Artistic Woodturners

April 2009 Newsletter

Spring is here bringing all its beauty; trees are starting to bloom along with the flowers. I hope that it will inspire the members to try something new this year. We have a new president leading us to bigger and better things. Fred is out of the blocks with some new ideas and revising some old popular club participating endeavors.

James McClure is working on the revision of the club by-laws to bring them up to date. If you have any input as to what you would like to include please call James with your help.

  Fred wants to bring back the club challenge. The committee feels this helped the members to become better turners, by trying more types of turnings that the challenge will inspire.  He wants to revise the turning exchange. The first exchange will be in June so start planning for it.

  The April meeting will be one of the clubs favorite types of meeting which the committee has named Sawdust which consist of setting up four (4) MIDI lathes set up for different types of turning, Bill Bryan will have a lathe showing how to make a goblet, but he will let you try your hand at the lathe. Mike Demaline will have something set up related to Segmented turning, Jack Diamond’s lathe will be set up for ornaments, James McClure will be teaching you how he uses the gouge, and Al McCoy will show you how to keep your tools sharp for a better way to turn, with sharp tools.

  The challenge for this month is make a small lidded box with a lid that has a finial and the box total height under 7” high. It must be turned on a lathe from any material you want to use.

  The Board of Directors will be meeting at the home of Mr. George McClure on the 14^th of April the 2^nd Tuesday of the month. You’re invited to come and join us. Call George for directions. See you at the meeting.  

A phone call from Norm about someone at his work place builds furniture and has boxes and boxes of exotic wood scraps. He was invited to our meeting to see if you wanted to buy some of his wood.

Our new seating arrangement, no matter how you seat them they are ready to learn. Let us know if you like the new seating and the lapel microphone .

Introducing our new President Fred Bond.


Our Irish auctioneer named Feinberg holds up a piece of popcorn for you to bid on.


We have been getting some nice wood for our auction. Thanks to you who bring the wood.


I believe this is Greg Elrite's first turned entry into the show and tell portion of the meeting. Welcome Greg keep the turnings coming, if you do you'll become a very good turner. I am looking forward to seeing more from you.


A nice piece of Cedar, nice design Greg.


Don Belisle shows some of his recent turnings. Another one of our newer turners. Good job.


A nice spaulted lidded box by Don


Another nice turning. Keep your lathe turning.


Leland shows off his serving trays. He announced that he will be having a class on how to make your own vacuum bag for doing inlayed Items. I believe the instructions will take place in June 6 and 7.


Two more of his tray samples.


Cheryl holds up one of her and Leland's collaborated  turnings, he turns them and Cheryl puts on the polymer clay.



Looks good keep Leland busy Cheryl.


Here Darnell holds up the clock he made last month, said that it warped so he said he had to make another one. I can't tell which is the warped one. They both look OK.


Mike holds up a piece of Polymer clay he said he intends to make something out of it.


Al holds up one histories oldest means of communication the drum says he wants to keep in touch with our new President, Fred.


Durk holds a new turning.


Nice lidded box the wood is stunning.


Durk has been turning every month keeping Tarla happy.


A ring box for Tarla, keep your Oneway running and keep out of the dog house.


Frank holds up a napkin holder out of the set that he made. He said, that an old turner that he met a long time ago made him a set similar to this set, so he duplicated it. A very good job. The set includes the box and the rings.


Fred's first attempt at turning after the fire. He has all new equipment.


Looks like Cherry to me.


Henry shows off a Polymer pen he made at the class that Leland and Cheryl had last month. Very nice looking pen. As well as I can remember I think this is Henry's first time for S&T.


James holds up a very nice lidded box. This is the theme for this month a lidded box with a finial on the lid. Looks like you will have to make another one for this month.


Leland has a cup of coffee in one hand and a peppermill in the other I don't know what the significance is. Nice peppermill.


More of his turned peppermills made from exotic wood.


Mark shows a very nice hollow form.


Nice pattern.
Keep turning Mark. The board is looking for another mentor and demonstrator. Let us know if you are interested.


Russ holds up a spindle that he made with a CNC lathe that he made. He wrote the program to run the router connected to this lathe. The surface of the wood is very smooth and he used no sand paper on the spindle. He is now working on the program to put some details into the turning.


Bill Hoff showed the members the way he makes his natural edge bowls to maintain the natural edge.


This router he is holding is used to route the edge before you start turning.


Call Bill to find out more about his method.


Norm had a presentation on bird houses. Here he has a bat house. He said he gets his instructions and patterns on the internet.


This is a home for Blue Birds


Here he has an apartment for Purple Martins for 10 pairs. The houses have to be built so they can be cleaned out after the birds migrate.


Here Norm explains how to mount the houses on a pole. You need a permanent pole in the ground to mount the main pole. You then drill two holes in the pole with a 6 or 8 inches gap, then drill matching holes in the permanent pole for your bolts.  The bolts should be long enough to reach thru both of the poles with enough room for the nuts. Put a screw plate on the bottom of your bird house.  The pole should be 15 to 20 feet long, bolt holes in one end and thread the other end to fit the plate on the bird house. You align the bottom holes on both the poles push the bolt thru the permanent pole first then the metal pole put a washer then the nut finger tight, do not tighten at this time you use this bolt as a pivot. Now stand up the pole and align the second hole and push the second bolt thru both holes and tighten both nuts and the house is ready. NOTE: When drilling the holes make sure the holes are lined up so the pole will be straight in the air.



George is showing the club some of this wood burning plaques along with the different types of tips and burning equipment, his piercing tool and the equipment needed to perform each task. He explained how to mix paint and types of paint for his air brush he had examples of all the different things he accomplishes. 



George was well prepared for this segment and the photographer had a laps of memory.



Here George has a framed burning of a horse, a bowl in progress with a combination of burning and painting of the Cardinal. He also has another work in progress next to the burning regulator. He is burning  squares with different patterns, and stippling the ring with his wood burning stippling tool. Thanks George for the information. I am sure that if you wanted some help getting started with any thing he talked about he would be glad to help you.




Al explained how to photograph your work without distractions. using a 23" collapsible photo tent from Harbor Freight item 98202. They sell a larger one but they have to order it for you. This unit can be used with flood lights in doors or you can use it out doors as the sun is overhead say between 11a m and 2p m, but this varies according to the time of the year. Out doors you have to contend with the wind. If you have the room indoors using flood lights you have more control all year round. I will try to have some photos for you in our next newsletter.