August 3, 2017

Total number of attendees: 15

Jim (President) opened the meeting at 7:31pm
Dave Potts (Finance): Couldn’t provide finance numbers this month

  1. Two new attendees
    1. Scott -- worked as a carpenter his whole life, still interested in woodworking
    2. John (was at last meeting): Completed shelves to start, was hooked. Now working on farmhouse table
    3. Discussion on different slabs and lumber and where to get it
    4. John: Just doing handyman work, looking to learn some stuff
    5. Ryan: Woodworking for 3 years, got his own business (framed signs, etc)
  2. Phil talked about turning [pic 1]
    1. Took trip to Tuscon for gem show, visited flea market
    2. Got the chance to buy some iron wood
    3. Turned it into a lazy Susan, but regular tools dulled immediately, and carbide had trouble. Definitely a challenge
    4. Showed a birdseye maple lazy Susan
    5. In his backyard, he got an oak tree burl, and turned a nice bowl
  3. Harry showed off his shaker boxes, he’s made about 15 years (has made over 250 of them). [pics 2 & 3]
    1. Went up to Peter’s Valley for a course by Wilson, where they made about 6 boxes, couple of trays.
    2. When he went home, he tried to repeat it, and was able to, so he kept at it
    3. Did sketches on the lid; takes a photograph, scales to fit, traces outline, inks it in, then does the lettering
    4. Issue with inking is the special pen that marks on everything
    5. Showing off quartersawn cherry
    6. Uses a copper tray, maybe 48" long. Puts in water 180 degrees or more, soaks the wood for a period of time, then takes it out and wraps it over a form for the curved pieces
    7. Drying forms on the inside to help it keep its form while the wood dries
    8. Uses spray lacquer when its done for a finish
  4. Dave did a demo on half-blind dovetails [pic 4 & 5]
    1. Used a 5/8" face and 1/2" side
    2. Scribe with a marking gauge (he used a wheel gauge)
    3. You need 1/8" at least for the front piece for a router cut half-blind, so if you make it thinner, it shows that it is hand cut
    4. Used a divider to layout/step off the tails
    5. Sawed with rip cut dovetail saw. He also noted that sawing is the key, don’t try to clean up with chisel later. Saw it right to begin with
    6. Doesn’t use fret saw -- uses chisel to chisel out remainder
    7. Transcribed the tails to the pins
    8. Cut the pieces at an angle to get some of it out
    9. Used chisels to clean out the joint on one
    10. Great job!

Next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Sep 7th at 7:15pm, where Tom Callistaro will present his cedar plank canoe.


In November, Justin DePalma will show his Cabriole leg cutting method.


Meeting concluded at 9:07pm.