Capital Area Woodturners CAW and Social Distancing President’S Message
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www.capwoodturners.org May 2020 Capital Area Woodturners CAW and Social Distancing President’s Message While we can’t meet and our interactions are I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy during limited, I have been amazed by the way our CAW this difficult time. We have had to cancel several of our members are supporting each other. Not a day goes monthly meetings and cancel some outstanding demonstra- by when I don’t receive humorous messages and in- tors. Until Fairfax County School’s announces when schools formation about what people are doing as they are will reopen, we will be unable to meet as a group. In the quarantined. We would like our Newsletter to be a meantime, the CAW Board is looking at innovative ways to point of inspiration for our members during this trying bring you remote demonstrations. The goal is for you to en- time. joy these opportunities in the safety of your own home. In In this issue we are looking forward to our Fall the meantime, please use the AAW on-line resources for in- program. Unless the Fairfax County Schools are com- structional and creative ideas. If you are not a member of AAW you can get a free 60-day trial membership that will give pletely closed we plan to go forward with our pro- you access to their vast library of videos and articles. gram. We’ll have local demonstrator Scott Schlosser, Our annual Tips and Tricks meeting, and a visit from Congratulations to Steve Schwartz on winning the Carol Hall a wonderful turner and colorist from Penn- CAW turned Egg competition for April. His entry of a dinosaur sylvania. We are hoping to cap our year off with a egg was well executed and very creative. Also, a big thank Holiday get together. So, that’s what we have looking you to everyone else who participated in this competition. It forward. was a great way for us to stay in touch and to keep on turning. In the meantime, people are busy making Stay tuned for details of next month’s contest. things. Our Instant Gallery has been transformed into a “Quarantine Showcase”. Take a look at what people Please be careful if you have to venture out. I am looking forward to seeing everyone at our next meeting. Use are doing in confinement. We are also trying to pro- this confinement time to turn those pieces you were always vide you with some challenges. In May we’ll continue going to “get-around-to” or that ugly job of cleaning the shop. our CAW Challenge. Our theme is flowers. So, turn a flower or flowers, or turn an item and embellish it with flowers– carve, burn, paint. It is all appropriate. Anyone who enters will be entered into a random drawing for a prize. So you don’t have to be the win- ner to be a winner. Submit your pieces. If you really want a challenge, try Gary Guen- ther’s multi-axis piece. We have pictures and instruc- tions for the intrepid and those who want to try to do something a little out of the ordinary to test their skills. We will be happy to see what you make and Steve Schwartz’s Winning Entry how it inspired you. Dinosaur Egg In this issue: Updated 2020 calendar 5 Presidents Message 1 Video of the month 6 Monthly Meeting 1 Updated 2020 Program– SEW, 3 Virginia Symposium 8 Meetings, and Workshop dates Trees We Turn– Wenge an Iroko 9 From the Program Director 4 Show and tell gallery 13 [ Page 1 ] www.capwoodturners.org May 2020 To register for professional workshops contact Tom Huber at [email protected] FREE WOOD To register for a workshop a $50 Several large Chinese Chestnut trees have reservation fee is required with the balance due been taken down and the owners would like to see 30 days prior to the workshop. the wood used for something besides firewood. A number of CAW members have taken advantage of To reserve a place in SEW- Mentoring contact Bob Pezold at [email protected] this rare opportunity but there is still a lot of wood and sizes to choose from. The wood can be reduced There is a $20 shop fee for SEW- to smaller pieces on site if preferred. However, it Mentoring. This fee entitles you to use a broad range of CAW owned tools and equipment and has to be manually carried from the back yard to the helps pay for equipment maintenance. curb, It is a pretty wood and easy to turn. The wood is located close to Lake Braddock High School in Fair- There is a $15 charge for attendance at fax County. If anyone is interested contact Janet CAW meetings that feature