Florida Woodworkers History
January – March, 2011
(Last update )
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January President’s Message
We start our 20th anniversary year with nearly 60 members, many memories, good friends and a history of involvement which has been the cornerstone of the club’s longevity. I have decided on a theme for this special year titled “What Inspires You?” Borrowed from the art and design community it says a lot about why we do what we do as woodworkers in the era of so many competing pastimes. I encourage you all to read the President’s challenge listed on the website and consider participating in one of the ways in which we will explore this theme. January’s general meeting will showcase a talented woodworker whose inspiration from the sea comes in very small sizes.
Our Holiday Party had record attendance and the auction which is our major fundraiser of the year, raised $719 which is a 60% increase over last year. Thank you to all who bid and the many talented craftspeople who donated the creative gifts. We will need volunteers to staff our booth in March at the Tampa Tool Show, so consider participating in this event when the signup sheet gets passed around. Our February meeting will include the Annual Tool and Wood Auction with the proceeds going back to you; so clean out and find stuff to sell now so you have room for more new toys.
And a reminder for those of you who have not already paid your 2011 dues, $35 is due at the January meeting so bring your checks; our treasurer has been checking his list and he knows who you are. As always your guests and newcomers are
to attend for free.
Paul Anderson
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January 1 Saturday – Special Notice
Our own Joe Mathis was included on the “BRAGGING PAGES” of the Holiday, 2010 issue of ScrollSaw Woodworking & Crafts Magazine. Nice work Joe.
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January 12 – Main Meeting
Main.jpg – New President Paul Anderson called his first meeting to order with 37 members and 3 guests in attendance,
Our guests were Donavan Lewis, Bryan Wilt, and Lawson Walters.
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Main Program
Our main speaker, Arthur Ortner, retired from the Navy but didn’t part with his love of the sea. He now builds incredibly detailed models of historically significant sailing ships. The time to complete these boats is measured in years.
Arthur brought in two of his models, one in progress and one he has completed. His work is amazing. Part of the deck and hull planking is left off so you can see the completely detailed interior.
He also showed some of the tools he uses and the glues and finish products he likes.
When you work as small as he does, you don’t need a 3 HP table saw. His high precision saw has a 2 ½” blade and a ¼” cutting depth.
He also has a miniature drill, belt sander, and lathe as well as several specialized hand tools.
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Show & Tell
A big show and tell program was lead off by Bob Eslinger and his Zen Garden. The frame is walnut that he has ebonized.
John Slezak brought his state fair project, a band sawn jewelry box in black and white ebony and parts for an end table he is working on.
Daryl Walters showed a picture of a scroll saw project he has completed. The piece has 1239 cuts and took 3 months to complete. He has also completed his first turning project which turned out to be a candlestick.
Joe Mathis has build a table saw sled to use for the frames he makes for his scroll saw projects.
Larry Simmons is making a table with tapered walnut legs. He brought in the tapering jig he made to cut the legs.
John Philips showed the finished Banksia Pod candlesticks he turned, He also had a couple Rosewood and Ebony sugar bowls and a carved elephant ring holder.
Russell Wilt had several turnings he has completed while up north. He showed a set of white ash salt & pepper shakers, red oak coasters, and bowls from redwood and a laminated block.
John Petti is working on a boat model that will be a name plaque holder for his boss.
Adam Ross build a table saw jig to cut the ends of a set louvers he is repairing.
Bill Cowan showed an artist’s paint box he has been working on. The woods are birdseye maple and sycamore.
Sue Darovec brought in a nice Cherry bowl she has turned.
Reuel Detweiler showed a nice intarsia plaque of an owl family. He used cedar pine and walnut.
Bryan Wilt built a set of enclosed bookcases and brought one to show.
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Prize Winners
Marty Dwyer won the raffle and took home a Pinnacle square. Dick Koster wasn’t there to claim the quarterly show and tell award he won. The gift card will be sent to him.
