SPLINTERS

JANUARY 1969

LOOKING BACK

With the beginning of the New Year let’s spend a little time reflecting on Tennessee Valley Woodworker. for 1988:

* Our meetings continued to be highlighted with many excellent programs; demonstrations & videos on turning, basket making, wood technology & kiln drying., box joint making and of course a multitude of show & tell goodies from all of the depths of our talented membership.

* One meeting took us to Old Crafters near Monteagle for a first hand view of some high tech production woodworking.

* Our third Annual Picnic left us all with fond m.m.memories, good food, and good fellowship all recorded on video tape.

* Let’s not forget those two Saturday seminars with John Jordan. John provided much of the membership with both instruction and inspiration.

* We finished the year with Our Third Annual Christmas gathering. A gathering it was, members and spouses and Toys for Tots. Many thanks to many people. Thanks to the Gulleys and the First Church of the Nazarene for use of their fine fellowship hall. Thanks to all of you fine members and spouses for your contributions of those deeply appreciated.. Toys for Tots. Another thanks to Judy Davis and.. Susan Church for your efforts in distributing the toys to community programs. Of course we must not forget a BIG thank you to the Awalt Ramblers ... mighty fine music.

While we’re passing out the Thank You’s let’s not forget our club officers for the past year. One most important Thank you to you.. the membership for your participation and enthusiasm. One more Thank You to Jan Moye f or sharing her Woodworker’. Night before Christmas.

LOOKING FORWARD

Now that we’ve taken a look backwards, let’s think about. Tennessee Valley Woodworkers for the coming year. The following activities or programs were discussed at the last executive committee meeting. The intention here is to get you thinking about things you would like to fun and do. Give it some thought. It’s your club.

• A seminar on router techniques and tricks
• A program on chip carving

· The use and care of hand tools

· Wood burninq...not the fireplace type

• Home made tools, jigs and machines
• Hand made dovetails and joints thru and blind

· Field trips —Gilbert Hardwoods —Falls Mill

· Instrument making —fiddle making etc.

Any of your ideas and thoughts are mare than welcome. Let us know make suggestions. We’ll try to do same type of polling at our January meeting.

JANUARY MEETING

Richard Gulley our new and most capable Vice President has set us up with an excellent program to start out the New Year. Richard has a starter kit and video on Hydra Cote. This is a relatively new water based lacquer finishing technique. He will have same sample boards. You are all invited to bring some trial pieces to try. Preferably something smaller than a couple of kitchen cabinet sets. Don’t forget one of the highlights every meeting. This month everyone is encouraged to bring a Christmas goodie.

I’m sure you will have a hard time deciding whether to bring your favorite tie or shirt .. decisions decisions.

Richard is going to bring in some parts far a home made lathe he is building. We’ll be gutting periodic reports an this monumental and noble undertaking. We’ll get some other insight into a band saw built around a Chevy Citation rear hub...Sounds like Detroit’s answer to the Taiwanese imports.. maybe it’s Chevy that has a “better idea”.

The mandrel of this lathe measures ten and a half feet in length, and its cylindrical bearings work in brass collars the one fifteen, and the other ten inches in diameter. End play . . .

OFF TOAGOODSTART !!

Jack Townsend, our new President. stepped right up to the podium and pointed us in the right direction. Of course we had to have a show and tell of Christmas gifts to start the new year right. Henry Davis showed a universal jig that Santa Sears brought him and he seemed perfectly pleased with it. Tom Baskin had one of Paul Pitts Windsor chairs and every one had to try it out. It fit me perfectly. Tom. Winfield Bennet had a set of rifflers that he will probably use to create a few more amazing pieces. Howard Coulson bought some raised panel bits that had some of us drooling. Tom Church brought a face plate that he had already managed to break. Those of you who told Tom that the company would replace it free you were right. The new one is already here ready to meet its breaker. Tom Cowan had made some more turning tools and hinted of a turning seminar in the Spring to be held at Falls Mills. I’m sure there will be more on this later. Bill Chew had turned some lovely Persimmon vases.

Our visitors were Bob Reese and Tom Gillard. Tom brought some belt buckles with him that he is famous for producing. The crowd was large and we are looking for all of you this month.

NOTES FROM THE NEWSPAPER

Nathan Harsh is a Gallatin lawyer, who has spent the past 25 years rooting out early Tennessee furniture. The result is a richly illustrated volume. THE ART AND MYSTERY OF TENNESSEE FUNNITURE. In it. he identifies. 52 craftsmen who made furniture in Tennessee before 1630.. There are photographs of the finest furniture made between 1793 to 1850. The 360 page book with 521 photograph is packed with meticulously researched information on craftsmen from East. Middle. and West Tennessee. The book list all known craftsmen before 1650. biographical information. and a list of their more famous pieces.

BILL SHIRLEY MEMORIAL BOOK

Judy Davis reports that the book the club purchased in Bill’s memory is now at the Franklin County Library. WOOD FINISHING, by George Frank is the title. The book not only describes finishes but has some interesting stories to go along with the descriptions. We all miss the talented Bill Shirley.

News From Our Future Perfect President

Jack has passed on to me a copy of the newsletter The Tennessee artisan. This newsletter arrives six times a year when you join the Tennessee Artist -- Craftsmen’s Association. In it are articles about fellow craftsmen, listing of shows, and technical and legal information. They also publish a directory that is sent to all members and businesses that are friends of Tennessee crafts. If you are interested write: TACA P.0. Box 120066 Nashville, TN 37212

In particular, there were two articles of interest to a]] of us. There a photo of the Governer in front of a Christmas tree that was

decorated by the TACA. Part of the decorations were wooden toys made by our member Ted Baldwin of Tullahoma.

They also have news about members. Our good friend John Jordan will open a show entitled “Turned Wood Vessels” January 13, at the Centennial Art Center in Nashville. The show will run thru Feb. 8. and John will present a demonstration of woodturninq at the Center on Jan. 25. from 6-8 pm. John also received the $500 Award of Excellence at the Cedarhurst Craft Fair in Mt. Vernon, IL. For those of you that missed it, there was also an interview in the Tennessean about this exhibit.

Newspaper Articles

The Appalachian Center for the Crafts is offering classes in several craft areas during the next few months. There will be at least two seminars in wood turning, some in basket making. jewelry and other areas. If you are interested , call them in Smithville, Tn.

Tupelo Furniture Supply &Woodworking Show

I don’ t know if anyone else received 14 invitations to the show, but if you didn’t, here’s the info on it. It will be held February 9—10 in Tupelo, Mississippi. [How many of you know what famous rock and roll singer was born in that town?] If you are interested in attending write:

Mississippi Furniture Mart

P.0. Box 2671

Tupelo. Miss. 36603

601—644—1473 (Corner of Coley and Chesterville)