sign in sign up
<<
Home , Steam bending

Shed NotesIssue 297 — January 2013

Issue 297 January 2013

NEXT MEETING: Wednesday 30 January 2013, 1930 - 2130 Venue: The SHED, Lions Youth Haven, Kambah Pool Road, KAMBAH ACT 2902

Furnishing the Future

Our speaker at the January monthly meeting is furniture-maker Niklavs Rubenis, who introduces himself as follows: I was born in Leeton NSW. I’m 31, married, grow veggies, have two cats, chickens, and live in a half-renovated 1920s cottage in Queanbeyan. I did it in reverse — furniture at the ANU School of Art first, trade in cabinet-making second. For the past decade, I have been professionally employed across many aspects of the furniture and design sectors. This has included high-scale manufacture; computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacture (CAD/CAM); commercial ; production and fine furniture-making; shop and museum fitout; exhibition design; project and design management; public art; urban design, and musical instrument-making. I am now in a very fortunate position to be able to combine my own furniture studio practice with teaching. In 2012 I was awarded an Australian National University Scholarship to undertake a PhD, beginning in 2013. My talk will be about learning, skills, thinking, and how furniture can tell a story.

Contents Please note that the opinions expressed in articles in this Newsletter are those of the authors alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, or positions, of Presidential Palaver...... 2~3 the Woodcraft Guild of the ACT as an organization. Editorial Effluvia ...... 3 Coming Events...... 4 Executive Committee of the Guild: SIG Reports...... 4~6 President: Fred Buckley [email protected] Feature Article: ...... 7~8 Vice Pres: Dan Steiner [email protected] A Box in the Making Secretary: Satnam Singh [email protected] Off-Cuts ...... 9~15 Treasurer: David Weisser [email protected]  Timber ...... 9  New Carving SIG Tradition.. 10 Newsletter Editor: Rod Tier [email protected]  SNP Report...... 10~11  Snakes Alive!...... 12 Correspondence: The Secretary, PO Box 1411, WODEN ACT 2606  -making ... 12~15 Website: http://www.woodcraftguild.org.au Ads...... 16 ABN 79 748 587 157

Woodcraft Guild ACT Inc – Newsletter January 2013 Page 2

Presidential Palaver

The New Year is only a few weeks old, and after a relatively quiet few weeks over the Christmas New Year period the Guild has already swung into action. New Equipment The new Powermatic spiral-head , which was delivered before the New Year and which had been resting in its crate while decisions were made as to where it should be located, is now installed and operational. A purpose-made cover to secure and protect it from the elements was made by Mathew Klein, and with the assistance of Dan Steiner, Dave Callan and Mathew’s son, the machine was installed and secured to the front apron. The old machine has been moved temporarily to the back apron while the committee decides what to do with it. Special thanks to Mathew and the guys who helped with the installation on what was a very hot day. Timber A clean-up of the timber recovery area has also been undertaken over the new year period, with Bill Hodgetts and a team of helpers the large sections of logs that had been awaiting processing for some time. The result is that the Guild now has no more available space in the drying shed for any more large logs for the foreseeable future! The and pin- boards sawn in November 2011 are almost dry. Some of the boards were used for the recent Windsor Chair making workshop, but there are still ample supplies. The elm, if sawn into smaller sections, could be used now for projects if anyone is interested. It is a fine timber, very suitable for both furniture and turning. The oak is still at about twenty percent moisture content when measured in November, but given the recent hot dry weather I am confident that many of the pin-oak boards are now suitable for use. Thanks to Bill and those who helped with the sawing of the logs. Insurance The insurance company underwriting the Guild’s public liability cover has advised that, to be eligible for insurance, all Council of Clubs affiliated clubs now must have sound Occupational Health and Safety Policies and procedures in place. With the assistance of material provided by the CWC, the Guild Committee will be putting in place the necessary policy guidelines and procedures to ensure that we continue to have adequate insurance cover for all members. The policy and guidelines will be made available to members once they are in place. Fire Safety As recently advised in an explanatory notice emailed to all members, the Guild’s Fire Safety plan requires that the Shed must be closed on any days of EXTREME fire danger, as declared by the ACT Government. Fire danger warnings can be checked on the ACT Emergency Services Authority’s web site at http://esa.act.gov.au. The declaration of EXTREME fire danger should not be confused with days on which Total Fire Bans are declared. If in any doubt as to whether or not you should go to the Shed, please check the ESA website. Introductory Turning Courses The Guild’s very own “Turnfest” commenced on 18-19 January with the running of an introductory course for woodturners by Dan Steiner, Robin Cromer, Dave Callan, Rod Tier, Peter Bloomfield and myself. The course proved so popular that two additional courses had to be scheduled to cater for the overwhelming response from members seeking training and accreditation in the fundamentals of turning . The first

Woodcraft Guild ACT Inc – Newsletter January 2013 Page 3 course followed much preparatory work by Dan and his team, including the sharpening of ten sets of essential for each student, the cutting of sufficient turning blanks, and the procurement of sufficient lathes and ancillary equipment for ten students. From all accounts, the first course proved to be a great success [despite ending up with eleven students! Ed.] The second and third courses will be conducted over the next few weeks.

