February 2021 Meeting

Meeting Notes

The February 2021 meeting of the Watergap Woodturners was held over Zoom on the 2nd of the month.

Attendence. Attending were Jim Cerra, Rick Wortman, Mike Peacock, Joe Kopec, Carol Pastor, Patty Jennings, Mark Wallace, Ed Nikles, Scott Hendricks and Fred Guendel

Treasurer’s Report. The Treasurer reported a balance of $1,373 with the only outlays being a Zoom Subscription and the need to renew our liability insurance policy; due in early March. A discussion regarding timing of the renewal occurred. The issue being, since we are currently not physically meeting, we might delay renewal. The consensus developed that because we plan to hold in person meetings at the first opportunity we should renew, failing to find a lower cost insurer. Follow-on research showed that our current policy cost less than would one offered by a competitor, so Rick Wortman will renew our plan.

Club Secretary. Fred Guendel volunteered to serve as the Club Secretary.

March Meeting. The next club meeting will be held 3 Mar 21 at 7:00pm, via Zoom. The “Challenge” for this meeting is either a “ball-and-cup” or “ball and post” game. Fred will circulate the list of woodturners, along with their websites, that will be teaching a workshop at Peters Valley before the next meeting to see if there is interest in engaging any of them for a club demonstration.

Show & Tell

This month’s show and tell includes the results of the February Club Challenge and other works by members.

Club Challenge

This month’s challenge was a goblet.

Joe Kopec – Goblets.

Rick Wortman — 3 goblets with multiaxial stems. Black walnut, sweet birch, and maple.  Stems done with technique described by Barbara Dill.

Carol Paster – Goblet.

Patty Jennings – Oak goblet with 2 captive rings in stem.

Mark Wallace – Goblet.

Ed Nikles – Cherry goblets. 5-3/8” x 3-3/8.  Finished with 3 coats of High Gloss Formby’s Tung Oil Finish.

Scott Hendricks – Fir goblet, 5” x 3”.

Fred Guendel – Chestnut oak goblet. 6-1/2’ tall with 2-3/4” base.  Finished with oil/wax and buffed.

Jim Cerra – Ash goblet. 7” tall, 3.5” top diameter.

General Show & Tell

Ed Nikles – Cherry bowl, 9” diameter x 2” high.  Finished with Tried & True Linseed Oil and Beeswax. Oak burl vase, 7” high x 3” diameter.  Finished with Tried & True Linseed Oil and Beeswax. Walnut vase.

Rick Wortman – Natural edge bowl. 12” x 3”.

Joe Kopec – Bowls.

Mark Wallace – Bowls.

Fred Guendel – Sewing table chair.

Patty Jennings  – Car. Small soldier ornament.

Jim Cerra — Bagel cutting “contraption”

Tips & Tricks Q&A

Questions and answers from members on tuning technique, finishing, etc.

Question 1:

What finish would be suitable for a goblet to hold wine?

Answers:

The discussion included use of CA glue, polyurethane and leaving a goblet—especially and oak goblet—unfinished.

Question 2:

What is your favorite and most effective method of hollowing end grain?

Answers:

Techniques included boring a hole—either as a starter or at the desired diameter—with an forstner bit; using a spindle gouge; using a “ring tool,” “Oneway Termite,” or “hook tool”; using a scraper; or employing a dedicated hollowing system, such as the Trent Bosch Stabilizer

During follow-on discussion, Ed Nikles noted that he has had very good success sharpening scrapers “up-side-down,” that is to say, with what will be the top edge of the tool when used, facing down on  the bench grinder tool rest when sharpening.

Going forward, the Club decided that inputs responding to technique questions/“Tips and Tricks” would be better if they included an available source for future reference.