Students from Conestoga's Woodworking Technology program displayed their capstone projects on August 19 at the Woodworking Centre of Ontario, located at Conestoga’s Kitchener - Doon campus. The event highlighted the students’ creativity, technical expertise and craftsmanship.
Dyllan Grosz designed and built a mid-century modern bar cart, which earned him first place in the Best in Manufactured Project award.
The showcased work demonstrated skills in design, material selection, machine operation, production planning, problem-solving, precision woodworking and finishing techniques.
Industry sponsors FS Tool, Rampa Tec and Fuji Spray presented awards for the top projects.
This marks the introduction of the Marty Schlosser Memorial Award for Excellence in Wood Finishing by Fuji Spray. The award was established in honour of Marty Schlosser by his long-time friends and colleagues at Fuji Spray, in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to the craft and community of woodworking.
Claire Darlow and Alexis Smith were selected for the inaugural award. Fuji Spray provided finishing equipment prizes, while the top award also included a $500 cash prize. Darlow crafted a cherry-and-maple dresser, while Smith built a cherry bedside table with a custom crimson-coloured stain.
Darlow’s dresser also earned her third place in the Best in Manufactured Project award and a $200 prize, sponsored by FS Tool. Next year, the dresser will be a special gift to a family member. “My sister is getting married next year. I asked her if there was anything she would like me to make, and this is what she chose,” she said. While her sister left much of the design up to her, they consulted on the size and stain to ensure it would fit her sister’s space.
Second place and $300 went to Ethan Bartlett for his poker table. Built out of ash, the table will replace his dining room table as the family’s designated game space. To build his pedestal, he created a custom wood block consisting of 30 individual pieces, then spun it on a machine and shaped it into the finished profile. In his design, Bartlett had to consider not just aesthetics but the limitations of available tools. “This was the largest size of pedestal the machine could spin,” he said. Bartlett was also the recipient of the Rampa Tec Design Award and a $350 prize.
Dyllan Grosz designed and built a mid-century modern bar cart, which earned him first place and $500. The cart is made from cherry wood and features brass accents. “I’m a big fan of mid-century modern designs,” said Grosz. “I originally planned on doing a cabinet, but then I saw a lot of bar cart designs and took inspiration from that.” The cart consists of two levels and includes a fully removable serving tray that had to be perfectly sized to fit into its slot below the first level.
The Woodworking Centre of Ontario is among North America's leading training centres for woodworking. This institution, established in 1988, has produced countless industry leaders and talented craftspeople who have gone on to have fulfilling careers in the woodworking trade.
Conestoga offers the Woodworking Technician and Cabinetmaker programs at the centre.