The purpose of Wowser is to provide, for the interested people of the Greater Willits Area, a transformed ability to use experiential learning as a pathway for a personal life that works.

In support of that purpose, Wowser is developing a summer program and we want you!

• Starting June 15^th, and for eight continuous weeks we’ll offer different choices for introductory classes as listed below. Each week will have adventures in making, building, learning, and growing.
• Doors open each day at 11:00 am with opening circle starting at 11:30 am.
• Each day starts with an hour of ideas and suggestions for what will happen and how to do it today.
• Badge forms must be signed by a parent or guardian for all under 18 years of age.
• We are also working with Mendocino Community College and may have college credit courses available this summer.
• Classes are Free for all Wowser Members (College classes would be separate.)
• We’re offering a special from now through June 15th for half-off our normal membership fee. You can become a member for just $50 or $4.44 a month for twelve months. Sign up for this special promo by clicking here.

Each class is one week long. Summer offerings so far are:

1. Welding – MIG, drilling, cutting, grinding, & Plasma cutter. Items that we’ll be making include: tool boxes, name-plates, treasure chests and more.

2. Wood-working – Drilling, cutting, sanding, gluing and router. We’ll make tool boxes, small clever wood boxes, treasure chest, rubber band guns, puzzle boards, wooden ladder toys, and more.

3. Costuming- clothes – Sewing, grommets, patterns, hot-glue, laces. In this class we’ll be make hats, sashes, vests, capes, masks, pouches, and gloves.

4. Costuming- props – Small wood-working, grommets, hot-glue, sheet metal work, laces. Items made will include steampunk goggles, ray guns, sonic screwdrivers, time-benders, and watches.

5. Circus arts – Juggling, acrobats, German wheel, poi-spinning practice (no fire). We’ll make practice Poi sets, Juggling balls, and juggling boxes.

6. Blinky lights – LED wearables, EL wire signs, EL Wire wearable, Programmable LED. In this engaging class we’ll make ear-rings, necklaces, broaches, tiaras, vests, signs

9. Computer building – From parts to a PC.
10. Bike-making – Pick one of our frames and build a bike.

11. Lost wax casting – Small wax designs into silver. We’ll make ring, ear-rings, necklaces, broaches, and art pieces.

12. Story-telling & improv. Just for fun.

Plus we’ll offer a block of Digging with a Kubota KX-91 Mini-Excavator.

Classes will be limited to six students each. Class schedule and registration will be available starting on May 28th.

As a special treat, every evening at 6PM Espresso Yourself at Wowser offers, a member only coffee shop.

You choose which class you want to go to, all or none, and one week or all eight.  This is up to you!  You schedule your time this summer!  Or, just hang out at Espresso Yourself coffee shop for Wowser members in the evenings. You may take each subject only once over the summer.  We will have a firm schedule out by May 28^th on our website.

In the meantime, be sure to sign up as a member by June 15^th for a special discounted rate of $4.44 per month (for twelve months). Your membership will allow you to attend any of the summer classes for Free! Enroll as a member by clicking here. If you are already a member or live outside of the area but would love to support Wowser please click here. 

Whenever you have to attach two pieces of wood together (and you want them to be PERMANENTLY attached), glue is your best friend.  Really.  You may not have had much success with it before; but stick around and listen to this.  The basic problem with wood is that when you attach two pieces with nails or screws (or even wood dowels), you are depending on the friction between the nail and the wood to hold the pieces together.  As the wood dries out (and it always does); the friction lessens.  Then the two pieces start to wobble around, and that causes the friction to fade even faster.

Glue to the rescue! By adding glue to the faces of the two pieces of wood (at the area where they touch), you now have a potentially solid joint.

For the glue to work well, you need 5 things:

1. There has to be enough surface covered by glue.

If you have a couple of eight foot long 2”x4”’s attached at the top’s (like a giant upside-down V); and the joint area is 1” x 1”, you are not going to have much success.  The glue works by making a relatively large area that prevent the two pieces from swiveling around the nail (or screw or bolt, or dowel) The nail holds the pieces together, while the glue simply keeps them from wobbling.

The fix:  This one is trouble.  If you can change the design (so there is more area where the two pieces touch); then you are golden.  Otherwise, give it to someone else; let them struggle with a poor design.

2. You have to temporarily clamp the two pieces of wood together VERY tightly (while the glue drys.)

Glue is not really “structural”. If the two pieces of wood are not touching really solidly, then the glue has to act like a third piece of wood.  And very few glues can do that well.   Clamping the pieces of wood together allows the glue to ONLY have to do it’s favorite job.  And that is Acting like Velcro.  (Velcro can be pulled apart really easily; but try to slide or twist it, never.)

The fix: Wowser has RACKS full of clamps for this very reason.  With enough clamps you can press almost anything together long enough for the glue to dry. [Read more…]