Meeting Notes
The April 2021 meeting of the Watergap Woodturners was held over Zoom on the 7th of the month.
Attendence. Attending were Jim Cerra, Rick Wortman, Mike Peacock, Joe Kopec, Carol Pastor, Patty Jennings, Ed Nikles, Scott Hendricks and Mark Wallace.
Treasurer’s Report. The Treasurer reported a balance of $867.83 with the only outlays being the monthly Zoom fee of $14.98 and $516 for insurance. The Treasurer reported that there are currently 12 members who have paid dues. Additionally, the Treasurer reported that some members — who will remain anonymous — paid extra to serve as donations to the club. No income this month from Peters Valley Gift Shop sales.
In Person Meetings. Due to Peters Valley COVID prep and protocols, we will not be able to meet at the PV woodshop in May, First likely in person meeting will be in June. Peters Valley to provide specific COVID rules for the woodshop shortly.
Peters Valley has requested a copy of the club’s insurance policy which Rick will provide. Rick reported that Fred had sent an email to the membership suggesting that the club might assist in clean up of the PV woodshop. No decision has been made in that regard. Jim to email Kristin at Peters Valley to ask if our help with the woodshop would improve our ability to have in person meetings.
Demonstrations. Discussions concerning engaging one or more of this summer’s Peters Valley Workshop instructors to conduct a demonstration at our meeting continued. One possibility, Janine Wang, will be in PV in May but [it won’t work] since the Club can’t meet then. Rick will contact her to see if she can demonstrate for us in June and at what cost. We also wait to hear if Fred has been able to contact Kieth Thompkins and Lucy Derickson.
Tips and Tricks. Mike reported that the new Tips & Tricks page was up on the website. The access to this page is found on the Home Page under Meetings/News/Events. The page presents all tips and tricks collected to date — including detailed writeups provided by Patty Jennings, Scott Hendricks and Carl Beaulieu. All members are encourage to submit entries for the page. Please be detailed and provide references if possible.
May Challenge Project. Multi-axis turning. Reference: Barbara Dill videos.
Show & Tell
This month’s show and tell includes the results of the April Club Challenge and other works by members.
Club Challenge
This month’s challenge was a natural edge bowl.
Mark Wallace — White Birch. Finish: Howard Feed n Wax. (Beeswax, Carnauba, Orange Oil)
Scott Hendricks — A cherry crotch bowl 7″ wide and 8″ wide. A little thicker than normal but the three knots caused me to keep it a little thicker.
Rick Wortman — Cherry: 12×5″
Ed Nikles — Live edge cherry bowl 11” long,8/14”wide,4/12”high,1/4”thick edge, finished with Tried & True oil & beeswax.
Joe Kopec — First live edge turning.
Carl Beaulieu — My first attempt to turn a Natural Edge Bowl was completed using an Ash green wood limb and turning using the Ellsworth Signature Gouge. The bowl is 8”x6”x5”. Gouge was kept sharp using a Tormek wet grind jig settings (A-75mm-6). The sharp tool allowed cutting of bark edge without damage. The bowl is now covered with saw dust and will be finished when moisture level allows. The rough turned bowl was turned over several weeks to slowly reduce moisture content and minimize wood stress and distortion.
Top view of bowl interior. Ellsworth Gouge reliably removed material without struggles. It appears wit practice the tool can be controlled to achieve a smooth surface with little need for sanding.
Fred Guendel — A maple bowl that is 9″ in diameter and 4 1/2″ tall; finished with lacquer.
General
Scott Hendricks — Pierced butternut vessel
Patty Jennings — Carved fish bowl made from maple, carved with a dremel, painted with trans tint dyes and sprayed with a polycrylic finish.
Ed Nikles —
7” diameter by 2 1/2” walnut bowl.
6” diameter by 3” high walnut bowl.
4 1/4” by 3” diameter cherry candle holder.
7” diameter by 2 1/2”high Turquoise inlay cherry bowl.
3 1/2” diameter by 4” high Cherry box with textured rings colored green.
7” hi. Zebrawood upside down pepper mill.
7 1/2” by 3” dia. Cherry bud vase with a 1” glass insert.
Mike Peacock –
Toy cars with peg people for my grandson and grandniece. Cars are cherry, people are 1-1/2″ x 2″ oak colored with acrylic paints. Both sealed with water-based polycrylic. After test-drive by grandson ejected the people, added magnet to car and a washer to the people to keep them in.
House Number/Planter for my daughter’s first home. Made from cedar boards and finished with 4 coats of Helmsman exterior spar urethane. 24” x 14”, planter is 5”x5”x14”.
Joe Kopec — Turnings inspired from a demo by Harvey Meyer, note the grain match, no separation of the grain, and banksia pod Bud vase and box.
Fred Guendel — Stool. It has a cherry seat with oak legs and stretchers; finished with Tired and True Oil/Varnish.
Water Gap Woodturners 