SPLINTERS
Vol. 12/Issue 2 Tennessee Valley Woodworkers Editor; Tom Gillard February 1998
Can you believe the turn out we had last month! There were around 60 people at the meeting. We had 12 guest and 3 new members. It was standing room only!
The new year of programs started off with a great program. Dick Binger displayed and explained how to make segmented bowls. Trying to explain how beautiful these bowl were won’t work. If you missed this program maybe the pictures will be a small consolation. We want to thank Dr. Binger for taking his time and coming in and showing us this wonderful art work he is creating.
Message from the Pres.:
Remember that the February meeting will be a silent auction and social time. Members are encouraged to bring items to sell. Proceeds may be retained by the seller or donated to the club. Any monies that are retained by the club will go toward the paving brick that was purchased for Arrowmont. If there are excess funds raised they will go into the club treasury. More details later.
Show and Tell:
There was a variety of items this month such as turned items, carved items, books, furniture, and musical instruments. The show and tell part of the meetings are beginning to take on a live of their own. There is just so much to look at.
Message from Richard G.:
Franklin County will be the home of “ADVENTURE MOUNTAIN” playground this spring. Scheduled to be built May 26-30 in the Winchester City Park. This 1-acre playground promises an incredibly high “fun factor” for all ages. This is a community-built playground funded entirely by donations and fund-raisers, so here’s your opportunity to get involved!
The Tennessee Tomahawks have given the playground 600 General Admission tickets to sell for $4.00
a piece. (The playground fund keeps $2.00/ticket). Wendy Moore (Playground Co-Chair and UTSI student) has made these available for purchase here at UTSI. Contact Penny Smith (room E- 110) to get your tickets. They’re good for any game of the season. THINK SPRING!!!
If you would like to purchase a brick, pickett, or component OR if you would like further information about “ADVENTURE MOUNTAIN”, contact Wendy at 967-9684 or e-mail her at wendy@edge.net.
Message from the Editor:
I want to thank those that turned in the survey sheets. It has been very interesting reading through them. I know this club has some very talented people in it but if you look at the statistics it explains things a little. There were 11 forms turned in and if you add up the experience of these members there is 400 years of combined experience in woodworking. This is amazing!
If anyone need to place an item of importance in the newsletter just let me know and I’ll try my best to get it
in. Dead line for an item is TWO Saturdays before the meeting. (March 7th)
Those who know the story can never forget it, but the tragedy happened long enough ago that many, now, have never heard of the tree’s demise.
The American chestnut was once one of the most important trees in our eastern hardwood forests. It ranged from Maine to Georgia, and west to the prairies of Indiana and Illinois. It grew mixed with other species, often making up 25 percent of the forest. In the Appalachian Mountains, the ridges were often pure American chestnut stands. In early summer, when the trees were covered with their long, creamy flowers, the mountains looked as if their crests were covered with snow. In the virgin forests, where large chestnuts were commonplace, mature trees could be 600 years old, and average 4-5 feet in diameter and 80-100 feet tall. Many specimens 8-10 feet in diameter were recorded, and there are rumors of trees bigger still.
The Greatest Ecological Disaster of Our Time Struck in 1904
A fungus was discovered infecting trees in New York City. The fungus was probably imported earlier from the Orient, on nursery stock brought in before the passage of plant quarantine laws. The blight rampaged through the forests, spreading 20-50 miles-per year, killing virtually every chestnut in its path. It was many times more destructive than the Dutch elm disease. By 1950, the American chestnut was essentially eliminated as a forest tree. Since the root system is unaffected by the blight, some survive, mostly as shrubs, where giants once stood. There is no significant wild reproduction.
The Chinese chestnut trees sold by nurseries today can be healthy producers of good nuts, but they can not replace our native chestnut. The Chinese tree is an orchard tree, while the American chestnut created huge tracts of big timber.
The nuts were acknowledged to be the finest-flavored of all chestnuts and though not as we can have this precious tree back. Advances in large as their European or Oriental cousins, our understanding of genetics make a transfer of demand for them was high. Railroad cars full were resistance in the Chinese species to the American shipped to the big cities for the holidays, where possible. But good research, and breeding trees, street vendors sold them fresh-roasted, and they takes time and money. And they were essential to the traditional stuffings for roast goose and turkey. More installments on the Chestnut Tree in future issues. Unlike other nut trees, the chestnuts usually produced heavy crops every year, and the nuts were a major cash crop for many families in Appalachia.
