August 2000 Newsletter

Index

Regular Features

Board_Briefs EDITORIALLY SPEAKING August Raffle Column

GUILD SPONSORED WOODWORKING EVENTS

Special Articles

REFLECTIONS TOYS TOYS TOYS Dovetails And Ways To Make Them

Board Briefs

Jeffrey M. Nebel

Bruce Bogust reported significant progress has been made in the securing and scheduling of top quality and great variety of programs for 2001 featuring local as well as renowned wood artisans. He has secured four shops for the photo shoot. The left over wood from the most recent sawing were sold at the last meeting. Don Berger continues to solicit items for the Wisconsin Lutheran College's Wood Artisans show for Jan-Feb 2001. Several members have indicated that they will submit items.

Bob Jahncke reported that he has a bare nucleus of members for the Workshop Committee but urgently needs the rest of the "volunteers" that indicated their willingness to come forth and share in the development of the workshops. His aim is to schedule one workshop experience each month of the year (summers months excluded), which will be scheduled in concert with the Program Committee.

Liz Rohde, Treasurer, reported income of $209.33 and expenses of $1,984.29, which leaves an operating balance of $10,954.89. Major expenses were $781 for the Washington Park meeting hall (3-months); library $226.95 and $490 related to the program on ornamental turning.

Ron Hinderman reported that workshops are going to be scheduled for toy making. His committee plans three (3) sessions: (1) Rough cutouts (2) Assembly and sanding and (3) Sanding and Finishing. Dates to be published elsewhere.

Dick Yezek had no report on Workshop Registration because of the current inactivity in this area.

Si Farmer reported that the Publication Committee would not meet again until September. Leila Crandall-Frink is typesetting the August issue of the RIPSAW and all reports should be sent to her. We have started publishing "Friends of the Wisconsin Woodworkers Guild" in the newsletter. Another company has made an offer to the Guild to become a "Friend". John Petrovic will follow up on this.

John Petrovic reported that there will not be a 'John's Junket' for the August issue. The Guild needs printing of envelopes. Si Farmer will follow up on this.
Next Meeting: Monday 7:00 pm, August 7 at WRICO in Memomonee Falls, WI.

EDITORIALLY SPEAKING

Si Farmer

President, John Petrovic, is still recovering from jet lag from his recent extended tour of China. His regular column "John's Junket" will return next month.

Inasmuch as one should not give the readers both an article from the President and an editorial, this month we will just give you the editorial.

Summer time appears to be a time of inactivity in the Guild. There are many Guild sponsored activities other than the monthly meeting. But I can assure you that there is quite a flurry of activity going on behind the scenes.

The Guild woodworking experiences just don't happen. They are the result of careful consideration of the type of experiences that the members want, who is available locally and nationally to present these experiences, and what are the cost and logistics of bringing these individuals before the membership.

Inasmuch as some of the presenters will be asked to present both a program and a workshop, the Workshop and Program Committees must work in concert to bring about a balanced and non-competitive calendar of events.

We don't have enough money in the treasury to hire all of this work out. It is done by volunteers. Not a lot of volunteers, unfortunately, but volunteers nonetheless.

The variety and quality of programs and workshops lined up for the year 2001 is among the best that the Guild has calendarized. I can remember when about 90% of the Board meetings dealt with 'what can we do for the next meeting'. But now, this is done by skilled, dedicated volunteers. And it is done well in advance.

But it is easy to get 'burned out' when one is working with less than a critical mass of volunteers. We have this situation arising over and over again in various facets of Guild life. An individual will agree to head up a committee or function, and ask for volunteers to help him/her get the job done. We do get volunteers to 'sign up', but often when they are called on to participate, they become invisible.

There is an old Italian law that says that 80% of the work is done by 20% of the people. We see that in many areas of our experiences. That's a healthy law! If the Guild had 20% of the membership actively participating, we would have such an excellent Guild that we would have to worry about too many members.

We have about 220 members at the present time. I figure that 20% of this membership would be about 44. We are far short of that if we add up all of the volunteers in all of the various committees.

Ron Hinderman got a survey response that 52 people would participate in toy-making workshops if someone would just set them up. Well, his committee has scheduled a total of seven (7) so far. If you're one of the 52 that indicated a willingness to help make toys, now is the time to make your appearance.

Bob Jahncke, Workshop Director, is trying very hard to develop at least one workshop experience for each month of the year 2001, summer months excluded. He can't, and won't do this by himself. There were about eight (8) individuals who indicated a willingness to assist with the Workshop Committee. Just getting a name for a workshop, or an individual to present a workshop, is not the end. It is just the beginning. There are many details that must be attended to if the workshop is to be a good woodworking experience. The amount of work that each individual must do is significantly reduced if there is a critical mass of individuals sharing in the various tasks. His committee needs each of you now.

This is your Guild. What are you going to do about it?

