May 2018 Newsletter
It’s not done ‘till it’s finished.
This month’s feature is about Finishing.
Contents
Presidents Letter -------------------------------------------- 2 Tips and Techniques ------------------------------------ 5
Club Officers and Mentors ---------------------------------- 2 Wood Turning Sources -------------------------------- 6
April Members Gallery --------------------------------------- 3 New and Returning Members------------------------- 7
May Presentation -------------------------------------------- 4 Shear Scraping -------------------------------------------- 8+
President’s Letter
Well, the weather is finally warming up, and,
that makes it much easier to get out to the
garage, or wherever your shop is located, and
do some turning. I confess that I much prefer
turning in an environment that is moderate to
warmer in temperature rather than chilly and
cold. So, that’s where I am spending more
time lately.
Now, on to more important things. For those of
you that were not in attendance at our April
meeting, you missed my announcement that I
have determined that it is time for me to step-
down as your President of the North Valley
Woodturners. This is a personal decision that I
have not taken lightly and that I have been
considering for a while. I have thoroughly
enjoyed my role as your president and will miss
the involvement. However, there are other
aspects of my life that I need to focus on. I will
not be leaving the club, but, I will be
significantly reducing my involvement in the
organization. So, that being said, there will be
openings for someone to step forward to fill the
position of president, as well as taking on the
responsibility for writing and editing our
newsletter. So, I am asking each of you to
seriously consider taking on either one or the
other of these positions. I will continue you my
involvement through the August meeting and
my responsibilities must be transferred by that
time. If you are interested in becoming
involved in the conduct of our club, please
contact one of the other board members; Paul
Atkins, Bud Dilbeck, Melissa Rice, or Ernie
Matlock, and discuss your interests.
As I write this letter, a group of six of us will be
harvesting oak burls for the club on May 8th.
There is a significant selection for us to choose
from, and, we may gather all that we are able
to find. This is an opportunity to raise some
funds for the club, so … maybe a sale at $0.25
per pound, or, a raffle. What do you think?
Keep on turning Lynn
Club Officers and Mentors
President: Lynn Shoger ! 1874 Andrew Place
Paradise, CA 95969
Email: Lynn [email protected]
Phone: 530-876-1419
Vice President: Paul Atkins ! 1729 Diamond Avenue
Chico, CA 95928
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 530-570-3298
Secretary: William (Bud) Dilbeck !
9445 Dwyer Court
Durham, CA 95938
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 530-345-5006
Treasurer: Melissa Rice
5209 Anita Road
Chico, CA 95973
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 530-521-7099
At-Large: Ernest “Ernie” Matlock
3179 Woodcreek Drive
Chico, CA 95928
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 530-891-8304
! Denotes a mentor
April’s Presenter – Bruce Eggleston
Members Gallery for April
Our Members Gallery for April included a range
of turnings by each of four of our members. It
was exciting to see such a variety of turnings.
We’ll be looking forward to the offerings from
our May meeting.
Bruce Eggleston showed us four boxes from a
variety of woods; Redwood Burl with a Tulip
Magnolia lid, Pepperwood with a Black Walnut
lid, and a Black Locust box and lid.
George Morris showed us a variety of projects
in a variety of woods; a brass hammer with a
Bocate Handle paired with a Pecan bowl, a
pair of vases, one from Redwood and the other
from Norfolk Pine, a Black Walnut hollow form
and a Black Walnut lidded box, and, a floating
rim plater from Poplar with an epoxy and
acrylic inlay.
Ted Reece showed us three segmented bowls;
one from Poplar and Walnut, one from
Redwood and maple, and a third from Walnut
and Poplar, and salad bowl turned from Pine.
Ernie Matlock brought us a couple of bowls,
one from Walnut and the other a segmented
bowl from Maple and Walnut.
And, lastly, Bill Patten showed us a Maple
bowl.
Please, Please, make sure that you fill out
the forms provided with your name,
description of each piece and the wood
utilized. Without that information we
cannot assure that you will receive proper
recognition for your turnings.
This Month’s Presentation –
Finishing
Frequently, when the topic of finishing comes
up regarding a specific turned piece our first
thoughts go to the finish materials that were
utilized to highlight the piece. And,
occasionally, a question is asked regarding
what fineness of abrasive grit was used to
produce the smooth finish.
What is seldom discussed is the tool work and
sanding process that preceded the application
of the final finish materials. At our meeting this
month we will be discussing the process that
should occur between the turning and the
application of the finish.
