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As The Wood Turns Internet Version
March 2004
Location:
Woodcraft
Supply Store, 1280 E. Dundee Rd, Palatine IL
847-774-1186
In
this Issue
> Curls
from the President
> Demonstrators Schedule
for meeting nights & weekend
Master Demos
>
Turning
Birdhouses — Brad Smith
> March
Meeting Note’s
> Dick
Sing Demonstration
>
March Gallery — See
Gallery section of web site
By Paul Shotola
Last month I spoke about the value of the Member’s Gallery, and at the March meeting got my chance to stand in front of all of you and expound on the work on the table. Critiquing someone’s work is harder than it looks. As you have all seen in the past, the reviewer needs to comment on the technical execution of the piece, which includes tool marks, sanding scratches, quality of finishing, torn grain, and all of the things that can be avoided and improved with careful workmanship.
The second part of reviewing a piece is much more subjective, and much more difficult. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and my eye is certainly not your eye. A pleasing shape to me is just dumpy to you, and a piece prominently displayed in our home could to be consigned to the fireplace in yours. We tend to pass those pieces off to my brother-in-law, but that may not work in your family. If I think a rim is too flat/ narrow/ wide/ low/ high, and say so at the review, my intent is to get you to look at things critically, to really look at the shape and proportions of a piece. Expensive art and design schools must have a term for this, but having never been to one, I call it “eye training”.
“Eye training” is a continuous process. Look at the objects in your own home (not just turnings), at the architecture in your town, at the natural world around you, and ask yourself what pleases your eye, your sense of proportion and beauty. The more you do this, the more critical and demanding you will be of your own work. The more demanding you are, the better your work will become. Don’t settle for OK, push yourself until it’s better than OK, and make the next one even better than that. That's how we grow.
Until April, give the mediocre stuff to your brother-in-law,
bring the better stuff to the gallery, and please, turn safely.
Paul Shotola
Email address:
Weekend Master Turner Demo Schedule
Jim Christiansen, — April 17
Greame Priddle — June 19
John Jordan — September 11-12
David Ellsworth — October 30-31
For
More on Master Turners Demonstrations,
see Demonstrations
Page
Meeting Demonstrators 2004
April — Lloyd Beckman
Turned Hats
See Fran Islin to sign up to be a demonstrator.
Minutes of the March, 2004 CWT Meeting
by Paul Cavanagh
President Paul Shotola opened the meeting at 7pm and explained the house and safety rules. He also mentioned some of the upcoming events of interest to us all: Wood working Show at the Odium in April, Provo symposium in June, AAW Symposium in Orlando in July, and the SOFA show in November. The CWT will be doing demonstrations at SOFA so if you would like to take a turn or two at SOFA, Binh Pho is coordinating this effort. If you haven’t seen the SOFA show, plan on doing it this November and be thoroughly impressed.
The AAW is conducting a survey online at their website (www.woodturner.org) to find out what you like or dislike about the AAW and their publications and what you would want articles about.
Paul also mentioned the proposed 2004 budget for the club and some of the items for which budget has been allocated. Copies were available for anyone interested.
Dan Anderson will be conducting a mentoring
session on next Saturday, March 13. Bring your turning problems and
enjoy the master craftsman in action.
The guest turner for April is Jim Christiansen of Moscow Idaho,
who has been a professional turner since 1996. Watch another expert turner
in action and learn something you didn’t even know you didn't know.
The fee for the day is the usual $25. Partake of all the coffee, donuts,
and muffins you can eat.
Anyone who is interested in doing a demonstration of any aspect of woodturning or related areas, such as carving, finishing, decorating, etc., please contact VP Fran Iselin. No experience necessary.
Pieces are still needed for the club’s entry into the 2004 AAW Collaborative Challenge and include: some bowls - 3" in dia, 3" deep, ¼" wall; spindles of various lengths and designs. Details are posted on the website. Please identify the wood and the turner so that the turners can be named as part of the project.
Wayne reported that we have about $5000 in the treasury, mostly from dues that have recently paid.
A letter was received from a past member, Luke Manganaro, who currently resides in Phoenix, AZ and has opened a hardware/lumber/tools store. He promised all CWT members get a 10% discount. His website is www.heartwoodlumber.net. Check it out!
Mike Malloy again had a variety of items for the raffle: Several pieces of wood, some gift certificates from Rockler, and a nicely turned bowl. The club’s secretary has promised to prove some pieces tool steel rescued from a retired aircraft machinist's private stock back East, but, alas, it did not happen. Senility is nothing to joke about.
The splendid gallery was then reviewed by the club president, himself.
President Paul Shotola’s challenge to club members
last month was answered by several magnificent entries. The hotly contested
pairs was a difficult choice for the voting members; and the winners are:
First place: Fred Gescheidle
Second Place: Dan Anderson
Third place: Dick Zemlo
Turning Birdhouses
The demonstration was conducted by Brad Smith. He showed how
to create working bird houses using inexpensive cedar decking and some
practical techniques. Brad really liked the reversible turning feature
of the club’s Oneway 1224 lathe, didn’t you, Brad. Is a Oneway
in your future? I think the price of the bird houses is going to go up.
See the Past Demonstrations section for details.
Dick Sing Demonstration
Dick Sing presented a woodturning demo on Saturday, February 21, 2004.
Projects included a small desktop clock, a turned wooden bottle cap with
integral brush and handle, and a demonstration on how to make offset inlays
for the top of a turned box or pocket watch. Following the formal demonstration,
Dick responded to some questions from the audience.
See the Past Demonstrations section for details.
Upcoming Events
Jim Christiansen Demo — Saturday 4/17/04
at Woodcraft. 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. $25.00 fee. For details see Demonstrations
section.
Woodworking Show — 4/16-18 at the Odeum
in Villa Park.
Special note: Craft Supplies is offering a 20% discount to CWT
members who place orders at the show. Mention the code: “03FAHNIC”
and show your membership card to receive your discount. Lathes are not
included in this promotion. Steve Russell will be demonstrating
at the show, so plan to attend.
Just not on Saturday. Attend the Christiansen demo instead
(see Demonstrations sections).
Hank Bardenhagen — 8/29-9/04. Woodturning 101 at The Clearing, a Folk school in Door County, WI. www.theclearing.org Their catalog lists classes in almost any subject you can imagine, from paper making to creative writing.
For more upcoming events see the Calendar
page.
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Happenings
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Chicago Woodturners 2003
A Chapter of the American Association of Woodturners
Last Updated October 19, 2006
