Artistwoodturners
Newsletter
April 2008

I have my computer fixed thanks to Larry Starkey. Thank you Larry for all your help. This will be the first newsletter following the steering committee meetings new schedule hope it works out well. We would like to extend an open invitation to all members to attend the meeting and bring your ideas before the committee. We are striving to make this club the best that we can. All ideas are welcome.

  The last meeting we had in which the hook tools were made, was a huge success, with all the participation that we had from the membership. If you didn’t get a chance to make a hook tool don’t fret the club has plenty of supplies on hand for another session. I will find out the consensus of opinion and maybe we can have another session in one of our shops. After it is set up we will notify you when it will take place.

  One idea the committee came up with was a very good, it goes like this, and a member will volunteer on doing the following. Pick out a specific tree and research the particulars of that tree, then bring with your report a turning made out of that wood along with some leaves and bark from same tree and where you found it. The report will help our members identify a type of tree by the bark, leaves and the description you provide. If you’re interested let the committee know.

The demonstration for this month will be the type of demo the members prefer the multiple hands on demonstration.
Jack Diamond will be showing how to use the skew. Bill Bryan will be showing how to use the bowl gouge. James will be doing a demo on the use of the hook tool that we made last month. Al McCoy will have his grinder set up to show you how to sharpen your tools. If you need your hook tool sharpened bring it with you.

  I would like to see, the club to go back to a part of the meeting that I think helped members become better turners, and it was the club challenge. For the newer members who don’t know what that was, here is the explanation for you. We pick a particular type of turning and challenge each member to turn something for the challenge. It would be a different turning each month, which ever the challenge may be, a Natural edged bowl, Ornament, Lidded box, etc. Let the committee know what you think.

  The month of May we will have our President Mike Peters do a demonstration on making knick-knacks for the home, office, or gifts. See you on the 19^th of April.





Mike gives the members the Treasures report.

We will have a different order for this meeting due to the fact that we will need to have the tools heat treated for at least 30 min. at 490 degrees and a cool down period before you can take your tools home to sharpen.

The club purchased drill rod, Mapp gas, grinding material, and quenching oil. George donated the use of his olive oil. (do not use motor oil).


Grind your tool steel to the correct thickness and angle. See the instructions on Alan Lacer's web page for the correct shaping of the tip. This is the first step. Bo, Larry, and Charles prepare their tool steel for the next step.


Willie McDuffie and Artis Steel from the Flora Bama Cutups wood carvers making a hook tool, we might get them to show us how to carve a bowl.


Danny has returned nice to see you. We missed you. Ned looks on.


Mike shows us how to grind the tool steel on a lathe using a wooden face plate with a grinding disk attached.


Mike shows our newest member Larry Sauls who just joined the group  the day of the hook tool evolution.  


Wayne Jackson trying his luck grinding a hook tool.


James Heats the tip of Rick's tool.


Ray heats the tip for Wayne. Apparently the heat has not gotten to his fingers no glove or pliers.


Here Ray uses pliers to quench in the oil, remember to use a stirring motion to equalize the quenching process


Bill Huff stirs his rod for a more cooling effect.


Here are the tools ready for the oven, there are 20 tools to treat for 30 min. at 490 degrees, while we have the auction and show and tell.


One view of the grind Alan Lacer had on his tool that he made for the club.


Check out the angle on the nose of the two, similar to a bowl gouge.



A nice load of wood for the auction. This is one of the clubs ways to add money to the treasury for some of our projects. Ralph gets top dollar for the wood.


Darnell tried the square bowl shape and said it was a little scary  and hard on the knuckles.


Bill Donahue made this turning at the Campbell school of Turning and did an outstanding job. Says he plans on changing out the finial lid.


Durk turned this bowl using wood of a different density and said that he finally came up with two similar woods Chevidan and Kingwood. The soft wood cut deeper than the harder wood.


Frank seems to like making the smaller boxes he said they are quicker and still a challenge.


George will never get bored as he is always trying something different good show.



Jack shows off a bowl of eggs. Alan Lacer would be proud, but Jack didn't use Alan's technique.


James holds up part of a set which included the goblet , pitcher, and a plate (not shown) Nice going keep turning the new ideas.


Leland showed off some nice laminated pepper mills.




Part of Ralph's contribution to show and tell beautiful thin natural edge bowls.


Part of the set.

Show and tell table at our March meeting. Keep the participation up they all look good.