Students in their second-year of Conestoga’s Woodworking Technology (co-op) program presented projects at the Woodworking Summer Showcase on August 17 to determine the Best in Manufactured Product.
Heather Cummings was awarded Best in Manufactured Product for her armoire at the Woodworking Summer Showcase.
Faculty, family and event sponsors gathered at Conestoga’s Woodworking Centre of Ontario to see the broad range of projects on display, which included cabinets, storage units and tables.
Faculty member Richard Bruckeder welcomed guests to the event and thanked students for their hard work and dedication - each student completed their project with 120 hours of shop time and 45 hours of design. Before announcing the top honours, Bruckeder invited event sponsor FS Tool to address the crowd. “I am extremely impressed with all the projects,” said FS Tool president Tony Colangelo. “FS Tool is proud to be involved and provide support.”
FS Tool has been event sponsor for woodworking showcase events for the past five years, providing support twice a year. In addition to event sponsorship, FS Tool provides the college with educational pieces and product updates. They also employ graduates of Conestoga's woodworking programs. FS Tool marketing manager Frank Horvath says he enjoys attending the event, “each year is different - different techniques, different products used - and the amount of effort is outstanding.”
Projects were judged by both current and retired woodworking faculty and based on product design and development, craftsmanship, and product presentation. Heather Cummings was awarded first place for an armoire crafted from both red oak and maple, and stained with fumed oak. Cummings made the object for personal use, creating the design for its practicality with subtle details and moulding, the most difficult component being the face frame for the inset drawers and door.
With her top honour, Cummings received $300 and entry into the 2018 Summer Tech Showcase, which features best of program, final-year projects from a number of programs in Conestoga’s School of Engineering and Information Technology. The top project at Summer Tech Showcase is awarded the college’s Mastercraft Award.
Second place went to Andrew Gugan for a pair of night stands, while third place was awarded to Ryan Kroesbergen for the only musical instrument in the showcase - a harp crafted from maple and Sitka spruce. Second and third place winners received $150 and $50, respectively.
The Woodworking Technology (co-op) program is a unique co-operative advanced diploma program, where students are provided with theoretical and practical training related to the technology and skills involved in the efficient and quality-conscious manufacture of furniture, cabinets and architectural millwork. The co-op delivery mode allows students the opportunity to relate in-school training with real industrial experience.
Conestoga’s Woodworking Centre of Ontario is a 50,000 square foot facility at the Doon campus, ranking among the world’s top woodworking training centres. Students have access to custom woodworking and production training as well as the latest in Computer Numerical Control (CNC) and drafting technology.