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Shinwa + JTA - March 2024 Giveaway Winners!

Mark Macleanc
Markmacleancabinetmaker
Ross Mac Andrews
hatbeanihadfordinner
Frank Jaksetic
frank_guitars
Luke Johnson 
 easternhorizon
Jenna Rowe
jenna_rowe

The Details!

What is this "competition"?

We are inviting woodworkers to share their current project - and what it is about it that gets them excited!

When does it run?

It opens Monday March 4th and closes Friday March 15.


Winners will be decided upon the evening of March 15 and announced on Saturday 16th on the JTA instagram.

This thing moves quickly - make sure to get your entry in!

So what's in it for me?

We are awarding 5 prize packs generously donated by our friends at Shinwa.

Each prize pack includes;

  • 10cm, 15cm and 30cm versions of Shinwa's Pickup Rulers, as well as a stop for the 15cm and 30cm ones.
  • A Shinwa Japanese-Style Sliding Bevel
  • The 30cm square with metal stop
  • The transformative Parallel Saw Guide (30cm)
  • Mini verniers for your top pocket or drawer
  • Superlative Hirapita squares in BOTH 50cm variants.
  • 5m FitGear Tape Measure and a Mag-lock Holder
  • Shinwa Protractor
  • Shinwa Miter Ruler 45/135
  • Perhaps a couple of extra little Shinwa goodies ;-P

What would make my entry more likely to win?

We want to see what project you are currently working on - and we want to know what gets you pumped about it. It's really this second element that can set your entry apart - we want to share in the excitement!

As we all know, there are plenty of reasons to get excited about woodworking. Timber can be one of those reasons - maybe you have some particularly beautiful material you are working with? Or maybe you're plastering lipstick on a pig by taking recycled bearers/pallets/slabs and giving them a new lease on life?

There is also the problem solving element - finding a simple and elegant solution to a tricky problem is utterly satisfying. A well-made jig can turn a chore of a task into a simple and repeatable job. And even when we make a clanger of a mistake, there is a joy to be found in fixing it and saving the project.

Design-wise, you may be finally happy with a the sweep of a leg. Perhaps a new tool is finally tuned and giving you great results? Is the rough form of a carving taking shape before your eyes?

All of these are just suggestions - only you know why your project has captured your interest, and that's what we are here to discover!

We know that putting your work out there in front of others can be nerve wracking, and we wouldn't ask anyone to do anything that we aren't prepared to do ourselves, so you'll see Mitch and Christian posting about a couple of their personal projects as well. We encourage you to take a deep breath, take the plunge, and join them!

How do I enter the giveaway?

This competition is instagram-based.

To enter, ensure you are following both Shinwa @shinwa_sokutei and JTA @japanese_tools_australia.

Post about your project with an explanation of what you're enjoying about it - this might be a video, or else some photos and bit of a blurb.

When you post, tag both @shinwa_sokutei and JTA @japanese_tools_australia so that we can see it!

And that's it! You are entered, appreciated, and in the draw for some great new tools.


If you don't have an instagram account, you can also email your entry to info@japanesetools.com.au, and we will post it on our account to enter you.

The Prize

We are awarding 5 prize packs generously donated by our friends at Shinwa.

Each prize pack includes;

  • 10cm, 15cm and 30cm versions of Shinwa's Pickup Rulers, as well as a stop for the 15cm and 30cm ones.
  • A Shinwa Japanese-Style Sliding Bevel
  • The 30cm square with metal stop
  • The transformative Parallel Saw Guide (30cm)
  • Mini verniers for your top pocket or drawer
  • Superlative Hirapita squares in BOTH 50cm variants.
  • 5m FitGear Tape Measure and a Mag-lock Holder
  • Shinwa Protractor
  • Shinwa Miter Ruler 45/135
  • Perhaps a couple of extra little Shinwa goodies ;-P

Visiting The Shinwa Tools Factory

I had the privilege of getting a tour of the Sashigane and ruler factory in Sanjo. It was absolutely amazing to see a coil of stainless steel transformed into a precision tool.
Here is a quick video from the tour. The cleanliness and ingenuity in the process were astonishing, and some of the machines were over 50 years old.