September 2025 Newsletter

New Member Orientation

  9/16/2025 6:30 - 8:00 pm (Leesburg)

Leesburg Workday: 9/27/2025 9am - 2pm

Purcellville Workday: 9/06/2025 9am - 12pm

(There's something for everyone -get those volunteer hours in!)

Monthly Membership Meeting

Meetings are the first Wednesday of every month at 7:30 PM. Log to:

http://meet.google.com/ubz-ykxr-kiu

or

Dial-in: (US) +1 304-609-2532

PIN: 114 333 983#

Announcements

Recommendations for Social Media Posts

Diane Bollinger

To submit a social media post, please email it to:

 diane.bollinger@makersmiths.org (or the active social media contact) Slack messages are harder to track so email is preferred.

Posts should be around 3-5 sentences with one eye catching photo, 
written from the perspective of the organization. The information can 
be formatted as

a quote from a member.

The post should not be time relevant i.e. "Yesterday we did XYZ" 
unless it is posted exactly in that timeframe. If the event happened 
more than a month previous, it should not reference a date unless it 
makes it more relevant. As well, posts that talk about a future date 
that has passed will need to be reformatted.

- Multiple photos should be avoided but they can have a certain benefit. Photos should all be cropped square, or have the ability to be cropped square.

- Posts should only mention members by name with permission, such as who attended or who a quote is from. Names are best as first name and last initial to project it being less formal. Exceptions being people that are more than members, examples being teachers, board members, guest speakers, or prominent members of the community.

- Some members may request their business be mentioned instead.

- Photos should avoid people's faces as much as possible, if faces are shown, clarify with the member about posting to internal vs external media use.

- If there is a longer article, it should be linked to a blog post or similar on our website. Facebook can do longer posts, but people want to review it quickly. Long posts get skipped.

- Bullet lists are great if applicable.

- Links are good but they can be tricky. No linking is better as algorithms show links less.

- Tagging other businesses is really a good way to spread reach.

- Individual people should not be tagged.

- Permission for social media use is given for those who post their work in the slack #whatcha_make_today channel which is regularly used for internal media use. However, social media is a far more broad reaching channel and so I am requesting that permission be gathered for all external media. Those who are ok with any of their photos or posts being used can email diane.bollinger@makersmiths.org with that broad use permission. Those emails will be tagged and forwarded to a future marketing chain when someone steps up to that position.

- Questions? Contact me at diane.bollinger@makersmiths.org 

Tage Sale Update

John Carter

Planning for the "Makers' Market @ Makersmiths" fundraising event out 

at our Purcellville location (Saturday October 11th) is moving right along. 

I'll be posting in Slack more on the event in the coming days. A prime 

feature of the fundraising will be an online auction that will culminate on 

the afternoon of the event. The auction will consist of items donated by our

members, to benefit Makersmiths.

On October 11, we really want to show off all the amazing things our 

membership does, so the focus of the auction is items made by Members. If 

you have something you're ready to donate or want to volunteer to make 

something for the auction, please contact me directly over DM or email: john.carter@makersmiths.org and I can answer questions you may have.

Here are the basic details though: The deadline for your item ready is Saturday, October 4th. The sooner the better though, so we can add a photo of your donation to the auction and promote it on social media!

Obviously, we'll need a photo or photos of your donation so that we can 

promote it. We'll also need a brief description of the item to accompany the photo. If you have something really cool that you think we should add to the auction but it wasn't something you made, we may still consider adding it.  Please Direct Message me in Slack or email me and we'll discuss it.

Makersmiths Board Report

Jim Waldron

The Makersmiths Board met on August 27th. The meeting was called to order by chairman Evan at 7pm sharp. Minutes of the prior meeting were approved and Officer and Committee reports were heard. We are in good financial shape, income just about on target and expenses lower than projected. Membership is down very slightly.

The new equipment purchases approved by the Board at the last meeting have been made, most of the new equipment has been received, and installation is complete or in progress.

Motions included getting a regular Information Technology status report, formalizing a fund raiser to run in conjunction with the October Makers Market, additional funding for plotter supplies, appointment of Isaac Bowser as Cosplay co-steward, appointment of Jonathan White as chair of the Bylaws and Standing Rules Committee, and adjustments to the suggested donation schedule for various machines – still under revision for implementation October 1st.