I was reminded while attending an all-day
presentation by John Jordan (one of the
original formative turners in the woodturning
community) of the need to use our turning tools
as the final step on the turning process and the
first step in the finishing preparation process.
That last step in the turning process is shear
scraping the exterior of a bowl, a hollow form
or the top surface of a platter. That last step is
shear scraping. This step is completed using
either a gouge with a long side return or a
heavy scraper (1/4 inch thick by 1-1/2 wide).
Accompanying this newsletter is a copy of an
article by Mike Mahoney entitled “A Closer
Look at Shear Scraping”. This article
appeared in the American Woodturner in June
2017, issue 32:3, pages 22 through 24, and is
copyrighted 2017, All Rights Reserved by the
American Association of Woodturners.
In addition, there are several other articles that
address the process leading up to the final
application of finish materials and are all
available on the AAW website:
Some overall considerations include
housekeeping maintenance for your lathe and
turning tools. Then, once your equipment is in
shape work on your turning techniques. And,
finally, always use quality wood. You can find
information on these topics in “Techniques to
Reduce Sanding” written by Larry Miller and
found in the Woodturning FUNdamentals
digital publication from July 2016, issue 5:4,
pages 17 and 18, copyrighted 2016, All Rights
Reserved by the American Association of
Woodturners.
Then, there is the process of sanding which
seems to be a frustration for many of us. But,
hopefully, these frustrations can be reduced
with careful consideration of the sanding
process. A good guide to sanding may be
found in “Sanding Savvy: Five basic rules
for getting the scratches out” by Russ
Fairfield, and found in the American
Woodturner in Spring 1999, issue 14:1, pages
40 and 41, and is copyrighted 1999, All Rights
Reserved by the American Association of
Woodturners.
Finally, we can get to the step that we have
been waiting for all along, the application of our
finish materials. One resource that may be
helpful involves more than applying one, two,
or three coats of your favorite finish materials.
It may be helpful to follow the process outlined
in “One Turner’s Guide to Finishing” by
Peter M. Smith and found in the American
Woodturner” in Summer 2004, issue 19:2,
pages 38 through 41, and is copyrighted 2004,
2016, All Rights Reserved by the American
Association of Woodturners.
Each of these articles has been written by
woodturners who have years of experience
under their belts. If you were to observe any of
them the one trait that they all have in common
is their ability to focus on the task at hand.
And, that focus has been developed through
years of experience. It has been said that to
acquire the skills to achieve the success you
wish requires repetition. One turning mentor
challenges his students to turn one hundred of
whatever object the student wishes to become
proficient at turning that object. The point here
is that it takes time and focus to develop any
and all of the skills one wishes to achieve.
Last Month’s (April’s)
Demonstration
Last month Bruce Eggleston gave us an
interesting and informative presentation on
mounting interesting and problematic blanks
for turning. Bruce is known his turning of
“found” wood, all of which are pieces within
which can be imagined unusual and out-of-the-
ordinary turnings. Most of the pieces have
been “sourced” during his frequent treks
through our hills and mountains.
Key to Bruce’s approach to mounting a piece
of “found” wood is, first, imagining and finding
the potential turned object that may be
achieved, and, second, determining how the
resulting blank should be mounted on the lathe
for turning.
Bruce’s mounting mechanism of choice is the
faceplate since it provides the most secure
attachment to the lathe. Because of the
unusual configurations of the “found” wood
Bruce frequently must create a flat area for
attachment of the faceplate. Creating this flat
area generally involves using an angle grinder
with a coarse sanding plate attached to grind
the necessary flat area. Then, through a series
of trial and error steps the mounting resulting in
the least amount of imbalance is determined.
Depending upon the blank to be mounted the
use of a screw-chuck or a glue-attached
tendon may alternately be used.
Lynn Shoger provided additional discussion of
the safety measures that should be followed
when turning with a focus on the extra caution
that comes with working with would that is out
of the ordinary. The primary focus is being
continually alert to “what can happen, will likely
happen”. An important area of concern that
was perhaps not stressed sufficiently was
attention to personal safety especially including
the use of personal protective devices
including faceplates and respiratory devices.
Protect Wood from Chuck Jaws
After trying several ideas for reversing a small
turning and holding it in a chuck to finish the
bottom, I devised my own method, which is simple
and inexpensive. I had tried cloth, tape, foam, and
electrical wire, but always ended up with marks on
the turning from the chuck jaws. To solve this, I
took some plastic tubing, which is available by the
foot in a variety of sizes, and slid it on the chuck
jaws.
