George Vondriska was given a scroll saw when he was nine, and a router and lathe shortly after.  That was the beginning of his love for woodworking and working with his hands.  He turned a baby carriage and lawn mower into a go-cart, disassembled and reassembled (generally successfully) anything he could get his hands on, and built a shop in his mom’s garage before he was in high school. George’s love of making and creating led to him becoming a Technical Education (shop) teacher.  His first teaching job was at a Shopsmith store, which led to his career of teaching adults. He opened his own woodworking school in 1998, the same year he became Tools and New Product Editor for American Woodworker magazine.  In addition to AW, George has written for Woodworkers Journal, Fine Woodworking, The Family Handyman and WOOD magazines. He also co-wrote a book: CNC Essentials. George has taught woodworking in Africa for the United States Peace Corps and has done training for Andersen Window and the Pentagon.  As the Managing Editor of the “Woodworkers Guild of America”, he has produced over 120 DVDs and countless YouTube clips.  In his spare time, George enjoys camping, riding his motorcycle, teaching himself to weld, or shooting his bow.