The planning for Get Woodworking Week is well underway, and this year’s event is going to be a good one.

Just as with last year, I have the support of some big names in woodworking blogging back for the big event, and I look forward to collecting their stories to help weave an interesting story with which we can lure some folks off the sidelines and into woodworking.

This year, we also want to welcome a few more participants. The editors of three of the largest woodworking magazines – Wood, Popular Woodworking and Fine Woodworking – are all on board, lending their support and their expertise to the effort.

In fact, Asa Christiana already asked me to share a very interesting article from Fine Woodworking about how to set up a shop on a budget. Here is the link to this article.

This year, it’s also not only knowledge that you can get from this week.. there are some prizes! Now, I can’t guarantee this will be bigger than the big thousand post giveaway I had last summer, but I think you are going to enjoy this anyway.

First up, the folks at Bora Tools thought that one of the most important set of tools a new woodworker could use would be a square and a marking gauge. Together, these babies can help woodworkers work square and mark carefully. And, for a lucky new woodworker, they will be the proud recipient of a set of these tools.

Our friends at Bessey Clamps have also jumped in to help. What is it that every woodworker wants more of?  Clamps!  That’s why they have put together two sweet kits of clamps, each featuring:

• Bessey Tool Bag
• 5 x LM2.004  –  light duty bar clamp
• 10 x XM5  –  spring clamps
• 2 x BPC-H34  –  ¾” pipe clamp H-style
• 1 x VAS-23 – Variable angle strap clamp
• 2 x UK3.012  –  UniKlamp parallel clamps
• 2 x TGJ2.506+TK  – profiled rail malleable cast bar clamps

Woah!  Now, we’re talking!

Now, how will we figure out how someone can win these?

OK, here’s how this will work. If you are a woodworker who has been in the craft for one year or less, send me an e-mail at tom@tomsworkbench.com and explain  how you got into the craft. On Saturday, February 9 (the last day of Get Woodworking Week), I will take the entries that I get and pick the new woodworker with the best story to feature.

Now, don’t anyone try to create an alter-ego here and try to pull a fast one on me…we have ways of finding out!

Now, I’m really excited about Get Woodworking Week – and I hope you are too!