For pin jaws I cut pieces the length of the jaws. For
No. 2 jaws, I cut pieces long enough to cover each
jaw. I cut a slit in the tubing so that it can slip over
each jaw. The tubing is thick enough to prevent the
marks and also provides some holding power for
the work piece.
For pin jaws I use 5/8” (16 mm) ID tubing and for
the No. 2 jaws, 3/8” (10 mm) ID tubing. Other
chucks may require different sizes.
~ Bill Fordney, Pennsylvania
Tips and Techniques
Wood Turning Sources
Many of you have asked about sources for wood turning lathes, accessories, supplies, etc. The following list not complete, however, this list will get you started and includes sources familiar to many other wood turners. Please forward any additions you would like to share for this list. Craft Supplies USA, “The Woodturners Catalog”, www.woodturnerscatalog.com
Offers a full range of wood turning lathes, accessories, tools, finishing supplies, turning kits, and instructional books and videos.
Hartville Tools www.hartvilletool.com/
Offers a full range of woodworking power equipment, hand tools, lathes, accessories, carving tools, and finishing supplies.
Klingspor’s Woodworking Shop, www.woodworkingshop.com
Offers a full range of woodworking power equipment, hand tools, lathes, accessories, carving tools, and finishing supplies. Noted for their abrasives.
Packard Woodworks Inc., www.packardwoodworks.com
Offers a full range of woodworking power equipment, hand tools, lathes, accessories, carving tools, finishing supplies, woodcraft kits, and instructional books and videos.
Penn State Industries Woodturning, www.pennstateind.com
Offers lathes, accessories, tools, equipment and turning kits. Noted for their supplies for pen turners.
Rockler Woodworking and Hardware, www.rockler.com Walk-in Store in Rocklin near Sacramento
Offers a full range of woodworking power equipment, hand tools, lathes, accessories, carving tools, finishing supplies, and woodcraft kits.
Treeline The Woodcraft Specialists, www.treeline.usa.com
Offers a full line of carving equipment, tools, and instructional books and videos. Focus is on the wood carver and wood turners adding embellishment to turnings.
Wood Carvers Supply, Inc., www.woodcarverssupply.com
Offers a full line of carving equipment, and tools. Focus is on the wood carver and wood turners adding embellishment to turnings.
Woodcraft Helping You Make Wood Work, www.woodcraft.com Walk-in store in Sacramento
Offers a full range of woodworking power equipment, hand tools, lathes, accessories, carving tools, finishing supplies, woodcraft kits, and instructional books and videos. Focus is on the general woodworker.
Supporters of North Valley Woodturners
Hartville Tool, is offering a 10% discount on purchases when you identify yourself as a member of the North Valley Woodturners. Please note that we previously indicated that Packard Woodworks Inc. was offering a 10% discount to members. This was incorrect. They offer a discount only to the club and not it’s members.
New/Renewing Memberships The North Valley Woodturners is a growing woodturning club, now in our third year, located in the north valley of California. The North Valley Woodturners has been accepted as an affiliate of the American Association of Woodturners, the national association of woodturners. With access to the resources of the national organization we are able to extend the many benefits and resources which are available from that organization to our members. The North Valley Woodturners membership includes woodturners with a wide range of interests and abilities.
Our membership includes woodturners that are just beginning to explore their interest in woodturning as well as woodturners with many years of experience. In addition to monthly programs that address a wide range of topics in woodturning the club has developed a mentoring program to provide instruction and assistance to the beginning turner. If you are not a member and you wish to join the North Valley Woodturners club, Please complete the following membership information form and return it along with your annual dues at the next meeting. You may also mail the completed information form along with dues payment of $35 to North Valley Woodturners and send to the attention of: Melissa Rice, Treasurer at 5209 Anita Road, Chico, CA 95973. .
Membership Information Name:________________________________________________________ Date:______________ (Last) (First) (M.I.)
Address:__________________________________________ City:_________________State:_____ Phone:_____________________ Cell:______________________ E-mail:_____________________ Woodturning Interests:______________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ Skill Level: Never Turned:_____ Beginner:______ Intermediate:______ Advanced:________ Comments:______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________ Submit this Application to the Club Treasurer along with dues of $35.00 at next meeting, or, mail to Melissa Rice, Treasurer, 5209 Anita Road, Chico, CA 95973
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