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200 and Counting
Note – This post is from our newsletter archives. It was the President’s message by Pat McCart from the November, 2010 issue of Chips & Shavings.
I reached another personal milestone on my bowl turning journey the other day when I signed my 200th bowl. I quickly pondered what I have learned about turning since the numbers on the bottoms of my bowls entered triple digits. I narrowed it down to 5 items that I think will help most new turners avoid some pit falls and have more fun.
- Learn how to sharpen your tools and do it often. If you think your tool “might be” dull it is!
- One high quality tool is better than a set of “ok” tools. My Grandpa use to tell me “a top quality tool is always worth the price and a cheap one never was”.
- Cutting the wood is better than sanding it into submission. Learn how each tool cuts and proper tool positioning to minimize your sanding time.
- Green wood is a hoot to turn! Get some green wood and turn it into shavings on the floor. It helps you learn tool control and sharpening. It is sure to be an eye opening and grin inducing time at your lathe.
- Woodturners are really good people. I have made hundreds of friends from all walks of life and have found them to be some of the most generous people around. Most turners will go out of their way to help you improve your turning skills.
Be safe, have fun and make shavings.
January Demonstrator – Jimmie Allen: Turn Your Own Handles
Jimmie will show us three different ways to turn your own handle so that no matter what stage you are at in your woodturning journey or what tools you prefer to use you will gain knowledge for creating your own tool handles. The demonstration also includes the installation of the new tool insert Jimmie developed that facilitates the removal of tools for ease of sharpening or simply swapping out to a different tool with your new handle.
Jimmie’s nature has always been to do something to the best of his ability. If that means taking the extra time to sand a surface to 1200 or more, then buffing the final surface to a high sheen the result is worth the effort. Whomever enjoys the piece will know it was hand made by a supreme craftsman for their everlasting enjoyment.
December Membership Meeting
It’s that time of year for our annual Holiday party and member appreciation meeting. Here are the details from our President:
Here are all of the details of our annual Christmas Party on December 19th:
If you would like to make a gift donation, please reach out to myself or Pat Mc Cart, our Industry Coordinator.
• Upon arrival, you will receive 2 tickets: 1 for the general prize drawing; 1 ticket for your door prize wood block
(1 per family membership)
• If you helped with set up, clean up, newsletter articles, brought show-and-tell or President’s Challenge you
should have filled out yellow tickets throughout the year.
• Gift Exchange – If you would like to participate, please bring a wrapped gift and collect a ticket (can be a
turned piece, or gift of choice)
• Potluck dinner: Assignments:
* A to I – please bring a dessert to share
* J to P – please bring a main dish to share
* Q to Z – please bring a side dish or salad to share
What’s Happening at Other Chapters
Based on what you see below it looks like there is a lot of partying going on this month at other chapters!
The Northwest Woodturners in Beaverton, Oregon are taking the month of December off for the Holiday.
The Fraser Valley Woodturners Guild are holding their holiday party on December 3rdth at the All Saints Anglican Church in Mission, BC. They will also have a demo or their website and socials.
The Mid-Columbia Woodturners in Pasco, WA are holding their holiday party on December 7th.
The Olympic Peninsula Woodturners are holding their holiday party on December 11th.
The Seattle Woodturners are holding their holiday party on December 12th.
The Willamette Valley Woodturners in Salem, Oregon will be meeting on December 12th. Jimmie Allen will demonstrate making Lidded Boxes.
The Inland Northwest Woodturners are holding their holiday party on December 14th. They will also have a tool swap at the event.
The Southwest Washington Woodturners in Vancouver, WA are taking the month of December off for the Holiday.
The Oregon Coast Woodturners are taking the month of December off for the Holiday.
The Strait Turners in Sequim are taking the month of December off for the Holiday.
The Northwest Washington Woodturners are taking the month of December off for the Holiday.
The Cascade Woodturners in Portland, OR are taking the month of December off for the Holiday.
The Island Woodturning Guild in Victoria, BC are taking the month of December off for the Holiday.
The Greater Vancouver Woodturners Guild in Vancouver, B.C. are taking the month of December off for the Holiday.
November Membership Meeting
This month’s demonstrator is SPSW member Eileen Collins
“Think about how you sign your work. What are you trying to communicate to those who pick up your work? In my demonstration on Laser Pecker – How to Design Your Logo, I will expose you to fundamentals in Graphic Design and Techniques you may not have considered when signing your work.” ~ Eileen Collins
Bring your Logo concepts! Bring your questions!
Eileen Collins is a woodturner from Mountlake Terrace, Snohomish and Edmonds. She is a proud, 4th generation Washingtonian. Eileen has an eclectic formal education that includes costume design, textile art and industrial engineering. In her career at Boeing, she even completed a weeklong course in aircraft painting. She credits her art background for instilling a “think out of the box” approach to problem solving and creativity.
Eileen has been very gracious in support of SPSW as a demonstrator this year. Way back in January, she demonstrated Fiber Reactive Dyes and then provided an encore mini workshop on that topic during our March mini symposium. Back again for our September mini symposium, Eileen demonstrated Inside-Out Turned Ornaments. And once again in November we will be blessed with Eileen’s talents as she will demonstrate Laser Pecker – How to design Your Logo.
October Membership Meeting
How fortunate we are this month! Our October guest demonstrator is one of the most creative and prolific woodturning artists of our time. Trent Bosch is primarily a wood sculptural artist with a body of work stretching back into the late 1990’s. Many of us know him for his bowl hollowing prowess. His line of hollowing tools are considered a gold standard for their ease of use and innovative focus on reducing workload and strain on the turner.
Trent will be demonstrating Hollow Forms – Hollowing for Anyone during our October meeting as a remote demonstration from his home in Colorado. The October meeting will be a hybrid meeting. Which means we will meet at our new normal location in the Allmendinger Center and watch the IRD from that location via Zoom.