Centenary of Canberra

In addition to the Guild’s usual annual calendar of events, there is a likelihood that in this, Canberra’s centenary year, we may be approached to participate in a number of community events associated with the centenary celebrations. The first possibility in this regard an exhibition, called “Glorious Days — Australia 1913”, is planned by the National Museum of Australia for Saturday, 13 April. To coincide with the exhibition, the Museum is planning a 1913 Country Fair in which they hope to replicate elements of an old-style country fair in their Garden of Australian Dreams. They are seeking groups to demonstrate some of the crafts, such as woodwork, that would have been practised in 1913. The fair will also provide an opportunity for sales. Participation in such events will impose some additional effort by the Guild this year, but at the same time they offer us the opportunity to do something a little different and extend our reach. I have indicated to the Museum that the Guild would be interested in participating in this event.

Fred Buckley, President 6288 6586 [email protected]

Editorial Effluvia

My apologies to the small band of dedicated readers who may have noticed that this edition of Shed Notes is running somewhat later than usual — I won’t bore you with a litany of excuses, suffice to say that a combination of two Introduction to courses in short order, plus the introduction of new publishing software, made a mockery of the normal publishing schedule. Apropos that new publishing software — I’m still learning to use it, so some strange aberrations (more than usual, that is) may appear from time to time, until I get a grip on it. I want to record my appreciation of the great help given me in this regard by Guild Elder Robin Cromer, who set up the front page for me using graphics designed by his daughter, in a style which complements our revamped website. I am pleased to report that I have had an encouraging response to pleas for contributions to the Newsletter, so much so that I may not have enough room to fit them all in this issue. So please don’t be miffed if your efforts don’t appear in the following pages — the February issue is almost upon us! Editor

All our Own Work — Graduates of the first Introduction to Woodturning Course for 2013 proudly display their handiwork

Woodcraft Guild ACT Inc – Newsletter January 2013 Page 4 COMING EVENTS Internal

Next Monthly Guild Meeting: Wednesday, 27 February 2013, 1930, at the Shed. Presentation: TBA.

External

Next Triton Club Meeting: Wednesday, 07 February 2013 – (For further information, contact Burn Alting on 6281 0432, or visit the club’s website http://www.tocact.org.au)

Royal (?) Canberra Show: 22 ~ 24 February 2013 at EPIC – Another opportunity for Guild members to display their skills and wares (NB: Entries – forms and payment – close 16 December 2012.) Anyone who would like to help out with the running of the Guild’s involvement, please get in touch with Dan Steiner on 0415 133 606, or at [email protected].

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP (SIG) REPORTS (SIG Coordinators: please note the deadline for newsletter input: 2nd Friday of each month.)

Pyrography SIG: Happy New Year! Hope the holidays were a well-deserved break, and everyone got to put their feet up for a little while. Unfortunately, I lost my dog to a sudden heart attack on Bungendore’s catastrophic fire day, but I will continue to take the pyrograph of her that some of you may have seen to demonstrating events. We have had a busy beginning to 2013, with the January SIG already held and exciting new projects on the way. Hopefully, the Newsletter will get out just before the Australia Day weekend so people can be aware of the Bungendore Show on Sunday the 27th of January and may decide to come and have a look at a great regional event. [Sorry, Vivien — I didn’t make the deadline in time for the Show, but I will still include some of your comments for interest. Ed] It is a great little show and worth putting entries in to advertise the local woodworking talent. Keep in mind, though, there isn’t much room for large furniture pieces! There will also be a dog high jump at the show which I have spent the last few weeks building which will hopefully withstand years of use, as well as a flat-chat dog race, pet parade, star picket competition, tug of war, and lots, lots more. The next Pyrography SIG will be on 10 February, and I look forward to seeing you all there. Vivien Laycock 0438 877 711 [email protected]

Carving SIG: The December meeting was attended by 14 members. Paul kicked off his series on sharpening with a comprehensive look at the varieties of natural and artificial stones. He gave a list of the basic requirements for a sharpening bench. This, together with subsequent topics, will be included in due course on our web page. John gave a short survey of microplanes that perform like the better known , but with a smoother finish. The donation of many carving magazines from Roy Carrodus’ estate was much appreciated. They will be held on the Carvers’ shelf in the Turners’ shed.