Door prizes went to Russell Wilt, Larry Simmons. Bob Eslinger, Floyd Yoder. Ed Goldberg, Carlton Parkhurst, and Brian Timmons.
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January 24 – Shop Meet
There were 15 attending Steve Kandel’s shop meet tonight. Our first time at Steve’ great shop. Thanks Steve.
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February President’s Message
Our year has started with a bang with 40 attendees at our January Meeting who were thoroughly entertained by our guest Arthur Ortner who demonstrated tools and techniques required to work at ¼” to the foot scales in wood. Art brought along a completed ship model and his current project under construction that he hopes to complete in another 18 months. The shop meet at Steve Kandel’s brand spanking new shop was also very well attended with 15 envious woodworkers drooling over 800 square feet of very well organized and equipped space. If Steve doesn’t have it, you probably don’t need it.
February’s meeting will feature the annual tool and wood auction, so clean out, make some money and buy some new treasures and materials to inspire your next project. Denny, our esteemed auctioneer will again turn pig’s ears into silk purses. Speaking of inspiration, read the President’s Challenge on the website and be prepared to be one of the four volunteers, I will be soliciting my volunteers at the February Meeting. Gene will also be presenting our remodeled website so if you have questions this is the time to get them answered.
We are still recruiting volunteers to sit at the club booth at the Tampa Tool show. You will again be given the opportunity to sign up at our meeting.
And lastly, club dues! Only about 30 of 50+ members have paid so far. For the rest of you, please bring your checks to the February meeting, or send checks to John Philips.
Paul Anderson
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February 9 – Main Meeting
President Paul Anderson called the meeting to order with 40 members and 2 guests present.
Matt Ferrigno came as a guest and joined the club at the meeting.
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Main Program
The first part of the program was conducted by our webmaster Gene Mathes. Gene gave us an overview of the club’s web site and showed how to navigate around in it. He explained the features and the recent changes. Gene does a great job of keeping us informed of what has happened and what is going to happen next.
The second part of the meeting was the annual woodworking tool and supply auction. There were some nice tools and some stuff that came from the back corner of the shop under some stuff that had been there for a while.
Auctioneer Denny Wetter worked hard to get top dollar for each item but most things went at bargain prices.
Dan Harle assisted with the auction by running the stuff out to the new owner.
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Show & Tell
John Slezak lead off the Show and Tell with band sawn stars he made and pictures of his state fair entry. His entry won a Blue Ribbon and a Best of Show. Congratulations, John.
Terry Bair brought in a couple scroll sawn valentine hearts and a Coke bottle puzzle. Terry says the hard part about the puzzle is finding Coke bottles.
Reuel Detweiler showed a very nice intarsia project he has completed.
John Petti works for Intrepid Boats and he brought in one of the model boats they present to their customers. He also showed a sample of the structural material they use in their boats.
Matt Ferrigno did a nice magazine rack out of mahogany.
John Philips has been busy this past month. He showed pictures of several furniture restorations he has worked on and a lap desk/book stand he was using at the meeting.
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Prize Winners
Tony D’Alberto won a hand plane in the raffle. No doubt he will keep that tool looking like new for years to come.
Door prizes winners were Denny Wetter, Dick Koster, Floyd Yoder, John Darovec, Woody Trefrey, and Betty Walters.
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February 21 – Shop Meet
There were 9 attending Mike Swart’s shop meet tonight. We had a good time together. Thanks Mike.
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March President’s Message
It is easy to write a monthly message with so much going on in the club; but first I want to reiterate a comment about our wood and tool auction last month. What got the juices going was clearly more the wood than the tools. We had only a small quantity of wood to auction so take note for next year. If you have a stockpile gathering sawdust and you really know that you are not going to make those one dozen turned chess sets, convert some of that extra wood to cash next February. But the attraction of the wood also says that we really love the material as much as the process of working it; and it is that love affair that is responsible for the inspired creations from our shops.
