I recently got into the club and have had nothing but positive experiences there. It's a place where there is a wide varied of skill....some people are lifelong master woodworkers, some people are at the peak of the dunning kruger effect...if you know what I mean...
Dunning–Kruger effect - Wikipedia
There is a ton of expensive commercial grade equipment in the shop and most of it has the ability to remove fingers and hands with ease. Because of the wide variety of skill levels and potentially dangerous equipment, there are a lot of rules and strict guidelines. I can see how it could come off as brusque or even rude but it's in the name of safety. Some people can happily exist in such and environment, some people can't.
As far as the antique table, I don't think I've ever seen anybody working on an antique in the shop. I mean...I've seen plenty of things that
will be antiques someday....but I'm not sure fixing up antiques is a thing in the woodworking shop. Not sure though. The shop is nonprofit so you can't sell things you make there so that could have been an issue too.
Joe