February Meeting --- 5 Years in the Making

 Wow, check out this panoramic shot that Lupe took --- she's getting pretty darn professional!  This meeting marks the 5th. year anniversary of the first ever meeting that was held at a library.  This month we had about 33 people in attendance and of those, 6 were at that original meeting.  I keep hearing that old saying:  "….and they said it couldn't be done!" but thanks to Jamie's leadership and all of us that are interested in woodworking we're doing it!
     We've decided to change things up a little bit with the meeting format.  As usual we had our round robin introductions and then the business session.  In the past we would have our featured presentation after the business session and then do the show and tell.  What tends to happen is that by the time the featured person is done, it's gotten late and the show and tell is sparsely attended and kind of an after thought.  This time, the show and tell was held before the featured presenter and it seemed as if it got a little long winded!!  I suppose it's going to take self-discipline from all of us and we should try to limit the show and tell to no more than 5 minutes each to ensure the featured presenter has ample time to cover their topic in detail.  I know that's tough because many times the show and tell stuff is interesting and generates a lot of discussion.  Maybe we need a time keeper, you know like a Sergeant at Arms or something like that!  I'd just ask that we keep this in mind so the featured presenter will have ample time to cover what they prepared for the meeting.

Business Portion:

•      Started off with a reminder of the voluntary, $20.00 yearly dues.  We'll probably collect these for another 2-3 months.
• After the discussion we had in January regarding our local lumber suppliers and their customer service (or lack thereof) I shared my recent experience with Woodworkers Source who is located in Phoenix.  They do mail order using UPS, I'm not the only one in the club that has used them.  I recommend them highly for exotics as well as domestic woods.  If you go there, they are on the north side of Phoenix, right off the I-17 so you won't have too much traffic.  Here's a LINK to them.
• Pete will be teaching a class at Jamie's school beginning on March 25th.  It will meet in the evenings from 6-9 and he will be teaching how to make that table he showed at January's meeting.  It's not on Jamie's class list yet but here's a LINK to that, check back to see when it's listed.  You will need to have taken Jamie's basic class to enroll in this one.
• Woodworker's Emporium will be having their parking lot swap meet on Saturday, March 15.  Time is from 9-12am, it'd probably be wise to contact them (871-0722) if you have things you'd like to sell.

Show & Tell

John brought in two items to show tonight.  He (along with many others of you) has taken Jamie's very popular cutting board class.  this example is from a design he found on the internet and is made of Walnut, Maple, and Cherry.  His other cutting board is based on a leaf design.  It's frustrating to give these as gifts since most people tell him they're too nice to use!

Our presenter for the evening, Joe brought in this really nice example of an antique plane:

 

It is a find from his father-in-laws shop and at least 100 years old.  Since there are no brand name on the tool it was more than likely made by a craftsman.  It's hard for us to imagine how it was "back in the day"; you didn't go on-line and find what you needed, you made it yourself!  Joe also brought in this 1/2 scale model of a blanket chest he plans to make:

This one is stained Poplar with Alder for the legs.  What makes it unique is the coopered top which was achieved by cutting the edges of the boards at about 4 degrees and then glueing them up.  He then used a hand plane to form the curve.  Nice looking piece.

Ken brought in a new product from FastCap called 2P-10.  It's a super fast adhesive and accelerator that joins your stuff in 10 seconds.  If you want to see more of it than you were able to during the meeting, here's a LINK to it that includes several videos.

Joe's Bandsaw Demonstration:

Bandsaws are a tool that many of you may have in your shop. They can be used for scroll work, cutting joinery, re-sawing,  cutting circles, etc.  Being one of the safer woodworking tools is a plus too.  Since all of the force is aimed down, towards the table there is very little chance of a piece of wood being thrown out at you.  About the only area of danger with this machine is to the side of it.  Extremely rare but if a blade breaks there is a possibility of it snaking out on that side.
Like any other tool, it will only work work well if it's properly set up, cleaned, lubricated, and adjusted according to the owner's manual.