Woodcraft Guild ACT Inc – Newsletter January 2013 Page 5 At the 19 January meeting, Paul demonstrated the steps in sharpening particular tools, starting with the simplest, the ’s or carving . John continued the ‘How to remove wood without really trying’ presentation, by reviewing those mighty weapons, the draw knife and the .

John Armstrong 0413 021 669 [email protected]

[As a member of the team conducting the Introduction to Woodturning course on 18~19 January, I would like to express our appreciation to John and his Carving SIG colleagues for their forbearance, cooperation, and good humour while sharing the Shed with a bunch of noisy, dusty woodturners — but, as I have observed to John before, we are after all kindred spirits, since woodturning is the higher art of carving wood in motion … Ed]

Furniture SIG: The January meeting was cancelled because of Shed closure resulting from the extreme fire danger on the day. The next meeting will be on 09 February, starting at 1pm. The back to basics group will begin work on their table project.

Mathew Klein 6231 0475

Scrollsaw & SIG: The Scrollsaw SIG had a great year in 2012 - our regular attendance numbered a baker's dozen or so (as I didn't actually record the number of participants, the cook tells me that it was a dozen or so scones, cakes, biscuits that were provided for afternoon tea! Empty plates came home). The group were intrigued and inveigled by flattery into making elephant and piggy money boxes - the elephants were also - puzzles, as they came apart, and the compilation exercise was specific in that the front and back legs were ever so slightly of different dimensions, and so not interchangeable. We were all mesmerized by the wooden mechanical marvel "Galileo's Bicycle" constructed by David McEwan; and the working wooden clock from the workshop of Hugh Milloy. Well done to both. The SIG had two sessions on marquetry, ably instructed by Marquetry Master Don Rowland, with great results (and so effective, that my first attempt won the champion prize in the Yass Show – not at all reticent, am I?!) The SIG, as representatives of the Woodcraft Guild, demonstrated at a number of events at EPIC. During 2012, the SIG also made its presence felt on a fortnightly basis at the PATCH A PUZZLE group at St John's Reid, where volunteers repair and replace missing pieces of puzzles from various kindergartens and child care establishments. This is an ongoing community service by the SIG. The SIG was not enthusiastic about making chess sets, so further thought will be given to this at our planning meeting. That the woodcarvers are contemplating a similar project might spur us on! At least we have marquetry on our side for making the chess boards – or maybe even the chessmen. For their January meeting, the SIG met socially at the Coordinator’s home for a program planning session for the coming year. An effort was made to have a program that explored the full potential of the use of the scrollsaw. As the SIG encompasses the Scrollsaw and Marquetry, we plan to have a full-day Marquetry Workshop in June, open to all interested Guild Members. We will also explore the metal-cutting ability of the scrollsaw, and metal . Other areas planned include: decorative chess pieces; more wooden mechanical gear-trains; and reactive devices. It was good to have Owen Stewart, Toy SIG co-ordinator with us at the January meeting. Closer co- operation is planned between these two SIGs, which have a number of members in common. A team effort is also planned towards a comprehensive and interactive display of scrollsaw and marquetry for the TWWWS / Annual Exhibition.

David French 0428 121 934

Woodcraft Guild ACT Inc – Newsletter January 2013 Page 6 Toy SIG: The first meeting of the Toy SIG for 2013 will be held at the Shed on Sunday, 03 February, from 1.30pm to 4.30pm. We will be discussing our toy-making agenda for the year ahead, so if you have any ideas for toys that would be suitable for our charity donation program, please bring your suggestions to the meeting for discussion. It is essential that we start immediately building up our stocks of toys for the charity collection and, as proved successful during 2012, members are asked to bring along to each meeting one small completed toy for the collection. New members interested in learning how to make toys and contributing to the charity toy program are especially welcome, as are members of other SIGs who would like to help out.

Owen Stewart [email protected]

Mandrel & Miniature (Pen) SIG: Hi, everyone! I’m still working on the 2013 program (very slack, I know), but just wanted you to know that our first session for the year will be on 02 February. with the practical session starting at 10 am. The demonstration at 1pm. will be by Jim Venis, showing us how to make a pepper mill. I look forward to seeing you all there. Gai Simpson 6231 6246 @woodcraftguild.org.au

Attention All SIGs! Carving SIG Joint Venture In the past, the Carving SIG has taken on joint projects for display at the TWWWS / Annual Exhibition, or the Folk Festival. This year we are looking at designs for chessmen. Besides being economical with wood, this is of interest in design terms, because at one end of the spectrum the pieces should be the simplest possible form, so they are easy and economical to make. The best example here is the Staunton design shown below at left, which is almost certainly the one you expect to see in a modern set. At the other extreme, you get individually carved pieces, which are therefore expensive and perhaps seen as “collector’s” sets, rather than for everyday use. The Lewis chessmen, shown below at right, might be seen in this context.

