The President's Corner - February 2011

This month I want to recognize Kay Baker, who acts as our Librarian and Membership chairperson. In that capacity she receives our dues and forwards them to Hugh Fish (by the way, when we pay dues late it makes more work for Kay. Dues are payable July 31. Please pay them promptly.) She keeps track of who is paid, prepares and distributes name tags, catalogues the library, adds items bought, donated or created (meeting & workshop videos). She provides all new members to our editor to be recognized in the newsletter. She is also the only member I know of who actually loses sleep worrying about club matters. 

The speaker at our January meeting was Leon Harkins, a master chip carver. Leon brought with him a number of examples of his work ranging from the very simple to the very elaborate. After describing the difference between “in the round carving”, “relief carving” and “chip carving”, Leon demonstrated the basic skills used in chip carving. It is really amazing what can be done with just a couple of knives. Mike Payst showed us a bow saw he made at one of Bill Anderson’s classes. It is really neat and well made. Maybe one day he will show us how it works. I understand they are still in regular use in other parts of the world, particularly Europe. I hope many of you took the opportunity to visit the Lie- Nielsen hand tool event at the NSCU Craft Center. They had all the various tools Lie-Nielsen produces on hand for you to try out. I have rehabilitated some Stanley planes, and, while mine can produce a very fine shaving, they just don’t work as well as the Lie-Nielsens. It may turn out to have been an expensive visit for me. 

The 2011 schedule of meetings and workshops is up on the TWA website calendar and I think it is great. Terry and his committee have outdone themselves this year. Everyone should take a close look at the workshop offerings. I think there is something there to interest each member and hope everyone will plan to attend at least one workshop. We have everything from design to finishing. Remember, part of the cost of workshops is covered by club dues, so, if you don’t participate, you aren’t getting all you could from your dues. And... the workshops are really cheap when you compare them to the same course elsewhere. Just Google the presenter’s name and check what they charge at a woodworking school for a similar class, then add travel and lodging. What we charge usually won’t even cover the gas to get to a class at one of the schools. Next meeting’s program is “Your favorite Tips and Jigs” presented by our members. I know some of us hate to get up and “show off” something that we have made, but please bring in a jig or idea to share. Woodworkers are gadget people (how else could the toolmakers stay in business), so we really want to see what others have come up with. And, by the way, you can bring in one of those gadgets you have bought that really works well; you don’t have to have built it. We want to know about commercial jigs and tools as well. As you know we recently bought the web address trianglewoodworkers.com. With this new web address, we are thinking about redesigning and updating our website. Unfortunately, I haven’t got a clue how to do it or what can reasonably be done. If anyone out there has expertise (even a little is more than I have) in website design and building and would be willing to help determine what, we could and/or should do, please give me a call or send me an e-mail. For those of you who enjoy the woodworking shows, they will be in Chantilly, VA outside Washington, DC on March 10, 11 &12, and in Charlotte on March 25, 26 &27 

President: Allan Campbell