professional demonstrators. Hutchinson at 703 -386-9619 before June 1. Be sure to look at Page 7 to learn about CAW’s plans CAW Monthly Meetings for video demonstrations for the near future. Our CAW’s monthly meeting is held the second first Zoom demonstration will be held by Rudy Saturday of each month (except June and Lopez on May 14. Check out Ben Johnson’s descrip- December). The doors open about 8:30 with a tion on how to participate. coffee and donut social session. Our meeting begins at 8:30 with a short show and tell, followed by a quick business meeting. Demonstrations Happy and Safe Turning- begin at 9:30. During a full day demonstration, the program continues until about 2:30 with a 30 Joe Zadareky minute lunch break. A short meeting normally wraps up by 1:00. All meetings are held at the Wood Humor Bryant School on Popkins Lane in Alexandria. Entrance is around the back across from the large parking lot. Check the CAW website for directions. Library News--Books They Still Exist! Did you know that CAW has a collection of over 30 reference books on woodturning and related topics? Need a book on shape and design--there are several. Check out CAW's collection of woodturning books on the website (all titles are linked to Amazon for background information) or check them out in person at the next Club meeting. Be sure to take advantage of this great educational resource! We are working to get a list of our books so we can put it on the CAW website. All CAW books, DVDs, and videos, are loaned free of charge to our members. Woodturners discussing a maple bowl blank [ Page 2 ] www.capwoodturners.org May 2020 CAW 2020 Program July January There is no monthly meeting January 8– SEW/Mentoring SEW/Mentoring cancelled January 18– Monthly Meeting– Tips and Tricks January 22- SEW/Mentoring August There is no monthly meeting February SEW/Mentoring cancelled February 5- SEW/Mentoring February 7– Workshop with Kevin Bedgood September February 8– Monthly Meeting– Kevin Bedgood September 12 Monthly Meeting– Scott Schlosser February 19- SEW/Mentoring What to do with small pieces September 16– SEW/Mentoring March March 5,6– Workshop with Mark Gardner October March 7– Monthly Meeting– Mark Gardner October 10- Monthly Meeting– Tips and Tricks March 11– SEW/Mentoring October 14– SEW/Mentoring November April November 12,13– Workshop with Carol Hall April 11– Monthly Meeting– Scott Schlosser November 14– Monthly Meeting– Carol Hall Cancelled due to corona virus November 18– SEW/Mentoring April 15– SEW/Mentoring—cancelled May Scheduled activities are cancelled Monthly Meeting cancelled SEW/Mentoring cancelled May 14, 6:30 PM Zoom Demonstration December with Rudy Lopez December 12– CAW Holiday Party December 4– SEW/Mentoring May 30, 1:00 PM Zoom Demonstration With Glenn Lucas June CAW Picnic cancelled SEW/Mentoring cancelled [ Page 3 ] www.capwoodturners.org May 2020 From the Program Director The next thing you can do within the “rules” is to stretch the boundaries. Take a Stay well; keep busy; stretch the rules “classic” form and stretch it or make it squatter. `Well, it finally happened, We went to a Make a thin elongated neck on a vase and figure grocery store that is not in our neighborhood. We out how to make it hollow. Hint: use Mark Gard- went because they have some unusual items at ner’s technique of hollowing through the bottom. very good prices. It felt like we had gone on safari. Try to make a form that changes the axes of rota- We had to drive at least fifteen minutes. But it was tion and see what kind of form you can achieve. worth it. We came away with a great haul of excel- If you don’t want to bend the rules try to lent items that we can enjoy for the next two make two, three, or four pieces that are exactly weeks. the same. Make a set of boxes, bowls, or plates This is how I feel now in my turning. Last that are mirror images. This challenge will appeal month I used up all my large pieces of wood except to all the engineers out there who prize sym- for two large pieces of cherry. So, now I am on the metry. The toughest thing in the world is to make lookout for wood in larger sizes. However, barring a set of candlesticks. Since they set all by them- that, I have begun to dip into the pieces I have col- selves . it is easy to spot the smallest difference. lected over the last several years. Since most of it Another source of inspiration is the work is on the small side, I have had to get creative of other members of the woodworking communi- about what to do with it.