The Carving SIG are in the middle ground, looking for new patterns that, with the equipment at hand, are relatively easy to produce and which present new ideas reflecting our current culture. Other Guild members who would like to be involved are invited to join us. John Armstrong 0413 021 669 [email protected]

[I think the above is termed “throwing down the gauntlet” – so how will you respond, woodturners? It seems to me that, looking at the Staunton design at least, there is an opportunity for turners to produce the basic forms in appropriate wood, so that the carvers have a base on which they can exercise their creative magic …Ed]

Woodcraft Guild ACT Inc – Newsletter January 2013 Page 7

Feature Article

A BOX IN THE MAKING: FOUR GENERATIONS AND TWENTY-FOUR YEARS!

A Brief History:  Brown Trout inlay done by Neil Cromer at a Woodcraft Guild course in April 1987.  Silky oak tree growing in the Eltham yard of Brett Cromer (Neil’s grandson) cut down in May 2010. Some billets taken to Canberra and cut into boards by Robin Cromer (Neil’s son).  Timber thicknessed and cut to size in 2011.  Ben (Neil’s great-grandson) and Robin construct a box using the inlay done by Neil and the timber from the silky oak (December 2011).

When my granddaughter Isabelle was about to turn three in 2010, I decided to make her a box to hold her trinkets. When we had lived in Gippsland in the 1970s, a pulpwood cutter (the father of a friend of my daughter Lisa) had given me a remarkable billet of timber from a silver-top ash (Eucalyptus siberiana). It was a highly-figured piece of timber, and he decided that the pulp mill did not need it! I thought that would be ideal for the box itself, and decided to make a marquetry picture of Isabelle for the lid. That project was successful, and Isabelle even recognised herself when she opened her present. A year or so later, my grandson Ben, who was seven at the time, decided he would also like a box, but he wanted to be involved in making it. The family was coming to Canberra for the Christmas holidays in 2011, so that provided a good opportunity, but quite a limited amount of time. The only way to achieve a result in a day of work would be to make full use of power equipment and jigs. My father Neil and I had both joined the Woodcraft Guild at the time it was formed in 1986 (it had previously been part of the Crafts Council ACT). He attended a one-day inlay workshop organised by the Guild at the Canberra School of Art in April 1987. The presenter was Bernard Gray. Neil wrote a brief review of the workshop which was published in the Guild Newsletter (Volume 2, Number 8, April 1987 – P4). In this article, he alluded to the designs created by the participants, which varied from a lute to a brown trout. Dad was a keen fisherman, and I know his design was the trout as I came into possession of the piece when my parents moved to a retirement home. I decided that his great-grandfather’s brown trout, on a base of kalantas (Toona calantas, Cedrella calantas) had to form the lid of Ben’s box. (Sadly, Neil and Ben did not get to meet, as Neil died at age 94, a few months before Ben was born.) The kalantas base was actually some 20 mm thick, so I was able to split the board and use it as both lid and base. In May 2010, Brett and Lesley had a Silky oak (Grevillea robusta) tree cut from their yard in Eltham, Victoria. Naturally, I could not let this go to waste, so I carted several billets back to Canberra and cut boards from some of them. By the time the box project was being planned, the timber had dried sufficiently to use.

Woodcraft Guild ACT Inc – Newsletter January 2013 Page 8 For simplicity, the box was designed with mitred corners and rebates routed for the lid and base. The lid was subsequently separated using the .

Cutting mitred corners on Pa’s table saw (Above) Using a hand to finish the mitre splines (Right)

I had prepared and thicknessed the timber, but Ben was able to assist in cutting the mitres on the table saw, gluing up the box, cutting off the lid and making mitred inserts to hold the lid in place. He also sanded the box through several grades of , and applied an oil finish. Ben now owns a box that he helped to make with his grandfather. It incorporates a lid with an inlaid design, made by his great- grandfather 24 years before the box itself was made, and the timber for the body of the box was cut from a silky-oak tree that had grown in the front yard of his parent’s home. I am sure he will treasure it.

Robin Cromer

Pa, Ben and Isabelle with the completed box.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * MASTERS of CRAFT “Masters of Craft”, an exhibition at the Bungendore Woodworks Gallery, presents the work of three excep- tional woodworkers considered to be among the best in the world and at the peak of their creative careers: Geoff Hannah, Tony Kenway and Scott Mitchell. Between them they share nearly a century of woodwork- ing involvement, development and practice. The exhibition, which opened on 26 January, continues until 30 April, and marks the Gallery’s 30th year. For more information, see the Gallery website at http://www.bwoodworks.com.au

Woodcraft Guild ACT Inc – Newsletter January 2013 Page 9 OFF-CUTS Miscellaneous Items of Interest

TIMBER!

