's about 15 minutes from Amana by car through the Iowa countryside. There are daily flights between Chicago and the EIA.

The next closest option is Des Moines, IA, about 1.5 hours by car to Amana.

Finally, you can fly into Chicago's O'Hare, which is about 3.5 hours by car to Amana. O'hare is in the western suburbs of Chicago, and traffic west of the airport is usually not an issue. It's an easy drive.

Admission

Handworks is a gathering of like-minded hand tool makers for the purpose of promoting the beauty of hand woodworking and the tools that go along with it. As such there is no attendance fee.

Handworks doesn't make any money on this event.

Please consider a donation to Handworks to help us cover expenses, and promote repeat events. Your donation at the door is much appreciated.

door prizes

Several companies have donated prizes that will be given away during the event. To qualify for a door prize you must register. There is no cost to register.

See below for details.

  • Lost Art Press
    Special Edition Engraved Lump Hammer
  • Kate Swann School of Woodwork
    TBA
  • Mass Woodworks
    Brassbound wenge marking gauge
  • Czeck Edge Hand Tool
    1/4" carbide Traditional BC Awl
  • Veritas Tools
    4 joinery saws w/ saw till
  • George Walker
    Set of wooden try squares
  • Fine Woodworking Magazine
    1 year Unlimited membership
  • M.S. Bickford
    Rabbet plane
  • Leather by Dragonfly
    Sedgeley Utility Pouch & Mini Sedge
  • Amana Timber and Tools
    Wood slab
  • Blue Spruce Toolworks
    TBA
  • Axe & Anvil Hand Works
    Hand forged & laminated paring chisel
  • Hock Tools
    The Perfect Edge book
  • Jarrod Dahl
    Pole lathe turned lámhóg
  • Sterling Tool Works
    TBA
  • Andy D. Glenn Furniture
    Wooden carrier
  • Voigt Planes
    TBA
  • Jason A. Lonon
    Pair of holdfasts
  • Walke Moore Tools
    Router Plane
  • Benchcrafted
    Moxon Vise OR Swing Away Seat
  • Quercus Magazine
    1 year subscription
  • Knew Concepts
    5" Mk4 with swivels
  • H.N.T. Gordon
    Spoke Shave
  • Tools for Working Wood
    TBA
  • J. Miller Handcrafted Furniture
    Carved bowl from fluting engine
  • Fine Tool Journal
    1 year subscription
  • Red Rose Reproductions
    5” divider/compass set
  • J. Wilding Planemaker
    TBA
  • Paul Hamler
    Miller's Patent Plane
  • Mary May's Woodcarving
    "The Acanthus Leaf" book + 1 year membership online carving school
  • Mike Siemsen's School
    Twin screw Moxon
  • Bad Axe Tool Works
    #9 saw with hat & stickers
  • SawSharp
    Weekend saw sharpening seminar + one free saw sharpening
  • Florida School of Woodwork
    1 weekend woodworking class for 2024
  • Hand Tool Woodworking
    Set of online greenwood and chair classes
  • The Wood Whisperer
    Hybrid Woodworking book + Essential Joinery book + set of online courses
  • Brese Plane
    Cabinet Maker's Turn Screws
  • Hamilton Toolworks
    Joinery Knife
  • Sawyer Made
    Ironwood froe mallet
  • The Barn On White Run
    Complete set of polisoirs
  • Texas Heritage Woodworks
    12-slot tool roll
  • J. Bower Engraving
    Signed print
  • J. Sannerud Studios
    TBA
  • Hillview Wood & Metal
    Brass double square
  • Lie Nielsen Toolworks
    Large router plane
  • The Lazarus Handplane Co.
    Small smoothing plane
  • Mortise & Tenon Magazine
    "Another Work is Possible" book + $50 M&T gift certificate
  • Marc Adams School
    TBA
  • Don Weber
    TBA
  • Blackburn Tools
    36" Roubo frame saw kit
  • Blum Tool Company
    Adjustable bench hold down
  • Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute
    Windsor balloon back chair class
  • Honey Brook Tools
    Set of winding sticks & marking knife
  • Woodspirit Handcraft & School
    Lámhóg and Hassui ceramic finish
  • Sound Foundation
    TBA
  • John Shaw Woodworker
    Stock scraper
  • SAPFM
    Free membership OR
    package of our journals

To qualify for a door prize you MUST register in advance for Handworks. You won't be able to register at the event. Simply fill out the form below, in it's entirety, to register. Don't worry, we won't share your contact info with anyone. Each attendee must register separately to qualify.

If you register, and then cannot attend, we ask that you kindly let us know by sending us a follow-up email (register@handworks.co). Likewise, please register ONLY if you know you'll be attending.

To win a door prize, you MUST be present at Handworks. No prizes will be awarded in absentee, or handed over to another party.

Each individual company's item equals one single prize, even if the individual prize contains multiple items (e.g.: a chisel set would equal one prize).

Winners will be chosen at random and announced publicly by name Saturday following Roy's presentation. If you happen to be away from the Festhalle barn at the time of the event, we'll have a board listing the names of the winners.

Winners can claim their prize at the respective company's booth. Handworks is not responsible for prizes.

Unclaimed prizes will be forfeited, or dealt with at each company's discretion.