There was a general discussion about blade sizes and the bottom line is it will depend on what you plan to use the saw for.  A 3/8" wide, 3-4 teeth per inch is a good all around size to keep on the saw.  It's important that there is a fairly deep gullet (space between teeth) to clear out the created sawdust.  It's wise to keep the blade clean the same as you would any other blade.  Simple Green, Easy-off, or any other available cleaner is a good choice.  A clean blade runs cooler, requires less effort, and will yield a better cut.  When ever you change the blade, there are a number of things Joe suggested you do.  He made a list which I sent out to everyone in an earlier email and that list is much more complete than what I'm going to write here so check it out.

  Once you've opened up the saw and removed the blade it's a good time to do some preventative maintenance items.  Some that Joe suggested are to clean the wheels and check the condition of the rubber on them.  You can use a scrap of wood or a nylon brush to accomplish that.  Be careful that you don't nick or cut the tire and, just like your car tires, check the over-all condition of the rubber.
It wouldn't hurt to lubricate, wax, and otherwise clean the top of the saw too.  Bandsaws are driven by a belt on a couple of pulley's so check the condition of that rubber as well.  Our desert climate is pretty hard on these things.




Alignment of the wheels and pulleys rarely goes out but it wouldn't hurt to check these from time to time too -- maybe yearly.  After everything is clean, lubricated, and adjusted it's time to re-install the blade.  These are usually stored in a coiled up manner and Joe showed a trick that makes handling them a bit easier.  Instead of doing it up in the air, he uses a bench or stool to anchor one end.  Lupe made this video of him in action, here is a LINK to it on YouTube.

When you replace the blade there are a couple of things to keep in mind.  First off, the teeth must point down, towards the table.  If needed, the blade can be flipped inside out to change the direction of the teeth.  It's a good practice to move the blade guiding mechanism (cool blocks, wheels, etc.) so you can get the blade tracking as it should without any interference from them.  We had a pretty good discussion on how to set the blade tension and I sent out a link for a hi-tech and pricey gauge you could get to check that.  The gauges on bandsaws are notoriously inaccurate so experience with your machine will be to your advantage.  You don't want to crank the tension up so high that you put undue stress on the bearings and blade.  On the other hand, you don't want it so low that the blade jumps off the wheel and out of the guides.  As with everything else these days it is possible to find video's on the internet showing you how to go about setting the machine but if you follow the owners manual and do a bit of experimenting on your own with your machine you should be able to achieve success.
As for setting the guide blocks or rollers, again check your manual.  As a general rule you want them to be as close to the blade for maximum support but not touching.  Some say to use a dollar bill as a shim to place between the blade and the guide.  In any case, Joe demonstrated turning the blade through by hand several revolutions and listening for any sounds that would tell you things aren't quite right.  Last of all, it's very important that the blade and table are 90 degrees to one and other unless, of course, you're cutting bevels!  This can be checked with a reliable try square as Joe is doing here or you can use an electronic gauge.

Joe covered all of the major items needed to keep your bandsaw running true and safely.  Like all of the tools you use, regular maintenance and cleaning will keep them running true.  If you're typical though we tend to put off that maintenance work until something goes wrong.  Hopefully his presentation inspired you to clean and adjust your own bandsaw --- Thanks Joe!

Raffle:

Not sure of the outcome of the raffle at this meeting but there was an interesting array of items on the table.   Keep in mind that the money generated from your donations will go to bring speakers, presenters, and possibly workshops from outside sources.  We have a wealth of information among the members of the group but sometimes it's nice to bring a "expert" in from elsewhere.

February Meeting -- Tomorrow Night!

Hey you !!! 

Do you have one of these Big Boys in your shop?

Well, maybe yours is a tad bit smaller and of more modern design but a bandsaw is a valuable woodworking tool.  Depending on its size and your method of work they can be called upon for cutting intricate scroll work, cutting joinery, or resawing huge planks of wood.  However you use it, this tool will only function well if everything is set up and adjusted properly.  The focus of this meeting will be a presentation by Joe Hessling.  Joe will share his expertise with us and show the proper ways to adjust this tool, tension the blade, and everything else you'll need to make your bandsaw, no matter how big or small; function as it should.