A selection of timber will be on display for sale at the monthly meeting on Wednesday, 30 January. There will not be room to display all timber stocks, so the following list provides an indication of what is currently available (measurements are in mm). Box-making or Small Furniture Projects (mostly in relatively short lengths):

 Liquidambar (Liquidambar styraciflua):- 12 x 85, 20 x 75, 20 x 85, 20 x 90, 20 x 110 and 20 x 120 (some with spalting)  Kauri (Agathis sp.):- 10 x 80 and 17 x 240  Hoop Pine (Araucaria cunninghamii):- 9 x 75, 17 x 85 and 18 x 75  Claret Ash (Fraxinus oxycarpa):- 11 x 160, 20 x 100 to 150, 11 x 190, 14 x 190 and 26 x 180 (some with spalting)  Brush Box (Tristania conferta):- 15 x 70 (approx.)  Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon):- 15 x 70 (approx.)  Walnut (Juglands regia):- One board 30 x 200 x 2.0m Tasmanian Myrtle (Nothofagus cunninghamii) and Meranti ( sp.) are also available. Turning Blanks (face plate, diameter):

 Claret Ash (Fraxinus oxycarpa):- Platters 380 and 400 (spalted)  English Elm (Ulmus procera):- 170  Liquidambar (Liquidambar styraciflua):- 180, 230  River Oak (Casuarina cunninghamiana):- 170  Silky Oak (Grevillea robusta):- 300  London Plane (Platanus x acerifolia):- 180, 200

Blanks also available in Red Cedar (Toona ciliata) and Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia).

Spindle Turning Blanks:

 English Elm (Ulmus procera)  Red Cedar (Toona ciliata)  Silky Oak (Grevillea robusta)  Oak (Quercus sp.)  Rose (Dysoxylum fraseranum)  Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia) and others.

Check with Robin Cromer at the meeting, or via email, for any other timber requirements.

Robin Cromer [email protected]

Woodcraft Guild ACT Inc – Newsletter January 2013 Page 10 A NEW CARVING SIG TRADITION?

Visual conventions have developed which identify certain trades and professions — the Shepherd is identified by holding a crook; the Woodsman carries an ; and the Woodcarver is shown grasping a gouge, about to hit it with a .

It is usually an essential of the trade that is depicted, and for the apprentice woodcarver the mallet would have been an early addition to the tool box. Carvers' are generally found in two designs. The one shown at left below is the standard, large commercial product (Marples). It is commonly made of and, when produced in quantity, is made in two pieces to economise on wood. The designs shown in the centre — one in Claret Ash by Richard Raffan, the other in Walnut by Paul Wayper — have a barrel shape and can be of any size, but are frequently made in the smaller sizes, so that they can be used, as shown at right below, for light work.

With the approval of the President, and the cooperation of Guild members, I have instituted a tradition where members of the Carving SIG receive a small carving mallet as a working token of their SIG membership. The only problem is the limited supply of suitable mallets! These mallets could be made as an exercise by novice turners, or there could be a “two for one” system whereby the Guild supplies the timber and the turner makes two mallets, donating one (or more) to the Carving SIG.

There has been some activity in this regard already, and the photo at right shows 5 (of 6) mallets, donated by Robin Cromer, Peter Bloomfield and Paul Wayper. They were much appreciated, and were duly presented to the following SIG members at the monthly meeting on January 19: Bob Hall, Peter Denahy, David Irons, Ian Fitzpatrick, Terry Hemmings and Allan Dawson.

If you would like to be part of this scheme please contact Robin Cromer or Rod Tier, who have an example of the approximate size required. Please identify your donation so that the SIG and, in particular, the member who receives it can thank you directly.

John Armstrong 0413 021 669 [email protected]

Schools Special Needs Program Report for 2012

The objective of the Guilds Schools Special Needs Program (SNP) is to teach woodworking skills to students who may have mild to severe intellectual disabilities, or come from troubled families. The main participants this year have been students from Stromlo High School — some 6-7 students along with a school carer — who have attended the Shed, in morning and afternoon sessions, on Thursdays during school terms. In term 4, 2012, the Guild invited Wanniassa High’s special teaching program to also join the SNP.

