Issue
6, June 10, 1986
MAY MEETING - WHAT A WOODWORKING
PROJECT!
Our
May meeting focused on a rather unusual woodworking challenge: building a pole
frame house! Tom and Susan Church showed slides and narrated their super
building project, a beautiful home they built in Washington state. As Tom
noted, the pole construction technique is common in the northwest where the
natural timbers fit in well with the tall spruce and pine found in the area.
Finding enough friends and the ingenuity to erect a pole frame with poles of
more than 40 ft. is enough to turn all we weak—hearts away from such a task.
The finished product was worth the trial. Tom and Susans description of the
handmade shingles and handpicked raw lumber gave us a real appreciation of the
spirit and love put into the home. Thanks again to Tom & Susan for a very
entertaining program.
Rumor
has it that Phil will have the much advertised sharpening clinic for the June
meeting. Last minute / commitments caused Phil to postpone the topic from the
May to the June 17 meeting. Bring a tool to sharpen and give Phil and Tom a
chance to show their stuff.
BEGINNERS
Did
you ever notice how most people fail to look at their own work as objectively
as they do the work of others? It was pointed out to me that most of our club
members are really quite new to the hobby. While I was one of those who really
enjoyed the last “show and tell” I felt most projects were much more advanced
than mine, or were they? As I talked to other club members about the tendency
for each of us to critique our own work harshly, we realized that all but a few
club members are really beginners, some just a bit more advanced than others!
Each of us has found a few aspects of this wonderful hobby that we enjoy and we
fail to remember that very few woodworkers can, make Ethan Allen quality
furniture. Most of us get outlandish enjoyment out of just making a really good
dove tail joint, refining our favorite finishing technique or solving a shop
problem with some neat jig or guide.
The bottom line is that we each can be contented with our own interests and level of competence and not feel a need to compare our work with that of anyone else. While we continue to expand our horizons, we’re all beginners who need to let our projects reflect our joy in woodworking.
SCROLL
SAW PROJECT
Terry Penn subscribes to a Better Homes and Gardens publication WOOD. The June issue is full of interesting tips and projects but the one that caught Terry’s eye was a do—it—yourself scroll saw made of hardwood and powered by a sabre saw.. The article recommended a saw with an electronic speed control to assure constant blade speed. If constant speed isn’t important, a rheostat or plain on—off controlled sabre saw would allow the scroll saw to be a rather inexpensive way to add an outstanding tool to ones collection.
EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE MEETING
After
our May meeting our club president called an Executive Committee meeting. It
was agreed that the club is growing well and seems to be meeting the needs of most
of our members. It was generally agreed that our meetings should continue to
address the basic skills of the woodcraft hobby. Since Phil, our program
chairman wasn’t there, we all pitched in to give him lots of ideas for future
meetings! More news will be discussed at the June 17th meeting but contests,
picnic, new woodcraft skills, and ways to help the club more were all
discussed.
SPRING
FORMING TOOL
In
one of my recent model airplane building binges I found the need to bend a
spring from 1/8” music wire. There was a picture of a commercially available
wire bender in one of my magazines so I made a somewhat crude imitation of it
(hope it wasn’t patented)! Much to my surprise it easily made a coil type
spring and I bent up a whole mess of wire just reveling in my new toy. If you
need to make an odd spring for one of your projects, I’ll gladly share my
illegal gadget 4th you’
COMMITTEE
NOTES
Olde
Timey Days:
We
will be set up on the corner of the square on the 4th of October. Since this is
the Homecoming year there is a better than usual turnout expected. The Club
members are allowed to display and/or sell woodcraft items so it’s time to
gather those plans for homecraft type items and get a project going for the
display. The Committee has been requested to display some old tools at craft
items in keeping with the theme of the day (if I do that Tom I’ll not have
anything to work with)!! The bottom line is: it’s time to get started on
projects, October will be here in a hurry.
Toys
For Tots
It’s
not the right weather to get in the mood and start making Christmas toys yet,
but if you see some plans for simple, sturdy wooden toys, set them aside. We’ll
be asking for plans for our toys for tots project in September.
BITS
& PIECES
Did
you see the article about the Tennessee Valley Woodworkers in the June 12th
edition of the Herald Chronicle? Our publicity effort is headed up by Susan
Church and her articles and notices about our clubs activities can often be
seen in the local papers. Thanks Susan, from all of us.
At
the May meeting Tom Cowan suggested that some future meetings be held at the
shops of our members. Since many members are fortunate enough to have shops
which can fit a good sized club crowd, it seemed like a good idea. Look for
more about these meetings in future newsletters. If you would like to host a
meeting in your shop, let Phil Bishop know and he’ll work it into the schedule.
It could be a good time to demonstrate that special tool or technique to the
rest of us.
I
generally have room in this newsletter for your favorite story or an article
from you on a woodworking topic you’d like to discuss. Either write it up for
me or call me at 649—5726 and I’ll
write it up for you.
A
tip from Popular mechanics: pros have learned
that buying large quantities of glue is a sure way to save shop dollars. If you
do a lot of shop work, you should consider buying your adhesive by the gallon.
For easy use, pour the glue into thoroughly washed detergent bottles. To
maximize shelf life, keep glue capped tightly and don’t expose it to freezing
temperatures.
SEE
YOU JUNE 17 AT 7:00PM FOR THE JUNE MEETING AT THE DREMEC MEETING ROOM
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING
MAY 22
Henry
Davis called the first meeting of the Tennessee Valley Woodworkers Executive
Committee to order. The
following
items Were discussed:
The
club is growing well. To assure our continued worth to our members, the
committee needs to try to draw ideas for meetings and programs from the
membership.
Our
President or Program Chairman should “schedule” members to bring items to the
meetings.
Tom
Cowan noted that most of our members have need of programs that stress basic
skills.
Ideas
for future meetings:
1)
A club picnic. Motion for the club to provide meat and buns was made by Tom
Cowan, seconded by Joe Pawlick and carried. A tentative date for 15 July was
set for the picnic. Club members will be asked to bring a covered dish of
suitable picnic food. The picnic will be held on the DREMEC grounds and members
will be asked to bring chairs and bug spray.
2)
A club contest where an easy to make object would be made by all club members.
3)
Meetings at members shops.
The
Club needs a volunteer to make a routed or cutout sign of our club name. It
will be used at the Olde Timey Days display and other similar occasions.
Another Club member is needed to make an easel for the club sign. It was agreed
that the club would provide the wood or reimburse the members for their wood
expenses.
There
being no further business, Henry Davis adjourned the meeting.