The Purpose of our Raffles

Something new for our meetings is to have a raffle at the end.  Let me explain the purpose and reasoning behind this new addition.  We have always had a voluntary dues of $20.00 per year which covers the cost of the MeetUp site, our Christmas party, and gift cards for random drawings and contest winners.  There have been requests to bring in outside speakers to demonstrate or hold workshops but these folks charge money!  Here is where the raffle comes in -- most of us have experienced buying a tool, book, or instructional DVD that we were sure we needed but then once we had it in our hands it really wasn't what we thought it was after all.  Maybe you have some extra parts, knobs, hinges, etc. that are just gathering dust and taking up space you could put to better use.

Ted belonged to a large woodworking group in San Diego that used this concept to generate funds for things members thought would enhance the group.  If you have anything that you would like to donate, bring it in and give it to Ted.  He will also be the one selling the raffle tickets at the beginning of the meeting.  I'm sure there will be an opportunity to buy tickets just prior to the drawing if you notice a "must have" item you want to take a chance on.  In case there aren't enough items brought in for a particular meeting he'll hold on to them and we'll have the raffle at the next meeting.

Dues and Location, & Time

As I mentioned before, we're in the process of collecting your voluntary $20.00 dues.  Besides being able to say that you're a member in good standing, paying the dues means your name is in the hat for the Lee Valley gift certificates at the end of the year party.  Keep in mind too that if you do a demonstration or presentation at any meeting you get an additional "name in the hat" for that drawing too.  See Ted or Dennis for that.

The meeting time is 7:00 pm tomorrow evening.  The location is Jamie's shop at 2267 West Gowan, unit 106.  You know the drill about bringing a chair to sit on and for more info call her at 631-1870.

January 15th. Meeting --- First of the Year

     Our first meeting of the year saw about 33 folks in attendance with quite a few new faces.  Many of these are students from Jamie's classes -- she's really doing her part in exposing more and more Las Vegans to woodworking, Great Job Jamie!  As a teacher I know how much time and effort it takes to set up classes and organize instruction.  Before the meeting started some of you may have noticed an exchange of money going on at the corner table, nope; nothing underhanded going on there.  Although unplanned people started to pay their yearly dues of $20.00.  The majority of the dues actually come back to the members in the form of a great end of the year Christmas party and Lee Valley gift certificates for either a raffle our contests we may have through out the year. There are some club related expenses that the dues pay for, mainly the fees Meet Up charges.  Jamie recognized Lupe for all of her work taking photographs of our meetings and me for writing up this blog.  I'm sure I'm speaking for Lupe too when I say we appreciate your appreciation and enjoy what we're doing -- Thanks for your applause.
     After the round the room introductions the following business items were brought up:

Feedly: 

This is a website that Richard brought up.  Not being all that technology savvy myself here is a LINK for that.  Apparently it replaces the RSS feed and has a number of apps you can download to follow blogs.

Magazine Subscriptions:

There was a discussion regarding magazines and in impromptu survey to see whether or not we still subscribed to them.  Before the technology of the internet they were an invaluable source of information but now it seems the consensus was to simply research what you need on line and then print it out on your home printer.  For those of us (myself included) that like to physically turn pages there's always the library.  Fine Woodworking offers an on-line subscription for less than $35.00 a year that gives access to everything they have plus numerous forums.  Here's a LINK for you.

Buying Lumber:

There was a pretty lively discussion about the "lumber triangle" consisting of Peterman, Rugby, and McKillican at the corner of Russell and Arville.  Through the years the attitudes and especially customer service has changed but probably not for the better.  Knowing that Jamie orders much more lumber than most of us do she has a good idea of what's currently going on.  McKillican seems to have deteriorated the most in terms of product availability and customer service.  Peterman probably has the best selection but pricing seems to be an issue which doesn't make sense because everything is on the computer but they probably have different pricing levels depending on how much you buy.  Good thing to do is write down any price given over the phone as well as the date and person who gave you that price.  It's also wise to double-check their board tally.  The lumber there is easy to pick out and displayed so you can see the boards.  The third yard in the triangle is Rugby.  They are often cheaper but their wood is "hit and miss" meaning it's not as surfaced and may not have a straight line ripped edge.  It's a little bit harder to access their lumber piles but I've found they are very willing to move units around so you can get to them.