Open discussion included recognizing Dave Painter for his concerted efforts on the lower building at Purcellville. The meeting adjourned at 9:35.

Education Initiatives

Educational Initiatives

Diane Painter

The next family-oriented workshop is Alex Rice’s two-day Hands-on Intro 

to Microcontrollers at Makersmiths Leesburg on September 6 and 7. 

Participants will be introduced to circuits, programming and the purposes 

of microcontrollers that read inputs from sensors and turn those inputs into 

outputs to make something work, such as lighting up a light bulb or making 

a sound. The class filled quickly, but if interested in taking this workshop 

(an adult with a youth ages 12+), please click here to request additional 

classes.

oudoun County Public Schools contacted Makersmiths to share Job for A 

Day is back. In 2024, 600 LCPS students participated in this annual event 

that is open to all LCPS 10th and 11th grade students. The LCPS Job for a 

Day (JFD) program is a career exploration activity providing an opportunity 

for 10th-11th grade students to shadow in-person an individual(s) or 

business/organization. The experience allows the student to learn/observe 

the tasks and responsibilities necessary in a particular career cluster, field 

or specific job.  Connect with your school’s Career Center. Registration 

opens August 29, 2025 and closes on November 7, 2025. You can also 

register at https://bit.ly/25jfadstudents

Did you know that Makersmiths has a monthly Sewing Circle that is free to

attend? It is on the second Wednesday of every month at Makersmiths 

Leesburg. Last month, Amy Copley worked with two teens to help them 

finish flannel PJ bottoms! What would you and your youth like to learn to 

make? Contact Amy Copeley at copeleyphoto@icloud.com and be sure to 

sign up so we know you are coming! https://makersmiths.org/event-6189500

Stories

Rockler’s English Bench

Greg Carter

I recently finished building this English Garden Bench. The plans are 

available from Rockler, and I recommend getting the version with the MDF 

templates because it makes the arms, legs, and all other pieces with curves 

so much easier to create. It also locates all the mortises. This project is not 

complex, but it is time-consuming. Mortise-and-tenon joinery abound, which

is not too challenging, but a hollow chisel mortiser (thank you, 

Makersmiths– Purcellville!) handle both the different depths required in the 

upper crest rail, and the 16-degree slant required in the lower rail for each 

of the dozen slats. In my opinion, a router table and a bandsaw are a 

necessity, as well as a long pattern bit to follow the templates. The arms and

legs are glue-ups from doubled 8/4 stock. They were cut down to thickness. 

The bench is around 5 feet long, so the pieces will start to take up some 

space in almost any shop.

Is this a difficult project? No. The best support for this project is the Rockler

video on YouTube which walks one through each, and every, step in the 

process, in order. I referred to this YouTube video many, many times to 

verify I was on the right step at the right time. One of the best reminders 

the video kept banging into me was that the left and right arm assemblies 

are mirror images of each other, not duplicates. This makes the mortises fall

on opposite sides. There is also a very good written set of instructions in the

set, so between those two, I did not lose my place across the year it took to 

make the bench.

Life always interferes, but if I had nothing else to do, it would probably take

40-50 hours of work, not including glue drying times or driving to the shop 

that houses the hollow chisel mortiser (did I say thank you, Makersmiths – 

Purcellville?) or its belt sander. I don’t remember the board feet required 

for this project, but I think I purchased 8 or 10 8-foot 8/4 boards, either 6 or

8 inches wide. Yep, I have some leftover and some offcuts, but I also have a 

nice outside bench. Questions? Contact me at Greg Carter.

Makers Making

Diane Painter

Isaac Bowser has a lot of patience! He 3D printed a stool that took 40 hours to print! He found the design on Makerworld.

James Milholen has now been nominated as son of the year (or at least he should be!). While visiting his mother who has a house full of quilts that she made, he built his mother a quilt ladder to display some of those quilts!

Blair Marendt just finished his first cutting board. It has a juice groove.

