SPLINTERS

NOVEMBER, 1987

 

NOW HERE’S AN EVENT!

 

At our October meeting, Phil Bishop announced that he was setting up a woodcarving seminar. All details are now final and it’s something you won’t want to miss.  Phil will host the seminar at his shop on Holders Cove Road in Winchester. Phil will have the coffee pot on by 6:30 Saturday November 15th. Yes that’s this Saturday folks!!  Sorry about the short notice but we hope this is just a reminder—that you got the word at the last meeting. Phil has arranged for Paul Pitts of Nashville to present the seminar. Paul is a professional. “woodcarver” who has led similar seminars all over the southeast. Paul ‘s planning to teach and demonstrate all aspects of woodcarving and is anticipating that the attendees will bring projects they can work on. From sharpening the knife blade correctly to advanced woodcarving techniques, all will be covered. If you have no current project, Paul will have some blocks of basswood for you to get started. Phil Bishop assured me that he has a few pieces of good carving material also -- lots of it in fact!

Here’s an opportunity to learn another aspect of this wonderful woodworking hobby of ours. After all, isn’t that one of the reasons you joined the Tennessee Valley Woodworkers; to learn? What an opportunity, and here in our own backyard! Paul will be demonstrating more then basic shape carving. He has completed many of the massive carvings on the Capitol Building, carved plaques, furniture legs and inlays, built Windsor Chairs, used steam bending techniques —and Phil says he’s a horse trader (actually a tool trader). In the seminar Paul will cover the basics of carving and then Jet the interest and skill of the group guide the program.

 

As usual Phil is going all out. The seminar will start at 6:30am, lunch will be served at the Bishops, and the seminar will go on until about 4:00pm. Paul’s usual fee is $25 per attendee but a good turnout will lower the fee somewhat. Oh, when Phil talked to Paul on Wednesday, Paul asked that if we had any traders in the group, he would bring a few tools he would be willing to haggle over! Your trading material need not be antiques or the priceless family heirlooms, just bring any tradable treasures.

One last reminder, this is truly one of the events of the year. Give Phil Bishop a call at 967-4626 to let him know you’ll be there.

 

AND SPEAKING OF MEETINGS

 

Tom Baskin, our dynamic program director has decided to follow Phil ‘s lead. Bill Moye one of our very talented club members will qive a demonstration and display some of his woodcarving. The meeting is meant to give us a chance to learn a bit more about woodcarving and discuss some of the tips and concepts we have gathered at the seminar. I’m amazed at the number of carvers in the club, they’re more numerous than clock-makers! Even if carving isn’t one of your prime woodworking interests, you may pick up some tips on this very interesting pastime. With the winter weather already upon us, carving might be just the indoor hobby we need when the workshop gets too cold. See you at the meeting: same place, DREMEC meeting room, same time: 7:00 on Tuesday, November 17th .  Also for the next meeting, if you’ve completed any toys for tots projects, bring them to the meeting so we can see how we’re doing.

 

One more reminder! In the last newsletter we asked a number of questions which might help us to get some Christmas list ideas. Please bring the completed questionnaires to the meeting.  We’ll publish the answers in the December newsletter.

 

 

CHRISTMAS EVENTS

 

Tom and Susan Church are making plans to have the December meeting at their house in Belvidere. They were our most gracious hosts for last years December meeting and Susan took the opportunity to add to our waistlines with wonderful goodies. Tom worked for weeks to clean up the workshop so we could be suitably impressed, I guess it’s time for the annual sweep out!

 

The Church’s will give us some more information at the November meeting and in the December newsletter. Hopefully that’s when we’ll collect all your Toys For Tots. For now, mark your busy December calendar and put the club meeting an December 15th in VERY LARGE LETTERS.

 

MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS

 

Just some food for thought. Subscriptions are wonderful gifts, and are a way to assure that you are the first one in the neighborhood to get your hands on some new tools or projects. There are a wide number of magazines available from simple, home oriented Workbench to the special purpose books like Fine Woodworking. And a whole lot in between these two extremes. You might want to look into these as gifts.

 

One note of caution on your subscriptions renewals. When cash flow gets a bit tight most publishers start sending renewal notices earlier and earlier. I received one the other day for a subscription that expires in April, 1988. Sometimes they offer lower rates for early renewal but most often they just want to catch you asleep and use your money for a while!!

 

PRESIDENT’S NOTES

 

Thank you again, Joe for all of your SPLINTERS. I trust that you don’t hear that from Judy very often. I’m writing this without the advantage of reading Joe’s news . . .please forgive us if we repeat ourselves - it just seems to happen at our age.

 

LAST MEETING

 

It was nice to see more “spouses” at our last meeting. I’m sure everyone enjoyed all of our fine show and tells. Thanks to our boundless supply of show’ers and tellers.

 

NOMINATING COMMITTEE

I’ve heard through the grape vine that the nominating committee (Gina & Rick Bishop & Bill Knight) have all been hard at work. The latest rumors are as follows:

President —-— the jurry is still out

Vice Pres,.--- Tom Cowan

Secretary --- Susan Church

Treasurer -—— Winfield Bennet

Publicity --- Phil Bishop

Any nominations from the floor are welcome. The committee’s nominations ensure that no positions will be left vacant. At the risk of repeating remember election of new officers will be next meeting

 

TUESDAY 7:00

NOVEMBER 17

-at DUCK RIVER ELECTRIC BUILDING (ACROSS FROM WENDY’S)

Remember Dues are due ... we’ll start collecting at the Nov. meeting. See you Tuesday.

 

A woodworker’s night before Christmas

 

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the shop, Not a worker was stirring, all projects were stopped.

The chisels were left by the whetstone with care,

In hopes that the elves would come sharpen them there.

The tools were all nestled and snug where they lay,

While visions of woodshavings danced on each blade.

Then up in the woodloft there came such a clatter,

The whole building shook from the weight of the matter,

And there on the creaky tin roof did appear,

A fine handmade sleigh drawn by ten dusty deer,

With a sparkly-eyed craftsman as spry as a buck,

Who went by the nickname of “Old Saint Woodchuck.”

He was dressed all in suede from’ his cap to his shoe,

And his clothes were all covered with sawdust and glue.

A bundle of tools he had tucked in his sack,

With a Japanese saw sticking out of the back.

On his face he wore goggles and a dust-mask fit tightly,

His cheeks were like rosewood; his hearing shot slightly.

His skills were the sharpest and best in the land,

And he still had five fingers on each of his hands.

Then quick as a chainsaw his staunch helpers came,

And he hooted and hollered and hailed them by name:

“Now Router, now Ruler, now Hammer and Bitbrace;

On Shaper, on Scrollsaw, on Jackplane and Compass.” All ran to the workbench and leapt to his call:

“Now get to work, get to work, get to work all!” So they dulled not an edge, but cut straight to their task, And sawed, planed, pounded and scraped till, at last,

All the toys that the children were waiting to get,

Were finished and wrapped (though the paint was still wet).

There were jacks made from walnut and dolls made of yew,

And an ash rocking horse with its tail painted blue, A set of birch soldiers all carved from one log,

And even a hand-turned oak ball for the dog.

Then the kindly crew tidied and swept every crack,

And Saint Woodchuck thanked them while stretching his back.

Then he jumped in his stout sleigh and let out a yell,

And they roared from that shop like a bat out of hell.

But these words he exclaimed as they vanished from sight:

“Merry Christmas to all—that’s enough for one night!”

—Sandor Nagyszalanczy

(With apologies to Clement C. Moore, author of “A Visit From St. Nicholas.”)