      Let me add this personal experience to the discussion.  I've had lots of luck with Woodworkers Source in Phoenix.  It's a cool place to visit if you're into long day trips but they also do mail order.  Here's a LINK to them.  I have ordered quite a bit of material from them over the years ranging from a mix of 8/4 and 4/4 Canarywood for a dining table and chairs to the Sapele used on a hall table.  I'm working up an order for them now but may want to hand pick and do the trip myself!  They ship UPS, the last single board order from them came in 3 days.  One thing is that they have what they call UPS Packs that include shipping.  Before ordering that put the same amount in and have them calculate shipping to your zip code.  Usually it's cheaper that way since we're so close to them.

Pete Hauser's Presentation:

Billet of Big Leaf Maple

 Peter Hauser first became interested in figured woods when he was in the USAF, stationed in Texas, and worked part time at a Woodcraft store.  It started with turning and has ended to where he is today building furniture and specializing in end grain cutting boards.  The way he amassed his collection of wood is interesting!  After retirement he became an independent contractor (2001-2009) flying cargo for the Air Force so at times had a huge cargo bay just begging for something to be hauled, enter his search for wood!  I've already sent all of you his lumber sources and I've had a few of you tell me about other ones.  Rather than list all of them and make this blog longer you can do a search on the internet and you'll find a multitude of sources.  Figured woods can come from many different trees, Pete had examples of Maple, Myrtlewood, Redwood, Claro Walnut, Koa, and probably others I didn't write down.  Some of the figure is result of the way the grain grows at the crotch of the tree.  The term that is sometimes used for this figured grain is Chatoyance.  That term is also used to describe that effect in minerals.

 Here are some examples of the pieces he brought in to share with us:

Myrtlewood & Crotch Walnut (shimmer = chatoyance)

Redwood Burl

Curly Koa

This tool box is one that he made from a Texas Mesquite tree.  He actually felled this tree, seasoned the lumber and made the box.

Mesquite on top, highly figured Maple on bottom

Bubinga tool tray

When Pete worked at the Woodcraft store he taught a class on making this table. The top is a book matched piece of Claro Walnut.  The design of the table was inspired by a magazine article that dealt with designing furniture.  An internet search proved successful as he found more detailed photos of it.  The original had steam bent aprons but he found a way to simplify that.  By using a Domino Joiner from Festool to create floating tenons the project was greatly simplified.  Just a side note, some of you may not be aware of what the heck a Domino Joiner is so here's a LINK for you.  After the joints were cut, the legs were tapered four ways. 

 

The apron parts were cut out (again after the domino joinery) from a wide piece, holes were drilled first to insert ebonized pegs.  He used India Ink to ebonize the Maple.

Close up of pyramid leg and floating top illusion

Pete's presentation ended with a discussion on veneering panels and showing examples of his end grain cutting boards.  I'm going to edit the rest of the blog because if it gets too long I won't be able to send it and you guys won't be able to read it!  To summarize, Pete brought many examples of figured wood and I'm sure it whetted your appetite to possibly use them for a project of your own.

Show & Tell:

Jamie and I decided that from now on we will hold the show and tell session after the business part of the meeting and before the featured presentation.  I apologize to those of you that brought your work in to share that weren't able to at the end of the meeting.  We'll limit the show and tell session to less than 5 minutes for presentation and any questions.  Here's what we had at the meeting:

Ed's turned bowl from a Weeping Cherry Tree

Burl on lathe

Ken's Purple Heart box with wooden hinges.  He uses an Incra set up  for this work.

Wine gift box of Quarter Sawn Oak, Walnut, and Lacewood.
 Inspired by Richards 2x4x8 project, he just happens to be in the background!

That's it for this newsletter, hope you were able to read this lengthy one but there was lots to cover.  Keep the raffle in mind as you work in your shops, that tool you don't need or like could go to someone else and the coffers of the club will increase!

January Meeting: Wednesday the 15th.

Well, as woodworkers many of us have said: "It's all about the wood".  But there is wood and then;

…..there is wood!!