Woodcraft Guild ACT Inc – Newsletter January 2013 Page 11 The offer was accepted, and already feedback from Wanniassa indicates a very high satisfaction level because of the Guild’s hands-on approach. Consequently, in 2013 the program will focus on students with intellectual disabilities from Stromlo in the morning, and students from troubled homes from Wanniassa in the afternoon. While this will be a demanding program, we strongly feel the effort will be well rewarded, with students learning woodworking skills from skilled Guild mentors, working and communicating in a safe and interesting workplace. Guild mentors Mike Cammel, John McKenna and coordinator Phil Colman run the SNP. We welcome David Dunnet who joined the team during term 4 last year. Shed Boss Terry O’Loughlin keeps a thoughtful eye on procedures and safe working Instruction is, as far as possible, on a one-to-one basis, with assistance from other Guild members who are present and contribute their specialized skills as required. Some of the more intricate work is achieved with very close help and supervision from the mentor. The objective is for the student to take ownership of the project, so that upon completion there is one very happy student, like Kevin shown at right. Kevin has been a dedicated student; exceptionally keen to complete projects and not afraid to contribute his own ideas. He has progressed from initial bird feeder/ cutting board projects to making up to two projects at any one time, with the final highlight being the completion of the coffee table shown in the photo. Lindsay completed a full size Excalibur sword, and recently showed a keen aptitude for bowl-turning [In fact, we were delighted to have Lindsay as a participant in our second Introduction to Woodturning course for 2013, from 27~28 January, and he produced a very creditable bowl. Ed] A lathe is definitely on his priority list. In recent times, he has also been refurbishing his grandfather’s hand tools, all carefully stored in a World War I wooden hand-grenade box. Eiblis’ numerous achievements include a birdfeeder, dolls’ house, large cat-scratching house (assisted by Mike) and ending term 4 with a small jewellery box (assisted by John). Eiblis presented John with a trophy she made from varying shapes of wood off-cuts — a very kind thought. Her Mum was so pleased, we were treated to freshly baked cakes on Thursdays! Brittany has similarly progressed well in the SNP program, evidenced by the desire to complete a large number of projects, including a chook roost. We understand the chooks are still inspecting. Brittany quickly mastered the art of making bird feeders, and took home the largest cutting board made to date. (Mike indicated the Guild kitchen does not have a board, so this will be promptly rectified in 2013.) We believe the work undertaken by students at the Guild has had major and positive impacts, and we hope our small efforts will go towards assisting students in determining future job prospects/careers. Our first- hand experience, and feedback from teachers and parents, tells us we are on the right track. In the 2013 school year, we will welcome new students from Wanniassa and Stromlo. It is a continual learning curve determining the best approach — so far, small and interesting new projects that can be completed in 1 – 4 weeks are the most popular with students, who like to see an early result. We believe the Guild’s Student Special Needs Program is now well established and regarded, and can only grow and develop from now on. Phil Colman Student Special Needs Program Coordinator

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Woodcraft Guild ACT Inc – Newsletter January 2013 Page 12 SNAKES ALIVE! Vice-President Dan Steiner recently received an email from the Westwood Farm Lions Youth Haven Administrative Executive Officer, Wieslaw Lichacz, with the following cheerful news: “Dan and Woodcraft Guilders I observed a 1.2m common brown snake sunning itself on the concrete outside the northern corner of the nearest storage shed to the workshop outdoor sink [the “Cow Shed” Ed]. There is a possibility it was a copperhead, with the main distinguishing feature being the copperhead only has a single anal scale, whereas the common brown has 2 scales, but I did not have a chance to tickle its belly to count them! It lunged at me as I passed after getting your water reading today, and moved very quickly through the northern corner of the shed, back into the shed, possibly just behind the tin where it would be quite warm in the sun. The main food for both species is frogs, tadpoles mice and small rabbits. We do not have many tadpoles and frogs near your facility with the current dry, and expect there may be some mice, rats or other food that have attracted the snake from the fields into the storage shed, or perhaps it is just a good sunbaking area, even without the banana lounges. Be warned when entering that shed, or the other buildings, in case it does not move back into the paddocks for hunting purposes before your next use of the facility.” Subsequently, during the Saturday Turning SIG on 26 January, Wieslaw dropped in to show us exactly where he had seen the snake enter our project storage shed. We have since marked the spot with a sign indicating “Snake Hole ►”, and have put on notice a new Guild member, Wayne Alford, who was at the SIG and revealed he was a Herpetologist! If we can determine that the snake is still in residence in the “Cow Shed”, we will ask Wayne to do his thing. Dan Steiner & Rod Tier

WINDSOR CHAIR-MAKING RETREAT KIOLOA, 2~7 December 2012

In September last year, I had a discussion with Ashley Eriksmoen, head of the ANU’s Furniture/Wood Workshop, following a student visit to the ANU’s campus at Kioloa on the NSW South Coast. This led to a suggestion that the Guild and the ANU might like to collaborate in conducting a course, to take advantage of the unique opportunities for working in an idyllic bush setting on furniture-making projects involving the use of green timbers. Kioloa is situated on a large property, overlooking the ocean, which was originally the site of a . The property was bequeathed to the ANU in the mid-1970s. A suitable project seemed to be the making of Windsor chairs, the idea being that much of the green timber for the project could be harvested on the property, and used in the making of the chairs.

