MEDINA, MINN. — Rockler Woodworking and Hardware, one of the nation’s retailers of woodworking tools and supplies, announced the winners of the #RocklerTryThatChallenge, a contest that invited woodworkers of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels to tackle new projects, new tools, or new products that they’ve always wanted to try.

Rockler, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, launched the #RocklerTryThatChallenge in October 2023 and received over 1,100 entries from woodworking enthusiasts, which were judged by pro woodworkers Chris Salomone and Shaun Boyd. You can view all of the entries here.

The #RocklerTryThatChallenge winners are:

First Place — $2,500 Rockler gift card
Kyle Hagerty, Atlanta, Georgia — Twisted side table
View entry: instagram.com

“We were blown away by the creativity and daring that some of these woodworkers brought to the #RocklerTryThatChallenge this year,” says Ann Rockler Jackson, Chairperson at Rockler. “It was so exciting to see people push themselves and try out new skills, tools, and techniques that they might’ve not otherwise attempted, to raise their woodworking to the next level. Woodworking is all about creativity and passion, and we’re glad to see that people brought it with this challenge.”

The #RocklerTryThatChallenge is the company’s fifth season of specialty challenges. Past contests included the #RocklerPlywoodChallenge, the #RocklerBentwoodChallenge, and most recently the #RocklerHobbyChallenge, which asked people to channel their favorite hobbies into a woodworking project, the winner being an intricate, wooden electric guitar.

“People really took this year’s challenge to the next level, whether it was a new material that they’d never worked with, a new method they hadn’t tried, or a new tool put to use,” said challenge judge Chris Salomone. “The spirit of ‘Try That’ is to try something you’ve always thought is out of your skillset, and to push yourself to the next level. We were so excited to see people doing just that, and grow in their woodworking.”

Winners of this Rockler challenges can be found at rockler.com/try-that-challenge