     These two pieces fall into the second category.  The Hall table is Claro Walnut and the gorgeous wood on the cabinet is Maple that can go by several names -- Big Leaf, Quilted, and probably some others.  In any case, if you've been luck enough to use some highly figured woods like these you know they can be challenging to smooth and finish.  The beauty of the wood is caused by the interlocking of the grain.  One of our members, Pete Hauser will bring in a table that he built and will discuss the challenges of working with these types of woods.  This table features four-way tapered legs with pyramid ends, and a floating top of book matched, Claro Walnut.

     He has spent many years traveling to locate sources for woods like these and may share some of them with us.  As you can see, adding some of these woods to your projects can really enhance the "wow factor" of your work when done in a tasteful manner.  Pete will also bring in a sampling of jewelry boxes he's made utilizing figured woods as well.

     As for our regular business we will continue the raffle.  You can bring in anything you have that you'd like to donate to the club and Ted will sell tickets.  End of the year usually means we're starting anew so if you have tools, books, plans, etc. that are no longer of use to you donate them to the club.  Ted said December's inaugural raffle netted about $180.00 to the club treasury.  These funds will be used to bring in speakers and other club related activities.

     The other thing would be a show and tell session.  If you've been able to get out to the shop during the holiday season and create something bring it in to share with the group.

     This meeting will be held at Studio: Wood It Is!, 2267 West Gowan, unit 106 in North Las Vegas. The starting time is 7:00 pm.  As always, the public is welcome to attend the meeting, so members - please feel free to bring a guest along. But remember that there are a limited number of chairs in the woodshop. Attendees might want to bring a folding chair if they wish to sit during the meeting. If you have questions or need directions, call the studio at 631-1870.

2013 Christmas Party & Challenge

Well, I think it goes without saying that our end of the year Christmas Party and the culmination of Jamie's 2 x 4 x 8 Challenge was a huge success.  There were over 40 members and guests in attendance and I must admit I was slack in my counting -- probably closer to 50+ people there!  For starters, we had some great, freebie door prizes in the form of these tape measures.  Steve M. donated the labels for them so Sin City Woodworkers group now has our own, private label tape measures.  There they are, hope you were able to get your own in your favorite color.
   

The festivities started as many of our meetings do, people catching up with whatever happened during the month and just talking and sharing some good times together.  There were three, huge differences though --- Food, Wine, and Sangria!  Thanks to all who either brought in the goodies for us to share and also to those who set it all up.  We had quite a spread which really added to the festive mood of the night.  There were fourteen entries in the challenge which were placed around the room on tables.  Each entry had a numbered tag on it to identify the project.  Great selection of pieces and I think the quality of the projects indicate the talents we have in our group.  After about an hour, Jamie announced that it was time for the voting to begin.  This was done on the honor system with a clip board showing the numbers of the projects.  We all put one tally mark next to the number of the project of our choice …………… and the winner is:

Pete, his table and gift certificate -- Congrats!!

Pete Hauser with his beautiful table.  He decided to use a construction grade piece of Redwood.  He won a $100.00 gift card from Lee Valley.

Mike Cook, Second Place Carving --- Congrats!!

Mike Cook came in second place after the votes were tallied.  He created this beautiful carving and used Redwood too.  The small easel on the table was made and carved from the remnants of his 2 x 4.

John Eugster,  Third Place Stool  -- Congrats !!

   



The project that came in third place was my stool.  This was made from a 2x4 of Douglas Fir.  The top was woven from Hong Kong Seagrass and the mortise and tenon joints are pegged with Chakte Kok dowels.



All of the work was so nicely done that everyone wanted to get a bit of the "back story" on their creation.

Nutcracker:  2x4 was resawn into thirds, features movable jaw, lighted eyes, and dowel arms.

Ned's hand cut Dovetailed box featuring a wooden hinge.

Ken with his dog bed, notice the dog bone posts!

Jim's Lantern, he used Vellum as a substitute for  traditional rice paper

Jamie made these during a "hungry moment"  The platter was laminated, force dried, and turned within 2 hours!