GUILD SPONSORED WOODWORKING EVENTS

August 2, Wednesday, 6:45 - 9:30 pm.
Event: Guild Membership Meeting.
Topic: Dealing with Wood Movement in Solid Wood Construction.
Location: Washington Park Senior Center

August 5, Saturday
Event: Toy Making Workshop - Trucks
Host: Ron Hinderman
Location: Ron Hinderman's Shop

August 12, Saturday
Event: Toy Making Workshop - Trucks
Host: Ron Hinderman
Location: Ron Hinderman's Shop

September 6, Wednesday, 6:45 - 9:30 pm
Event: Guild Meeting
Topic: Shop Tours via Videos and Still Shots
Presenter: Membership Given
Location: Washington Park Senior Center

September 16, Saturday, 9am - 4 pm
Event: Shadow Box Wall Shelf Workshop
Host: Ken Rasch
Location: Ken's Shop

September 16, Saturday
Event: Toy Making Workshop (cutting and assembly of doll chairs)
Presenter: Larry Peissig
Location: Larry's Shop

September 30, Saturday, 9 am - 5 pm
Event: Hands-on Hand Plane Restoration & Tuning Workshop
Presenter: Walt Hadcock and John Petrovic
Location: TBA

REFLECTIONS

Show 'n Tell

Si Farmer

John Petrovic started out the evening by displaying an item recommended by Walt Hadcock. It turned out to be an inexpensive disposable glue bottle (which usually masquerades as a disposable enema bottle). It was reported that by using this item as a glue bottle, one could get various sizes (child or adult) to fit the job; get glue inside a biscuit slot or reach the bottom of a mortise. One can mix the desired amount of glue and put it into the container so it doesn't spoil. The item doesn't need cleaning and may be discarded when finished.

Beau Lowerr demo'd two items that he fabricated. The first was a leg to support the Biesemeyer table on the table saw. He fabricated it from 1 inch square tubing, angle iron and a hockey puck that he stole from one of his children. The second item was an out-feed roller made from a roller obtained from a fellow Guild member, a scrap barrel and a base disc, which he bought from Farm and Fleet. It was really a very substantial and functional unit. It was adjustable to use with his horizontal metal bandsaw and his table saw.

Ron Classen exhibited two fixtures he had devised. The first was a tapering jig for ripping small stock on the table saw. On could taper in or out without turning the fixture over. It cost him $6 for the clamp and 67 cents for the wood.   The second item was a jig for resawing on the table saw.

Dave Brittain demonstrated a panel saw attachment from Penn State® for cutting sheet goods. The aluminum rail comes in 4 and 9-foot lengths.

Bruce Bogust showed off an ingenious stand-up shaving horse fixture. Like many other woodworkers, his shop is not large enough to accommodate a horizontal one. He clamps it to his workbench, puts the stock in the horse and secured it by stepping down with his foot. This prototype of a future commercial model was constructed in one hour.

Don Berger makes a lot of boxes and likes to spline the mitered corners for structural stability and aesthetic effect. He makes the spline cut on the table saw. His fixture was constructed from a 2X4 and some scrap plywood. After cutting the spline and gluing it in the cut, he trims off the excess and sands it flush with the sides. A comment from the audience said that a similar spline cut could be made with the router.

Kaleb Schindler exhibited a chessboard constructed from 3/8 inch walnut and birch. The squares were glued onto birch plywood. He told the members how it was constructed.

Dave Gillis had two items to share with us. The first was a circle cutting jig for the bandsaw. He used it to make plant support from scrap 3/4 inch Melamine®. His jig was for dedicated diameter circles. The second item was a kitchen chair / ladder. He enlarged a miniature pattern onto 1 inch square paper and transferred the pattern to wood. He made templates for all the curved portions and assemblies. He constructed it from 7/8 maple. After drawing the pattern on the wood, he bandsawed to within 1/16 inch and finished with a trim bit on a router. He said there were no straight lines in the chair / ladder.

Larry Jornt exhibited a vanity mirror. But his pitch of the evening was for microclamps in the construction of small items. He said the most inexpensive microclamp was the 10 cent clothes pin.

Ken Rasch (and helper sons) demo'd a wormy oak frame which he had constructed for a picture of a large semi that he drives. He pointed out the fine points of the construction. His sons, Ryan and Ales, budding woodworkers, showcased some boxes made from pine, walnut and wormy oak.

Larry Peissig capped off the evening's presentation by showing us templates he makes for toy-making. He makes them from soft maple. He cuts the toy stock to within 1/8 inch of the final size and finishes the cut with a router equipped with a sharp trim bit. He emphasized the need for sharp router bits.

