As The Wood Turns Internet Version

October 2002

Location: Woodcraft Supply Store, 1280 E. Dundee Rd, Palatine IL
847-774-1186

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In this Issue
> Curls from the President
> Jim Brooks Demonstrates
> Finish and Sanding Wood
> Tool Time
> Demonstrators Schedule
   for meeting nights & weekends
> October Meeting Note’s
> A Skewed View
> October Gallery — See Gallery section of web site

There are only sixty-four turning days till Christmas. Two months to get all of those gift projects turned, finished, signed and wrapped. Hopefully the finish will be dry before the wrapping begins. If you are anything like me, the gift turning season doesn't begin early enough. Planning ahead for the holidays is just not my strong suit. As a person who is most content with 88 degrees and 88 percent humidity, maybe I'm just in denial about the coming of winter. If I ignore it, it won't come. I am proved wrong every year. And every year, I am behind in my to-do list of gifts to make.

This past year, however, I have turned a number of items as gifts for specific people and specific occasions. I’ve turned items for four wedding couples, and birthdays for not one, but two Mothers In Law. Each time, selecting a project for a person or couple, combined with actually completing the project has been a very rewarding and educational process, and has taught me as much about the recipient and myself as it has about woodturning.

My most recent project was a wedding gift for my son and his bride-to-be. I chose a black cherry log, thinking that a bowl with a natural edge, combined with cherry's strong contrast between heart and sapwood, would make a striking and original gift. My plan was to turn the bowl wet and thin, and let the resulting movement take the final shape where it would. And it did. With every cut, the blank moved. As the walls became thinner, there was no chance of taking even a clean up cut on the previously turned area. The next cut into thicker stock, however, produced distortion in yet another plane, as tension in the wood was released. The bowl became a contest: My gouge and my patience versus nature’'s internal pressures. As I struggled to bring this bowl under my control, I thought of my son, and of being a parent.

Working green wood and parenting. The process is not dissimilar. As the turners, sculptors, molders, parents, we can choose a desired shape, envisioning an end result. The blank, the child, however, will have different ideas about its destiny. Influences on the tree from years ago are not apparent until brought to the surface by our tools. Those influences may surprise us. They will hopefully delight, but they will always cause us to adjust our outlook, adjust the angle and choice of tool, and adjust our expectations of the finished, mature result. Maddeningly, each adjustment by us will cause a change in how the blank, the child responds to our influences. A too-thin wall may warp, and one left too thick may crack or split from unseen pressures. Each piece will tend to seek its own shape, its own balance. Hopefully, our work will help that shape, that balance to be achieved, and beauty to be brought forth. That cherry bowl eventually decided it was done with me, and insisted on being reverse chucked and signed. The finish was nearly dry when I wrapped it in wedding white paper with a card expressing my pride in them, and my hopes for their future.

As woodturners, the work we produce is rarely just for ourselves, or even our own homes. Our gifts are turned from the heart, and a lot of thought and love goes into them. Fortunately, the recipients are generally pleased to receive a gift made by hand, and sometimes are in apparent awe at the skill, materials and thought involved. If you can get all three responses to your gift, that's good turning, and thoughtful gift giving.

Until November, make good use of the next sixty-four days, give from the heart, and turn safely.

Email address: p.shotola@attbi.com

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Demonstrators
for November—December 2002
November 12
Dan Anderson — Turning Boxes

December 10
All members Holiday Party

See Paul Prycik to sign up to
be a demonstrator

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Due to the number of questions that I did not have time to answer after my demonstration at the September meeting I was asked to write an article about the demo. First the 3M Power Visor is not the final answer to the dangers of dust. But it is a lot better than the paper dust masks. The best answer I think, would be a good dust collector and a respirator mask with an O.S.H.A. approved filter. The reason I recommend 3M is that it is in a price range that most people can afford and it is comfortable to wear.

As most of you saw at the demo sanding to 600 can make a big difference. This may sound like it will take a lot of extra effort. In reality it will only take about 10 minutes longer than stopping at 320. If you want a gallery quality finish you must get rid of the radial sanding marks. This is done by sanding at an angle to these marks. This can be done by stopping the lathe and sanding by hand or by power sanding. To make your job easier only sand until you have removed the previous marks, sanding or tool. You can check to see if the mark you are trying to remove is from the previous grade of paper or one that you just made. Lightly sand across the mark. If it goes away it is from the paper you are using. If it is still there keep sanding. I have also found that you don't have to worry about the radial marks until you get to about 220, from there on if you don't take care of the marks at each grit you will have to go back. At first you will have trouble seeing the marks but with practice you will see marks that you never
knew were there. Keep trying and I think you will find the effort will be very rewarding. I will cover the finishing part of my demo next month. If you have more questions see me at the next meeting or post them on the club discussion group.

Video Review
Turning Bowls, Chris Stott

In this video, three bowls are turned by Chris Stott. Bowl gouges and correct techniques are highlited. A section of this tape covers scrapers and proper usage of the tool. Sanding and appropriate methods of finishing are included in this tape. 70 minutes

Inlaid & Novelty Boxes, Chris Stott

The projects include a mushroom box, a sphereical box, use of other materials to create striking effects, inlaying rings into the top and side of boxes, a picture frame lid, a christmas tree ornament, use of veneers to create contrasts. A small Jewelry box and a two layer box. 78 minutes
Available September meeting.

And Others
Please return your rentals on a timely basis.

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Membership Benefits: Our best benefit is One Free Demonstration that started in June 01, 2002. This is the members choice of demonstrations. Other benefits include newsletter, our library for books tools and videos, and discounts at Choice Wood, Rockler and Woodcraft.

Raffle and Grant: November is the second month for the Grizzly dust Collector and the Third CWTC Educational Grant.

Turn-A-Thon: November 30th is the CWTC turn-a-thon at the Palatine Woodcraft Store.

Wood Turning: When sanding remember to remove the sanding lines before proceeding to next finer grit. Use a proper mask not your lungs to filter sanding dust.

Enjoy and Turn More

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