Neal's' candle holders with a Christmas/winter motif

Set of puzzle blocks made by Ed

Lupe's wooden gourmet kitchen assortment

Lupe, being the overachiever that she is, also made a second project which Norm created the decals for.  The dead flat black flocking generated a lot of interest so here is a LINK to her supplier.

Magical!

Richard's Wine Presentation Box

This wine presentation box that features finger joints and a sliding lid brought quite a few positive comments from Jamie who coerced him, eh I mean suggested that it should be added to the raffle table.  Being a good sport Richard added it to the already full table of donated items.

Donated Items for the Raffle which brought about $150.00 to the club.

Seems like whenever we have a raffle during one of our meetings one person is the lucky one and their tickets get drawn several times.  Russ was the "chosen one" that night and not only did he win the wine box, his numbers were called several times.  With a nod to the season, he re-donated items so that others of us had an opportunity to take home something.  His attitude was contagious and several others followed suit.  Makes our group great doesn't it?

Happy New Year

The formal meeting ended with our members drawings for Lee Valley gift cards.  Kris Hagon received a $25.00 one and Richard Daugherty, Ted Warren, and me lucked out with a $50.00.  Do I look happy? you bet!  Great way to start 2014 with a purchase of something special from Lee Valley.


This ended the formal part of the party and people started to filter out.  I was among those so I have no idea how long others may have stayed but there was plenty of food and libations to keep you there for quite some time!  Thanks to all of you that attended, brought food, and created a project for the challenge.  Sounds as if some are already planning what to do for next year so my guess is that this will become a tradition with the club.


     Last but not least; as always Lupe does a great job of taking photographs and videos at our meetings.  We've tried several different ways to get them from her camera, to my computer, and then on to the blog.  I usually edit them to illustrate the content of the blog.  Since there were so many interesting, random shots taken throughout  the party here's is a link to the "contact sheet" of all the pictures.  I'm pretty sure you'll be able to view it via this LINK.  I won't guarantee it though, you may need to have a Dropbox account which is how we share the files now.

Merry Christmas to You and Yours,

Have a Happy New Year

Do You Really Need a Reminder?

Time to take a Break!

                                                                                                                                                                     

     It's time for our annual end of the year Christmas party and Extravaganza!  This will be a time of food and fun as we end the year with the judging of our first ever Jamie's Challenge.  I'm sure you're all as excited as I am to see what our members came up with for this event.  Voting will be done by all of the members and the winning projects' creator will receive a gift card.  If you haven't brought your entry in yet try to come a little early so your project will remain anonymous.

     We will also be having a raffle of items that have been donated from other members and things that Jamie has received through out the year.  If you have tools, books, videos, etc. that are just collecting dust in your shop perhaps someone else would like to have a chance to win it in the raffle.  Raffle tickets will be sold at the meeting and proceeds go to the club.  I'm pretty sure they'll be $1.00 each or 6 for $5.00.  

     If that isn't  enough,  Jamie has a number of gift cards and has promised some surprise items for another drawing that every dues paying member has been entered into.  Sounds like if you need them you better remember to bring your reading glasses!

     This is a time to bring a guest to share in the food and festivities.  As always, seating is limited so bring a chair or stool if you'd like and be prepared to have a good time.  The meeting place is the same, Wood It Is located at 2267 West Gowan in North Las Vegas.  The unit number is 106 but you shouldn't have any problem finding it since it will probably be the only one with lots of cars and trucks parked in front of it.  

See you then; Wednesday, 

December 18th. 

Starting at 7:00 pm  

Now Hear This !!!!

Your Time is Up!

     The Challenge is over!

You can bring your completed project to Jamie's shop this Thursday (12/12)  afternoon from 5:30pm until 9:30pm  and again during Saturday's (12/14) open shop which goes from 11am until 3pm.

Of course, you can bring it to the regular meeting time next Wednesday but if possible these times will give Jamie time to label and set them up for the voting which will take place during the Christmas party/meeting.

If you have anything you'd like to bring for raffling off you can bring that in during either of those times as well.  Sounds like a great way to end the year with Sin City Woodworkers, look forward to seeing all of you there and your projects.