Wildlife depended extensively on the nuts, too -bear, deer, wild turkey, squirrels and once, the huge flocks of Passenger Pigeons - all waxed fat for the winter in the chestnut forests.
The tree was also one of the best for timber. It grew straight and tall, often branch-free for 50 feet. Loggers tell of loading entire railroad cars with boards cut from just one tree. Straight-grained, lighter in weight than oak and more easily worked, it was as rot-resistant as redwood. It was used for virtually everything - telegraph poles, railroad ties, heavy construction, shingles, paneling, fine furniture, musical instruments, even pulp and plywood. The chestnut was also the country’s major source of tannin for tanning leather.
Some of the results of the Survey sheets:
Almost all of the people still have the first item that they remember making. Tom Cowan has the
oldest item, 45 years ago he made a shelf with an electric jig saw when he was 10. He made this
item for his mother.
Many of the folks started early in life playing with saws and hammers. Some got interested in wood through classes in school. The majority of the members want to help others learn by passing along some of their knowledge. There is an urge to build furniture items for their own home or toys and items for members of their families.
Loyd Ackerman:
Started woodworking about 20 years ago when he needed some bookcases for his home. His father had worked with wood, too. His son presently possess this bookcase. At present he is interested in designing and turning small bowls and other items. He plans to replace all the store bought stuff in his home with personally built furniture.
Manual Brown:
Started about 40 years ago as a junior in High School. His first project was a set of cherry book cases that are still in use today. Enjoys building wooden model cars and trucks. The table and chair set he built for his daughter was his most enjoyable project because, “it was one of my few furniture projects.” He hopes to become more talented on the lathe.
Murrell Chatten:
Murrell has been making sawdust for about 55 years now. He got started in with a lathe when he was in High School. He has made furniture for his home and that of his daughters. He is still interested in turning. His first project was a six leg, drop leaf table, made out of cherry. He 20 years old when he made this table. He hopes to leave some of his knowledge in the hands of the younger generations just getting started in woodworking.
Editor’s note: (Don’t know if this pieces is still around.)
Editor’s note: Last October a good friend of mine lost their son in a car accident. This young man had touched many lives in his short Scouting career, but he had been an inspiration to many, too. Below is a speech given in his honor at a BSA event in December. I would like to share these thoughts with you, too, as they apply to all walks of life, not just in Scouts.
Notes on how I viewed the life of Josh Sain and how his example should be mirrored by all today.
Live with the goals you set; as always, actions speak louder than words--and your actions must match your words.
Compliment at least three people everyday. Praise them in pubic. Look for the good things -don’t focus on the negatives.
Inspire in people a sense of pride and accomplishment - they are winners.
The glass is always half full; a positive mental attitude will win the day.
Exercise leadership as opposed to authority. A true leader is out front, pointing the way to success. The authoritarian says, “ I have the rank, do it because I say so.” Leadership requires more work, more effort, more risk, but it’s worth it.
From the speech delivered to Wa Hi Nasa Lodge, Order of the Arrow Winter Banquet, December 6, 1997 by Ron Turpin.
Rules for Silent Auction:
1. Items for sale will be displayed for inspection by perspective bidders.
2. The owner offering each item will obtain a numbered bid sheet from an auction official, fill it out, and put it with the item.
3. Auction officials will declare the bidding open at the appropriate time and will set a closing time after which bid sheets will be collected and no further bids will be accepted.
4. The bid sheet will remain with the item and open to inspection by bidders until collected at the end of the bidding period. Bids, therefore, should progress from lowest at the top of the list to highest at the bottom of the list since it would make no sense to enter a lower bid that one already made.
5. Bidders will make a bid by filling in their name and a bid price on the bid sheet.
6. At the end of the bidding period the officials will collect bid sheets and announce the winner of each item.
7. The winner will be the first to enter the highest bid.
GOOD LUCK!
Meeting Information:
Duck River Power Building, Decherd, TN
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Third Tuesday of the Month
17-Feb-98
I had a hard time setting the miter gauge on my table saw to cut exactly 22½ degrees when making mitered cuts for an octagon. So I developed a system for using the rip fence and a plastic drafting triangle to check the accuracy of the miter gauge on test pieces.
Here’s how. First, cut a piece of scrap in two at 22½ degrees. Then, to check the angle, place the long side of one piece against the rip fence. Next, place the mitered end of the second piece tightly against the mitered end of the first, see Fig. 1. Now check the angle between the second piece and the rip fence with the plastic triangle. An accurate cut creates a 45 degree angle.
David Beck
I