SPLINTERS

TENNESSEE VALLEY WOODWORKERS MAY 1988

RAISE HIGH YOUR ROOFBEAMS CARPENTERS

You are all cordially invited to join Rick and Gena Bishop at the site of their new home this Saturday., May 14 for a house raising. Sounds like fun and a chance for some real hands on experience. They are starting at 7:00 AM and breakfast and lunch will be provided. The building site is on Keith Cove Road out of Cowan. If you need further instructions, call any of the Bishops for details. Bring a hammer, tape measure, and framing square if you have one. This is.a real opportunity for the “strong of back and the weak of mind.”

NOTES FROM THE APRIL MEETING

There were 32 folks at the April Meeting and if you weren’t one them, you missed a great meeting. Rick and Phil Bishop presented a fine program on the moisture content of wood. Not only was it technically informative, but it made a great deal of sense. Rick went to the trouble to provide the talk with a slide presentation. that illustrated the technical aspects of his talk. Phil added more information on kiln dried lumber and had slides of how lumber is cut in the mills. Anyone who didn’t see the Bishop Brothers Show, missed a rare opportunity for information and exactly what woodworking and football have in common.

We also had a great Show and Tell program. It just keeps getting bigger and better folks. Plenty of folks must have been turned on by the turning seminar. Bill Chew had made a collar for turning that John Jordan had demonstrated. And the bowls he had turned from poplar, were beautiful.

Pete Lara ( AKA Speedy Gonzales ) showed Model T’s and a Truck Bank that he had built.

Bill Moye had a bird carving that he said had great sentimental value It sure was nice to look at Bill.

John Troxler showed pliers. that he carves with a hinge joint out of one piece of wood. All ladies present received a pair because we’re the most well behaved people there.

And O’Neal Gibson had been inspired last year with Paul Pyle’s dulcimer demonstration. His were made from poplar and Japanese mahogany. Upon popular demand, O”Neal played a tune for us.

Tom Baskin showed an owl he had carved and also demonstrated how to stand like one. Didn’t. know Tom was so multi—talented! did you?

CONFESSIONS OF A FIRST TIME VISITOR TO THE NASHVILLE FLEA MARKET

Tom Cowan has made a reproduction of General Stonewall Jacksons field desk. Actually. he has made three of them. He will be using one in a Civil War reenactment at Chancelorsville. Virqinia. The National Park Service may be interested in purchasing one of them. We’ll have to get a report from Tom about what happened up there last month. And who won the war, after all ?

Tom and Anita Baskin had said it was. Great, but you just have to see it for yourself to believe it. I didn’t spend one red cent because I was over whelmed by it all. But Tom Church had no such problem. He bought some sand paper (I should have bought more ). a big old Yankee screwdriver. and some magic blue things that I’m still not sure what they do. I did qive Tom a hint of the secret phrase. Instead of saying “How much is this ?” Ask “What will you take for this?” At that point, they know you’re semi serious. And if you haven’t seen the man who smashes hole in aluminum cans and seals. them back up, you have missed hours of fabulous entertainment.

SMOKEY MOUNTAIN WOODCARVING SCHOOL

This school has been formed and is now accepting applications for the following classes:

BAS IC WOODCARVING MAY 25,27

FACES IN DRIFTWOOD~ MAY 21

REALISTIC ANIMALS JUNE 14—17

BUCK CARVING JULY 19 22

CARVING A FIREPLACE MANTEL

The above list is just the beginning for more information contact the Smoky Mountain Woodcarving School

P.O. Box 62 Townsend, TN. v.7662

phone 615—446—6350) 446—2259 Evenings 446—6232

The cost of classes include wood or cut out required for the class.