The following people have agreed to serve as contacts for their particular skills.  If you have questions, suggestions for activities, or other comments relating to these skills, please call these folks.  Their interest is to help the club better serve their area of expertise.  Your participation with them will help them achieve that goal.

            Design:        Tom Cowan    967-4835                             Finishing:      Phil Bishop          967-4626
            Turning:        Tom Church   967-4460                            Carving:        Harry May           962-0215
            Sharpening:    Bob Reese     728-7974                             Joinery:        Ross Roepke       455-9140

                                                                                      President:            Tom Gillard, Jr.
                                                                                      V. President:          Anthony Watts
                                                                                      Secretary:            Karen Kerce Browning
                                                                                      Treasurer:             Jim Steadman
                                                                                      Publicity:               Louis Bryant
                                                                                      Newsletter Editor:     Chuck Taylor

We are saddened to report the death of our member and friend Jim Wright on July 25, 2008. Jim was a true gentleman, a carving artist beyond description, and a wonderful teacher who contributed his talent and expertise to our club.  We'll all miss him very much!

Alan Hale will be the speaker for our August program.  He is an engineer with ATA at AEDC and  also does goat farming.  He has a number of creative ways to fell trees safely and accurately.  Some of these techniques include the use of wedges and even a bow and arrow with string attached to get leverage on a specific limb.

The Tennessee Valley Woodworker's Web Site is constantly being updated with the latest club news and happenings. If you want to know the latest club news, be sure to take a look and check it out!!!!!!!
 

Click "here" to view all the latest information concerning "TVW Upcoming Events" or "here" to view upcoming programs on our Web Site.

The Exhibition Leadership had another planning meeting on July 29 at UTSI Room H111. The 2009 Exhibition, "In the Spirit of Fine Woodwork", is scheduled for the early part of May 2009 and will provide the opportunity for members to show items they have made to the public. The selected date will give members time to design, develop, and build their items for the show. Remember, the exhibition is open for everyone to show their work.  That includes you.

Preliminary to the 2009 exhibition, The Club has reserved a room for a mini-exhibit at the Foothills Crafts fair at the Coffee County Convention Center on November 7 and 8.  The purpose of this event is to promote the Club's 2009 Exhibition.  More details regarding the Foothills Craft exhibit will also be furnished, as the date draws closer.
 
 

The Carvers met at Phil Bishop’s Shop on Saturday August 2 for some “carving time”. The meeting emphasis was placed on the preparation of a box for Jim Wright's ashes. They used wood from Jim’s shop and mounted one of his carvings on the front. They also discussed the possibility of making walking sticks for wounded soldiers as well as working on some other projects.

The group will be showing and demonstrating carving techniques for Polly Crocket days on September 20-21 and the Webb School Art and Craft Festival in October. Other woodworkers are welcome to participate and provide demonstrations at these activities

The next carver’s meeting date and location will be announced at our August meeting.
 
 

The TVW participation in the "Turn for the Troops" program, sponsored by Woodcraft, is on-going. Thanks to those members that are supporting this effort. If you still have pens to make, please finish them and turn them in to Anthony. It is an opportunity to show your support for the troops and enjoy some woodturning fun. Thanks to Anthony Watts for coordinating this effort.

Doyle will have an announcement at our August meeting concerning the status of the “Shop Tour” schedule. If you are interested in being a “host” on the Shop Tour schedule this year, please contact Doyle McConnell.

A good excuse to clean the shop!!!!!!

SHARPENING ANYONE??

If you are interested in knowing more about sharpening techniques, especially turning gouges, this is one of your great opportunities. Bob Reese will give you one-on-one training. All you have to do is contact Bob and set up a time for your training. You can contact Bob by phone (931-728-7974) or by email ([email protected]).

Tom Gillard brought a model of a cedar mantle he made. He also had a picture of the real one.

Ed White brought pictures of a 12 foot long, 440 pound wind tunnel blade made out of laminated Sitka Spruce. He also had turned a mallet out of dogwood.

Bob Reese brought an antique sewing rocker that he had re-caned.

Geoff Roehm demonstrated how to use a digital caliper to find the center of a board.

John Wendling (a new member) brought the templates for a cute Hippo Hamper.  He got the plans from a December 1978 Workbench.

Loyd Ackerman displayed one of six boxes he recently made for Christmas gifts. It had a maple burl inset on top. He also brought a walnut bowl he had been inspired to turn at the turning bee at Tom Cowan’s.

Dick Wollam had carved a stylized cat from a walnut tree that fell at the Hermitage during the tornado.  It is reported that Andrew Jackson’s wife had planted the tree.

Bob Addington brought a collection of bowls he had turned.  They were of butternut, walnut, and maple.

Phil Harris (a guest) brought a collection of woodworks made from cherry by various craftsmen.  Several were of Shaker influence, and all were good examples of high quality work.

Maurice Ryan brought a table made for his son. It had tiles inlaid on the top, and was of red oak.

Chuck Taylor brought a swinging cradle he made from cherry.

Scott Short brought in 2 bowls he had made from box elder with a wax finish.

Bob Molloy (new member from McMinnville) brought in several great projects he has done over the years.  First was an elm, cherry, and walnut segmented vessel that he had turned using plans from a 1993 Wood magazine.  He also had turned a spalted vessel that was from an unusually large dogwood tree.  He brought one of 328 boxes he makes. His crowning achievement was a detailed wooden train with intricate detail.

Newton Wright had carved a spoon out of bobinga that had a very intricate handle.

Sharron Wright brought a “work-in-progress” vase she turned from butternut after being inspired at the turning bee at Tom’s.

Doyle McConnell brought the 2nd in a series of Utah inspired colored wood vessels.  This one was maple dyed with blue, red, and yellow dyes and finished with a shiny lacquer finish to make it look like glass.
 
 

Everyone loves FREE woodworking plans. And to give woodworkers more of exactly what they are looking for, WOOD magazine has created a free downloadable plans section within the WOOD Store with nine detailed plans. Current offerings include plans for a tambour bookcase, three lumber storage projects, planter, swinging dragon toy, salt and pepper shakers, turned floral display, and scroll saw and intarsia projects. To download these free plans simply click on the following link.

Also, check out the Wood magazine free video section on various woodworking techniques. You can access the videos by clicking here. Try them out. They change each month.

BELT SANDER: An electric sanding tool commonly used to convert minor touch-up jobs into major refinishing jobs.

We are trying to start a new service for club members. Your VP, Anthony Watts, has requested that we add some key local suppliers to the website to help members find items needed in the shop; for example:  belts and pulleys.

To accomplish this, we've changed the table of contents at the left and top of the home page from LINKS to LINKS AND CONTACTS.  We will, from time to time, add information on the Links and Contacts page based on members inputs.  If you find a place to purchase something pertaining to woodworking and would like to share that information with others, send an email to Loyd Ackerman with the details for inclusion.  We're not trying to replace the Yellow Pages; this is just for those special items and special contacts.
Information needed is:  Name, address, phone #, and website (if they have one) of the business and what you found them.

We strive to always keep the club membership roster listing up-to-date. If you have address, email or phone number changes, please contact Chuck Taylor (931-728-7086) or Jim Steadman (931-962-2940) so that your information can be updated in our membership listings. We are making a concentrated effort to keep our membership information current.