Dana Eddy also made custom cutting boards for a customer who wants

them as gifts for the judges who will be working at the Pennsylvania Dairy

Princess Association competition in September. Both Blair and Dana

attribute their successes to Lyle Reger for training them to use the Big Red

CNC!

Anyone going to the Maryland Renaissance Festival in September and 

October? You may want to dress the part! Diane Bollinger is working on a 

3D printed armor costume. Using Blender, she designed armor and then 

sent the files to Bambu Studio, cut them in the slicer and printed them on 

her X1Cs, using “hot stapler” for the first time. Next, she spent time 

priming and filling in gaps and then sanding. So far, she has created these 

items.

Just before each Christmas holiday, Diane Painter volunteers at the Legacy 

Elder Law Center in Leesburg to put donated gifts into stockings or bags for

seniors who are living in assisted living or a rehab center in Leesburg. 

These seniors do not have family members or friends who are able to visit 

them during the holidays. What are gifts without a card? So, Diane 

volunteered to use the Cricut to make homemade cards for this year’s gift 

initiative. How many are needed? Forty says the law center! Thanks to eight

fellow Makersmiths members who are either just learning to use the Cricut 

or are seasoned Cricut and Silhouette makers met to make cards! Here are 

just a few examples.

Red Tool Classes are an important step in your Maker journey!

MS-L

Woodworking Red Tool 09/10/2025 6:00pm - 9:00pm

CNC Big Red Tool 09/10/2025 6:30pm - 9:30pm

Wood Lathe Big Red Tool 09/11/2025 11:00am - 2:30pm

Sublimation Printer Red Tool 09/15/2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm

CO2 Laser Basic Red Tool 09/17/2025 6:00pm - 9:00pm

Print Vinyl Stickers Red Tool 09/22/2025 6:00pm - 9:00pm

FDM 3D Printing Basic Red Tool 09/23/2025 6:00pm - 8:00pm

CO2 Laser Rotary Red Tool 09/25/2025 6:00pm - 9:00pm

MS-P

Woodworking Basics Red Tool

09/11/2025 6:30pm - 9:00pm

Woodworking Basics Red Tool

09/14/2025 1:00pm - 3:30pm

Metalworking Basics Red Tool

09/17/2025 6:00pm - 8:30pm

Makersmiths runs on volunteers!

Consider teaching a class or holding a workshop! check out the #class_planning_and_requests channel on Slack and join a meeting to get some help with your idea!

Tool Authorization Groups

Dean Williamson

Makersmiths has lots of cool and useful tools, machines, and equipment.  Many of them require training or authorization before you can use the equipment.  The training can be as simple as an orientation, to a more formal “red tool” class, to demonstrating proficiency to the tool steward. Such mandatory training helps ensure that all users understand how to use the equipment properly and safely, thus helping to keep the equipment running smoothly and minimize maintenance downtime as well as ensuring the safety of our members.

Below is a link to the list of tools which require training and authorization from a Steward. Please contact the steward for more information about each tool. This list is not exhaustive of the tools available at Makersmiths and is updated regularly as we get new equipment or as needed:

By clicking above, you can view the most current list posted on the Makersmiths wiki. Consider checking it out, you might discover a new tool that you didn’t realize Makersmiths had.

Makersmith Board Officers

Board Name/Officer | Position | Term

Brad Hess | Board Member | 2022 - 2025

Bo Wernick | Board Member| 2024 - 2027

Scott Silvers | Board Member | 2023 - 2026

Evin Grano | Board Member/Chairperson | 2023 - 2026

Jennifer Chu | Board Member | 2024 - 2027

Diane Bollinger | President | 2025 - 2026

Mary Waldron | Treasurer | 2025 - 2026

Jim Waldron | Board Member/Secretary | 2025 - 2026

Did You Know...

You can find the newsletters from the last several years archived on our website?

Makersmiths also has a Blog, Instagram, and YouTube!

The Newsletter could always use some new blood - share your projects, pitch some article ideas, tell us about something cool you've seen in your Maker travels!

Makersmiths Leesburg: 106 Royal St SW, Leesburg, VA 20175

Makersmiths Purcellville: 785 S. 20th St, Purcellville, VA 20132