A big thanks to Mike Swart who stepped up at the last meeting (and minute) to open his shop for February’s shop meet. Also know that Steve Kandel has made a permanent shop meet yard sign to help people find the right house that will get passed, like a winning trophy, from one shop meet to the next. So if you have a shop meet scheduled, make sure you get the sign from the last person and plant it in your yard the night of your shop meet. Gene and I actually went to the wrong house and into the wrong garage last year looking for John Philips house the night of his shop meet. Speaking of Gene, thanks also for a great presentation on the website that he does such a timely job of updating; and to Denny for keeping our auction entertaining and lively. We had another record attendance at February’s meeting with 42 people sitting and standing for the event.
Event-wise, we have Larry Simmons doing an encore presentation on Cabinet Making at the March 9th meeting , continuing his demonstration from about two years ago. Come to the March meeting prepared to sign up to help at the Tool Show in Tampa from March 18th to 20th, and for the Spring Picnic scheduled for Sunday, May 1st. Also, resuming on March 14th after a three month hiatus is the Turner’s Meet, with Denny in his new and expanded digs followed by the shop meet at Marty Dwyer’s house on May 21st. I look forward to seeing all of you on March 9th.
Paul Anderson
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March 9 – Main Meeting
President Paul Anderson called the meeting to order with 28 members and 2 guests present.
Our guests this evening were Gary Ellis and Bruce Paugh.
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Main Program
Our own Larry Simmons presented the program on constructing and installing cabinets.
Larry’s work in this field has made him well versed on the hardware and the tricks of the trade.
He brought in samples of the hardware that can be used in the cabinets and showed how to use them.
We also saw prefinished parts and the different types of sheet goods he uses.
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Show & Tell
John Slezak showed a Purple Heart block that he cut a Star of David box from that contained 4 more star boxes. Very neat. And check out the inset picture. A cope and stick Cyprus cabinet door with bark covered panels. Something only a woodworker could love.
Terry Bair brought a couple scroll saw projects, shamrocks from plastic and nice kitten plaque.
Sue Darovec has been turning French style rolling pins that look very good.
Larry Simmons showed us a neat trick for gluing up panels with clamping cauls.
John Philips brought in some projects he has been working on. He had a Cherry bowl, a Rosewood bowl blank, and a very nice quilt stand.
Bill Cowan is working on another jewelry box. This one is made of Jatoba Wood.
Bob Eslinger has completed the main beam of his Cherry Pi table. Hopefully he will get the math figured out and get it finished by the picnic so we can see how many pies it will hold.
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Prize Winners
The raffle prize was a digital caliper and it went home with Steve Kandel.
The door prizes were won by Mike Swart, Terry Bair, Floyd Yoder, Ed Goldberg, and Bill Cowan.
The quarterly show and tell award was given to John Philips.
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March 14 – Turner’s Meet
There were 10 members at Denny’s Turner’s Meet tonight. This is the first meet since November because of his moving into another home.
Denny showed us the type of bowl he will be turning tonight. It is a lidded bowl with a top and bottom spindle.
He had already rough turned the piece to make sure the blank would be suitable.
After turning to the shape he wanted he cut it in half with a narrow parting tool.
The bottom half was then turned using a chuck and a roller support.
In spite of the support the piece broke because the grain at that point was week. He continued the turning for the sake of demonstration.
The top half was then turned inside and out leaving a ¼” projection with which to fasten the top spindle.
The top spindle was turned from this block. He would normally drill a ¼” hole in the end to match the projection on the lid.
After turning to the rough shape Denny used a chuck at both ends of the piece to keep from compressing the wood horizontally as the fine spindle was cut.
The final spindle was a very delicate turning.
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March 21 – Shop Meet
There were 11 present at the shop meet held at Marty Dwyer’s shop tonight. Thanks for sharing with us Marty. And thank you Floyd for the picture.
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