The course was advertised through the ANU network, and through the Guild’s Newsletter and Website, with the objective of making a double-bow Windsor chair, with Neil Wilson, Ian Guthridge from the ANU and myself as the instructors. Accommodation on the site is provided in small self-contained cottages, with shared rooms, bathroom and kitchen facilities. A great deal of interest was expressed by many members in doing the course, but in view of the timing coming up towards Christmas, many of those who expressed an interest were unable for various reasons to attend. In the early stages, it seemed that we would not have enough members to conduct the course. However, in the end, we had seven starters, six from the Guild and one from the ANU.

Woodcraft Guild ACT Inc – Newsletter January 2013 Page 13 The initial idea of using greenwood components was set aside in favour of using the stocks of Elm and Pin Oak obtained by the Guild from the Governor General’s Residence in Yarralumla, following storms in 2011. Sufficient material from the Elm and Pin Oak, plus some of the remaining Walnut from Queanbeyan and some Blackwood, was machined to provide all the components necessary for the course. The choice of timber was dictated in part by the need for both the arm and back bows for the chairs to be steam-bent. Early trials of the formers and straps for bending the bows were disappointing, highlighting several problems which needed to be sorted out before the commencement of the course. Our expectations were that, following the Guild’s Steam-bending Workshop in November, course participants would be able to bend their bows prior to the course. Those expectations were dashed when we failed to produce one successful bend! Clearly a rethink was necessary, or we would have been in serious difficulty. Disappointingly, the attempts to bend the Blackwood failed on every occasion. The literature I consulted suggests Blackwood is a good species to bend, but each time we tried we had a catastrophic failure. I suspect there were a combination of factors that caused this, but chiefly I think that the timber had been kiln-dried and that the moisture content was much lower than the suggested ideal of around twenty percent. Subsequently, Neil and I spent a couple of days in his workshop in Bargo to sort out the various problems. Using a basic steam chamber, that is, a length of downpipe with a hole cut in it, placed over a large electric urn and plugged at one end; adjustable bending straps; and, most importantly, new stock (selected on the basis of it being straight grained and free of defects and machined all round to the correct dimensions) we were successful. We achieved above 90 percent success rate on all the bends we made over a period of two days. With a great sense of relief, therefore, we were able to provide a number of completed arm and back bows for students prior to the course commencing, thus relieving the pressure on the time to get the chairs done. In the event, both the Elm and Pin Oak, both of which had been air-dried and which were showing a moisture content of twelve and twenty per cent respectively, proved to be ideal for steam bending. All the pieces we bent were free from defects, such as compression or tension failure, and we found, particularly with the Pin Oak, that it bent freely, even in cases where there were some knots and other minor defects. I discovered the key to success with steam bending is to ensure that everything is given the closest attention, from the selection of the timber, through the preparation, correct steaming, design of the formers and the bending straps, to a thorough understanding of the techniques for controlling the bend and clamping. The plasticity achieved through steaming is truly astounding. Provided that each of the elements of the process are followed correctly, the bending itself can be achieved with a high degree of success and with a calmness that I did not think could be achieved, following our first frantic efforts. I found with steam bending that good planning and teamwork are the keys to success.

With this problem sorted out, our remaining challenge, after spending a couple of days machining all the timber, was sorting out the equipment requirements. One of the drawbacks of conducting courses at Kioloa is that it does not have a workshop, nor equipment. This meant that we had to transport the steam bending gear and all the machinery, including two lathes, grinder, and other equipment (benches and tools) from Canberra to Kioloa. On reaching Kioloa on the Sunday evening, these were all set up in a shed containing the fire-fighting plant and equipment used to supply and pump water to the various buildings. In the event of wet weather, we would have had insufficient space inside the shed, but fortunately the weather remained fine for the whole week, and much of the work, as it would have been done by the “bodgers” of old, was conducted in the open air.

Woodcraft Guild ACT Inc – Newsletter January 2013 Page 14 The Barbecue dinner on the Sunday evening after setting up the workspace was our first chance to unwind and relax over a few drinks, before starting work on the Monday morning. A well equipped kitchen, and a dining area, are provided in a separate building (Walker’s) close to the accommodation huts.