TOYS TOYS TOYS

Ron Hinderman

When we asked for volunteers at pre-registration time, we got fifty-two (52) responses that indicated that if toy making workshops were set up, you would participate. Well, Toy Making Workshops are presently being set up. And now is the time for you to indicate in which area(s) you wish to participate. We really need your help in producing toys for these kids.
The three workshops currently planned are as follows:
1. Ron Hinderman will host a workshop in his shop on the Saturdays of August 5 and 12 to make trucks.
2. Larry Peissig will host a workshop on the Saturdays of September 16 and October 14. This workshop will be in cutting and assembling doll chairs.
3. Ron Klaussen will host workshops on the Saturdays of October 7, 14, and 21. This will be a finishing workshop.
Sign up sheets will be available at the August Guild meeting. Directions to get to selected workshops will be given at that time.
So Help Us.... Please ! !
Thank You Kindly.
If you have any questions, please call Ron Hinderman, Toy Chairman at 262/549-9614.

WOODWORING OPPORTNITIES AT WOODCRAFT

August 2000

1 Folk Pen Carving with Greg Young
3 & 10 Paint your Carving with Jerry Mymudes
5 & 19 Garden Planter with Kevin Clarkowski
6 & 13 Portrait of a Lioness - Intarsia with Rich Radtke
7 & 14 Free Standing Quilt Rack with Kevin Clarkowski
8 Basic Hand Tool Sharpening with Kevin Clarkowski
9 Dimensioning Lumber with Rich Radtke
12 Cougar and Cub Scroll Saw with Al Caldiero
12 Sign and Letter Carving with Don Crocker
15 Basic Scroll Saw with Rich Radtke
16 Workshop Trio / Tablesaw, Jointer, Planer with Kevin Clarkowski
17 Basic Pen Turning with Liz Rohde
20 Band Saw Puzzle Box with Kevin Clarkowski
21 & 28 Relief Carving - Fall Scene with Greg Young
22 Basic Bowl Turning with Jerry Veenendaal
23 Maple and Walnut Cutting Board (Domino) with
Kevin Clarkowski
24 Scroll Saw Butterfly with Rich Radtke
26 Leopard on Limb Scroll Saw with Al Caldiero
27 Southwest Scroll Saw Indian Maid with Rich Radtke
29 Marquetry with Pete Kolettis
30 Kitchen Tools (pie server, spatula, saute tool) with Rich Radtke.
31 Basic Pen Turning with Dale Osowski

Note: Woodcraft is located at 1725 South 108th Street, Milwaukee, (414) 607-6164. Call for class sizes, fees and times

August Raffle Column

Happy whittling to Si Farmer and Beau Lowerr. They were the winners of the Gerber multifunction tool last month. The August 2nd raffle item is a pair of 24" vice grip clamps.

Dovetails And Ways To Make Them

Henry Yun

When it comes to drawer joints, nothing can beat a dovetail for strength and beauty. Through dovetails offer the strongest joint, while a half-blind dovetail offers the beauty of a lap joint with the strength of a dovetail. With a half-blind dovetail, the pins of the joint arenít cut completely through the drawer front. This way, the drawer front overlaps the end of the tails, concealing them from view.

On Wednesday, June 7^th, guild members Scott Stanwyck, Jay Hollingsworth and Vern Eilers displayed and discussed a number of different mechanical jigs, which can be used to manufacturer dovetails. While none of the speakers discounted the satisfaction of hand cut dovetails, all agreed that machine cut dovetails were better in a production environment.

Scott discussed and demonstrated a Leigh Dovetail Jig. The Leigh Jig, costing about $400, has the ability to make handmade looking dovetails and pins because of its unique design of moveable guide pins. Scott mentioned that when he first got the jig that it took considerable time to assembly the jig and its parts, but that the manual, which accompanied the jig, was excellent. In addition to provide excellent assembly instructions, the manuals provided excellent use instructions.

The Leigh Dovetail Jig will produce both through and half-blind dovetails, and will accommodate boards up to 24 inches wide. Scott liked the flexibility and ease of use of the Leigh Jig, and often set the guide by eye to get that handmade look.

Jay discussed and demonstrated a Keller Dovetail Jig which costs about $300. The primary difference between the Keller and Leigh jig is that the Keller jig makes only fixed spaced dovetails. Dovetail spacing can only be changed by skipping pins. The Keller jig has separate guides for pins and tails, and come with special bits which are match to a specific set of guides. Jay suggests that the guides and bits be kept together as a unit, as mixing guides and bits can cause damage to the guides.

Jay indicated that the Keller jig was a great production jig and that the jig did not have a width limitation. When the end of the jig was reached, it just needs to be repositioned to continue cutting dovetails.

Vern brought his shop built jig and explained it operation. The jig was basically made from scrap material and took a day to build. Vern obtained the plans for the jig from the April 92, Issue #51 Wood Magazine. The jig held the work at the proper angle and square while it was guide into a band saw. Additionally, the jig had limit stops to stop the cuts.

While researching this article I also discovered another shop built jig in the August 99, Issue #74 of American Woodworker. This simple jig is basically a wedge which holds the stock at the proper angle while the pins and tails are cut on a band saw.

Final note. Well cut dovetails fit tightly and barely need any glue to hold the joint together. Therefore, all speakers recommended the use of hide glue as it has a long working time. Additionally, the speaker recommended having a mallet nearby to tap the joints together as the wood will swell when glue is applied.