Greetings
This is going to be a short one. I thought I had to get the newsletter out this week, but tomorrow night is the meeting!
Let’s get started with SPLINTERS.
February Program
Gary Runyon will present a program on card scraper sharpening
The Tom Cowan Annual Turning Bee
After a long delay, the turning bee is finally here – Saturday, February 21st at the Decherd Nazarene Gym. Stars at 8;00 & ends around 2:00 pm.
January Show & Tell
There weren’t many items, so Jim took several pics of each.
Jim Jolliffe showed a basswood carving of “Captain Joe” carved from a Rich Wetherbee roughout during his October 2025 seminar at Jim’s shop. The finish is mineral oil, so far. Jim plans to paint it to show more detail in the piece. (Pic1. Pic2, Pic3, Pic4)
Rick Dickson showed a walnut console table he made from a tree harvested on his property. He finished it with water-base poly. He also showed a cherry keepsake box “prototype” he made. He experienced warping after bringing it into his home after completing it in his unheated shop. Environmental conditions can make wood move with the changes in humidity and temperature. (Pic8. Pic9, Pic10) (Pic1. Pic2, Pic3)
Rick also showed a walnut and maple finger-jointed keepsake box. He tried two different maple wood grain directions to provide better color contrast. Using maple end grain at the end of the finger joints worked best. The boxes were finished with an Osmo-Polyx top coat.(Pic4, Pic5 , Pic6)
Rick had a hackberry tree fall while he was out of the state. His friend cut it up. When Rick got home, he noticed that the tree had great figure in the wood. He offered blanks to the members. Several harvested the bounty from Rick’s pickup bed. Thanks, Rick!
Vince Zaccardi showed a Kentucky Coffee Wood bowl he turned. The wood was provided to Vince from Bob Truesdale. Vince also showed a burl bowl he turned. Both were finished with friction polish. (Pic1. Pic2, Pic3, )
Carver’s Corner
The Splinter Carvers continue to meet first and third Saturdays of the month from 8:30 am to 10:30 am (whether Jim’s there or not). The shop is located at 201 Jolliffe Acres Ln, Tullahoma. Tools and wood are available at the meetings, just bring yourself and try your hand at carving!
Internet Links of Interest
I’m going to leave this another month. It’s rich.
“For most of us, it’s not a competition to be the best woodworker. It’s just a wish to be a better woodworker. Ultimately, our goal is to develop new skills and create something more memorable than the last. And regardless of whether our woodworking endeavors are criticized or celebrated, a talent will have developed in the process.
The point of the journey is not to arrive.”
Sweeping Up
It won’t be long Lucy!
Watch out for SPLINTERS!
Newsletter Information
Splinters is a publication of the Tennessee Valley Woodworkers. For submissions, email editor, Richard Gulley (rgulley@retiree.utk.edu .)
Submissions to the newsletter are more than welcomed. Send funnies, tips, or other content that may be of interest to our membership, and you may see it in a future edition of SPLINTERS.