With everyone relaxed and keen to get started, breakfast was over quickly, and everyone arrived early at the shed. We commenced with steam bending of the remaining arm and back bows, using the steam- bending equipment provided by the ANU and straps from CIT. As expected, the steam bending proceeded smoothly, if somewhat slowly, and from there each of the participants proceeded with the making of the various components. Many opted to commence with the spindles for the backs. These were mostly done by hand, employing various hand tools from to block-planes. Others commenced with gluing up the components for the chair bottoms, while some began turning, or shaping, of the legs and stretchers. And so it continued for the remainder of the week. The days were long, typically with no one leaving the shed before 6 pm, and by mid-week the pressure was beginning to show, with the long days and late nights beginning to take their toll on our weary bodies. The self-catering for meals proved a challenge, and an opportunity for those inclined to display their culinary skills. There were some surprises in this area, with a number of the guys emerging to demonstrate their talents in producing for us each night a delightful range of meals, with both main and dessert courses, all washed down with some fine wines. It helped in this regard that Neil and Mary Jean, both of whom have connections to winemakers, provided samples of their products to augment those selections provided by the rest of us. With everyone pitching in to help with the preparation of meals and the cleaning up afterwards, the evening meals became the social highlight of each day, and contributed substantially to everyone’s enjoyment. Kioloa has its own beach on the property, which is just a short ten-minute walk from the accommodation areas, with Pretty Beach also close by. There are commanding views of the ocean and the surrounding property, much of which is still dense coastal forest interspersed by the cleared areas in and around the campus buildings, which, surrounded by grass, are a popular grazing spots for countless grey kangaroos seen each morning and evening.

Scenes of frantic creativity, Kioloa

Woodcraft Guild ACT Inc – Newsletter January 2013 Page 15 For the course participants, however, the chief focus was on making the Windsor Chairs. This turned out to be an ambitious undertaking; one which was both physically and mentally demanding on us all. The long days were challenging, and at times we all felt a little tense and anxious that we might not fulfil our objectives. It would have been nice to have more time to enjoy the amenities provided by Kioloa and its unique location, and that is something that might be considered if we were to conduct a similar exercise in future. The chief objective, however, was for each student to complete a Windsor Chair. We did not quite get there, but we did manage to get very close, and that in itself, in retrospect, was a significant achievement. Each participant did complete all the components and assembled a chair by the time the course ended on the Friday afternoon. In the process everyone learnt a lot (about ourselves, in my case) and acquired new skills.

As challenging and rewarding as it was, the logistical problems associated with organising and conducting a retreat of this nature raise questions as to whether or not we would do it again. We gained some valuable insights about how to conduct future ventures of this nature more efficiently. I would be prepared to do it again, and with better planning and foresight, the experience would be more enjoyable for everyone — perhaps if we just did it every other year?

Fred Buckley

Course Participants: Terry O’Loughlin, Brian Treanor, Ray Halpin, Henning Juhl, Mary Jean Vickers, John Roddy and Stephen Hancock. Instructors: Neil Wilson, Ian Guthridge (ANU), Fred Buckley * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Splinters of History (Picked out of history by a Guild member who wishes to remain anonymous)

Alfonso, Duke of Ferrara, was the second husband of the legendary Lucrezia Borgia, and thus could be forgiven for his propensity to “retire frequently to the private chamber he had built, more as a workshop, where he would spend his leisure hours working on his lathe with pleasure and delight to produce flutes, tables and chess pieces, little boxes and similar things.” (Giovio: ‘La vita di Alfonso da Este Duca di Ferrara’, p18.)

Woodcraft Guild ACT Inc – Newsletter January 2013 Page 16 ADVERTISEMENTS

NB: 10% discount to Guild members on Howard products

GUILD MEMBERSHIP Please see the Guild website at http://www.woodcraftguild.org.au/?page_id=22 for detailed information about Guild membership, or contact the Membership Secretary, Mike Nash, on 0400 625 0040, or by email at [email protected] .

ABOUT THE NEWSLETTER Members’ Articles: Articles from members are very welcome, providing copyright rules are followed and sources acknowledged. Preferred format is in Times New Roman 12pt font, in an MS Word document, attached to an email. Articles will be published when space is available, and entirely at the discretion of the Editor, who may make editorial changes where necessary (especially if you can’t spell). NB: If you are illustrating your article with images, please send them separately as JPEG files, so they can be adjusted to fit. Deadline: 2nd Friday of the month (except December, when no issue is published). Member’s Free Advertisements: One free advertisement of 3 lines per edition. Other Advertising: Queries regarding rates should be addressed to the Treasurer. Payment is by donation to the Woodcraft Guild ACT Inc, PO Box 1411, WODEN ACT 2606. Editor