May 2003 Meeting

Joe Traynham, our club President started the meeting by reviewing the club business and confirmed that the June meeting will be held at a our Club Treasurer's, Don Carlson, home as sort of a "get to know you" mixer. See the Meetings page for more information.

We didn't have a paid raffle this meeting but we did give free chances out to everyone in attendance for an old woodturning book donated by Gary Elmore that Kathy Rutledge, our Programs Coordinator, won. Debra Faulkenberry brought in some great pieces of wood that she let members pick out of for free too. This was the theme of the night .... low-cost woodturning! As you'll see below, the theme extended to the program for this meeting as well.

You can see Bill King, our guest presenter, there at the doorway getting ready to show us how to turn a peppermill. There were lots of people here again with a few new faces added. Very welcome!

Show and Tell

Our Show and Tell was better this meeting but we still need more show and tell items! Bring it in. Hey, it can't be worse than mine. Bring in your mistakes or uncompleted turnings and get some free advice from the experts and no-so-experts alike. Many new projects were presented this time.

Ryland Roteman Naturally Stained Boxelder Poolcue	Paul Pruitt Naturally Stained Boxelder
Ray Robertson Duck Calls	Joe Traynham Buckeye Burl Hollow Vessel
Debra Faulkenberry Spangled Lace Bobbins

Program - Jigs, Helpers, and Display

Our Program Coordinator, Kathy Rutledge, came up with the great idea of having everyone bring in a few (ummmm, wasn't the 37 items of mine a few?!?) jigs and other aids that we use in our own woodturning. You know, those little tidbits that make our woodturning lives just a bit easier that we've made ourself. Indeed, we had a good turnout of quite useful and innovative items. I know I learned several things and am going to shamelessly copy them to use in my own woodturning.

Here are some of the highlights..

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Kathy Rutledge, our Program Coordinator, presiding over the Program section of the meeting.
Well done Kathy!

	Les Joslin showing a faceplate out of baltic birch with a machists nut glued into a recess. The nut threads right onto the lathe spindle and is inexpensive enough to have several made up ahead of time and kept with unfinished projects.
	Joe Dial with another shopmade faceplate (faceplates were a popular item in this program!). Joe's faceplate used a threaded insert originally from the Grizzly faceplate/scrollchuck. The insert is sized to the lathe spindle and is just screwed onto a plywood waste block.
	Frank Carnahan with another use for a rubberband that many of us had never thought of before. A BIG rubberband. He uses these to reverse chuck goblets and other items to form a great non-slip friction fit.
	Ernie Lorenc brought 2 shopmade measuring devices. First, a depth gauge that looks really nice and very useful too. It's a classic "T" style with a brass rod and thumbscrew to keep it in place within the wood base Second, Ernie showed the device he uses to take a direct measurement of the bottom of bowls and hollow vessels.
	Joe Traynham brought lots of his helpers. Here's the breakdown.. Tenon gauge - It looks like a slingshot without the sling but it's really designed to the exact size he wants his tenons on the bottoms of his turnings so that the scroll chuck will fit. No more measuring with calipers or just hoping it's the right size. Just use this while you're cutting the tenon down. Depth gauge - A must for the bowl or vessel turner! Circle Diameter Gauge - Joe uses this cardboard cutout on the top of his blanks (tacked in with a nail) while he bandsaws it round. He has different sizes (diameters) for different size blanks. Reversing Chuck - This is used for when you're done hollowing out the hollow form and ready to clean up the bottom. This one is a little different from others you have may have seen. This chuck not only has the tapered area nearest the headstock but also has a smaller flat area (covered by foam) that extends into the vessel and rests against the inside bottom. The tailstock is moved up to the outside bottom of the vessel and most of the compressive force is directed not at the rim of the vessel like most of these kinds of chucks but is directed at that flat foam-covered bottom. The tapered top of this chuck is just there to keep things running true and support the top of the vessel. VERY nice Joe! 3 Wheel Steadyrest - A well designed and fabricated jig using inline skate wheels.
	Debra Faulkenberry brought in what she uses as a way to take her woodturnings with her without damage but yet letting people see your work. It's just a clear plastic cosmetics case but works so well. In keeping with the "what would a woodturner being doing in an office supply store" theme (Remember the rubber bands above...), Debra showed us a slick little thickness gauge made from a bent paperclip! Clearly an innovative use. She also showed us her tool stand. It's small but so are most of her tools. Just 3 pieces of scrap wood, a few holes and you've got a functional stand that you can take with you easily. Here you can see that she uses some goblets to display her woodturnings.