Ninety-nine and counting....
Yes, we just met for the 99th Sin City Woodworkers gathering, and our group of wood-centric individuals couldn't be stronger.
We had some very enthusiastic new faces join us this month, and our Show-and-Tell featured terrific pieces created by our members. Richard painstakingly laminated this 21 layer urn with walnut salvaged from the (under construction) UFC building here in town. He laminated each of the layers, flattening them on a disc sander, and adding each layer carefully. The lid features a graceful ebony knob,
and Richard finished everything with Shine Juice, a recipe of 1/3 Boiled Linseed Oil, 1/3 Shellac, and 1/3 Denatured Alcohol. This was truly a labor of love - Nice work, Richard!
One of the new faces, Doug, joined us for his first meeting, and brought his bandsaw box to share with us. It was a gorgeous box made of laminated salvaged wood.
This box had so many hidden details it was hard to keep track of them - small drawer runners to ensure that the drawers sit correctly in their openings,
bumpers behind each drawer for proper front alignment, and a neatly applied liner in each drawer. This was really a sweet little piece!
Since Easter just passed, Mike shared a basket filled with wooden eggs. While he left some of them natural, many were tinted with aniline dyes.
These eggs were turned from mulberry, mesquite and apricot woods, with a few unidentified species, too.
Ken shared a simple iPhone stand that he's been making from 2x4 lumber - saying that he's been selling a ton of these at work. They're simple to make, and a single 2x4 gives you enough wood for dozens of these. Not a bad return on your wood investment!
Beth's been busy in her shop, making baskets of fruit.
Not just any basket, mind you - but a couple of dovetailed baskets,
with gorgeous details like copper nails and sculptural handles. The fruit she's been turning have details like delicate stems and a variety of dyes to color them. Gorgeous and fun!
Lupe's Federal inspired table was next, and once again - she knocked it out of the park.
Her custom made bandings, dovetailed drawer, wooden drawer runner system, tapered legs with mitered inlay details all came together in one exquisite piece.
She continues to wow us with her work; wait till you see a piece she's currently building - and be prepared to be dazzled.
Finally, the man of the hour, Jim shared his bandsaw techniques with our group. He collects small logs, and lets them dry so that wood movement is minimized.
Inspired by this bandsaw book, Jim's been playing with these designs for a few years now.
He starts by slicing off the back, and then laying out the drawers.
These drawers cuts have to be done in one continuous smooth curved cut.
After slicing off the front and back of each drawer, the "box" of the drawer is drawn and established.
Jim flocks the interior of the drawers with this mini-flocking kit,
first painting the adhesive, and then blowing the fibers onto the sticky surface.
The result is perfect, as long as you're neat with the glue. These rustic boxes would be great gifts for someone's cabin!
Thanks to Jim for sharing his work with us...
looking forward to next month's meeting - number 100 and still going strong!
