May, 2003

Meeting Information: Saturday, May 24th

from 9:00 am to Noon

Surface Decoration

at   Bob Pettit’s

Bob will be teaching chip carving and other techniques.

Remember to bring a chip carving or similar knife if you have one.

The April meeting at Russ Babbitt’s was an outstanding success.  After welcoming two guests, Howard Ford and Joe Jedrychowski, we had a short business meeting highlighting the value of the upcoming Annual AAW Symposium for beginning turners.  The registration fee may seem steep, however the teaching at the many demonstration rotations is excellent.  And having the venue so close to home will save hundreds if not thousands of dollars in travel and lodging expense.   This will allow us to spend more on tools and lumber!

The web site is up and running well.  Check out the new pages on the Resources and Projects pages.  Also, at the request of members, we have included a listing of our loan library contents on the Library page.  The Gallery page will be up shortly with photos of members work.  If you want your work shown contact David Frank to arrange a photo shoot.  If you don’t call he may call you!

The booklet for the Ventura County Fair (July 30- Aug. 10, 2003) should be out shortly with the new woodturning categories.  Their web page is about to be updated with more information.  Start getting your work ready to enter in as many categories as possible.  We need to show them that we are serious about promoting our sport.

Many works were presented at our monthly show-n-tell session, ranging from first efforts to polished gallery quality pieces.  As requested by president Al Geller several people brought examples of the magazine clippings they collect with design ideas from other media such as glass, ceramic, and metal works.  Guest Howard Ford brought several examples of his work.  You can see then in  the Gallery section of the Conejo Valley Woodworkers’ Association.  Howard was one of the founding members and President of CVWA ten years ago.  On his own web site he has instructions for constructing a portable  Photographic Center which could be used at meetings to take photos of show-n-tell pieces.

We began the hands-on-workshop part of the meeting with Warren Brown turning a tumbling log bowl.  More on this at the August meeting when we feature natural edge bowls.  With four lathes running everyone had a chance to try out new techniques and for our beginning turners to get their feet wet.  Dan Halpert provided morning refreshments and Russ Babbitt produced a superb BBQ lunch.  Thanks Russ for hosting the meeting.

One of the pieces that Howard Ford brought was his wall sculpture.  The front of several are on the Gallery link above but don’t show the backside which gives a clue as to how a round platter is cut and reassembled to form the sculpture.  Here is the front and back of one of these.  Thanks, Howard, for letting us show them here.   Howard credits Duane Gemelke’s article “Turning on to Sculpture” which appeared in the Spring 2000 issue of American Woodturner Vol. 15, No. 1 with the idea.  Click on the photos to see enlarged view.

Other photos from the April 26th meeting taken by Ron Lindsay: