Astoria Woodworkers Collective

The organization is registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (Astoria Woodworking Collective, Inc.) and is run entirely by volunteers.

How we started

• In the late summer of 2020, a group of Astorians noticed there was no accessible woodworking shop space in Queens.
• They began meeting informally to see what could be done, bringing together a diverse group of aspiring and experienced woodworkers.
• Realizing they could have a deeper impact by providing an outlet for woodworking, they established the collective as a nonprofit organization offering classes, shop access, and community projects.

What we do

Astoria Woodworkers Collective:

• Provides access to woodworking shop space, tools, and equipment.
• Offers classes and workshops for beginner and intermediate woodworkers.
• Organizes community projects where volunteers build items such as fixtures and structures for local community partners.
• Focuses on making woodworking more accessible and on strengthening the local community through hands-on craft.

Leadership

Astoria Woodworkers Collective is led by a volunteer Board of Directors and leadership team, including:

• John Bohlmeyer – President
• Brian Schildhorn – Vice President
• Luke Pietrantonio – Secretary
• John Snyder – Member-at-Large

Leadership team and advisors include:

• Sean Donnelly – Advisor
• Colin Allen – Leadership team

The collective also recognizes a number of previous team members for their contributions to building and growing the organization.

• Address: 12-10 Astoria Blvd, Astoria, NY 11102
• Neighborhood: Astoria, Queens, New York City

This is the location of the Astoria Woodworkers Collective shop space.

How to contact us

• Phone: (971) 373-5248
• Email (general contact): info@astoriawoodworkers.org
• Website: https://www.astoriawoodworkers.org

These contact details are the primary way to reach the collective about membership, classes, volunteering, and general questions.

Hours of operation

Regular operating hours are not listed on the website. For current shop access times, classes, or events, please refer to the latest information on the website, email newsletter, or contact the collective directly using the details above.

Lists Allen, Spring, Astoria, New York City, Queens, and Laguna as a location. Areas beyond these are not published.

Astoria Woodworkers Collective operates as a dues-supported organization. Membership dues help support the mission of making woodworking more accessible in Queens by maintaining the shop, tools, and programs.

Current membership costs

According to the FAQ on the website:

• Annual membership dues: $200
• Shop time: $13 per hour to book shop time

These costs apply to members who use the shop. All prices are taken directly from the published FAQ.

Using the shop as a member

• Shop use is available by booking timeslots (see the separate document on "Shop access, safety orientation, and scheduling shop time").
• Members must follow all safety rules and participate in required orientations before using equipment.

For the most up-to-date information on membership and pricing, or to ask questions about joining, please contact the collective directly using the contact details in the "Location and contact details" document.

• You must be a Shop Access Member to book and use shop time.

Safety orientation requirement

Before scheduling or using shop time:

• You must attend a Safety Orientation.
• The website specifically asks that you do not book time in the shop before participating in a Safety Orientation.

This orientation ensures that members understand shop rules, safe tool usage, and procedures.

How scheduling works

• Members book shop time in advance in defined timeslots using the scheduling system linked from the "Schedule Shop Time" page on the website.
• Shop time is billed at the hourly rate listed in the "Membership and pricing" document.
• Actual availability of timeslots can change and is not managed by this agent; members should use the online scheduling system or contact the collective directly for current availability.

For questions about becoming a Shop Access Member, attending a safety orientation, or issues with booking, please reach out using the contact details in the "Location and contact details" document.

According to the FAQ and Classes page, classes may include projects such as:

• Picture frames
• Boxes
• Serving boards
• A Danish cord stool

The collective also offers multi-session courses. For example, a course titled "Something From Nothing - Spring Sunday Mornings 2026" has been listed at $800.00 and marked as sold out. Individual classes and courses have their own prices and availability as shown on the Classes page.

For current offerings, dates, and prices, visitors should always check the Classes page on the website.

If you have an idea for a class you would like to attend, or if you feel you would be a good fit to help develop or teach classes, you are invited to email programming@astoriawoodworkers.org.

Community and volunteer projects

In addition to classes, the collective organizes volunteer opportunities and community woodworking projects. Examples mentioned on the website include:

• Building a puppet theatre
• Constructing a beehive enclosure
• Building a solar panel structure for a community garden

Volunteer opportunities are announced via the email list and social media. Interested people can sign up for the email list or follow the collective on Instagram to hear about upcoming projects.

Astoria Woodworkers Collective maintains a well-equipped woodworking shop. The organization regularly upgrades and expands its lineup of tools and machines as it grows.

The following equipment list is taken from the FAQ and is current as of March 1, 2026.

Major stationary tools and machines

• Bosch 12" Dual Bevel Gliding Miter Saw
• Grizzly 6" Cabinet Jointer with Spiral Cutterhead
• Grizzly 15" Cabinet Planer with Helical Cutterhead
• SawStop 30" Professional Cabinet Table Saw
• Laguna 14|BX Bandsaw with 13" Resaw Capacity
• Grizzly 14" Bandsaw (6" vertical clearance)
• Powermatic Variable Speed Floor Standing Drill Press
• Laguna SuperMax 19-38 Drum Sander
• Grizzly Combo Belt and Disc Sander
• Jet 12-21 Lathe
• JessEm Router Table, Lift, Fence, and Roller Guides
• Rigid Oscillating Edge Belt/Spindle Sander
• Jet Benchtop Mortiser
• Kreg Pocket Hole Machine

Portable and specialty tools

In addition to the major machines, the shop has various portable and specialty tools, including:

• JessEm doweling jigs
• Festool track saw and guide rail
• Various smaller power tools such as palm sanders, circular saws, a slab-flattening router sled, Dremel rotary tools, electric planers, biscuit jointers, reciprocating saws, trim routers, and jig saws
• 18-gauge brad nailers, drill and impact drivers
• Hand tools such as hand planes, hand saws, chisels, and other essential woodworking tools

For questions about specific tools or capabilities, members and prospective members should contact the collective directly using the details in the "Location and contact details" document.

Ask anyway — the agent will say plainly that it is not published rather than guess.