SPLINTERS

Tennessee Valley Woodworkers
   Vol. 17/ Issue2                February 2002              Editor: Tom Gillard Jr. 

Meeting Notice:
The next meeting of the TN Valley Woodworkers
Will be held, February 19th at 7:00 p.m. in the
 Duck River Electric Building, Dechard, TN
All interested woodworkers are invited!


The following people have agreed to serve as contacts for their particular skills.  If you have questions, suggestions
for activities, or other comments relating to these skills, please call these folks.  Their interest is to help the
club better serve their area of expertise.  Your participation with them will help them achieve that goal.

                   Alice Berry     454-3815   Design                   Phil Bishop         967-4626      Finishing
                   Tom Church   967-4460   Turning                  Harry May          962-0215      Carving
                   Bob Reese     728-7974   Sharpening             Ross Roepke      455-9140      Jointery

Maurice Ryan  962-1555   Health and Safety

   List of Club Officer
                                                                            President:  Bob Leonard
                                                                            V. President: Doyle McConnell
                                                                            Secretary: Barbara Keen
                                                                            Treasurer: Henry Davis
                                                                            Publicity: Maurice & Ruth Ryan
                                                                            Newsletter Editor: Tom Gillard Jr.
GOD BLESS AMERICA!

With the flying of flags comes the problem of what to do with the flags that become tattered and torn due to use.  The proper way of disposing of these emblems of our Country is to retire them with dignity.  This usually involves burning them.  The Boy
Scouts can offer their services if you have a flag that need to be retired.  There are three members of our club that are also members of the BSA.  Danny Bean, Steven Savelle, and Tom Gillard.  Please bring your flag to one of us if needed.  Thanks


WELCOME TO  OUR NEW MEMBERS

    We would like to welcome Don Miller from Manchester, Don Powers from Winchester and Larry Shockley from Belvidere who joined us in January.  We are happy to have you with us.

THEME FOR THE YEAR: The survey that was taken last year asking for member’s inputs on types of seminars they would like was discussed.  Joinery was the number 1 interest with finishing a close 2nd. A motion was made by Doyle and seconded by Tom Cowan that Joinery would be the theme for 2002.


SHOW & TELL

John Mayberry brought in 2 turned bowls made out of cherry. John also brought in a piece of Walnut that had been sawed in half by a sawmill and it had a walnut imbedded in it, the walnut was cut perfectly in half in each piece.  He finished it and put hinges on it so it closed with the 2 halves of walnut facing each other. Ross Roepke brought in a stool made out of Mahogany in the shape of a fiddle.   Henry Davis brought in knee from an English Pub table and the piece he was making to match it and replace the missing knee.  Loyd Ackerman brought in a segmented bowl and cover.  He stated that when you figured out the proper angles they had to be precise when you cut them.  The bowl was made out of Walnut, Cherry and Slippery Elm.  This was his first attempt at making a segmented bowl and it took him 2 days to complete it.

CALENDAR of EVENTS

Spring seminar: April 20th
Picnic:   June 22nd  @ Falls Mill
Coffee County Fair : 3rd week in September
Fall seminar :October time frame
Christmas party: December 6
** It was also suggested that we should have another “turning B” and possibly another carving workshop.

Sweet Gum
In the old days, youngsters throughout the rural South went to the woods, not the grocery store, for their chewing gum. There, they sought out a tree with unusual star-shaped leaves and bark resembling alligator skin. From it they pried off, then popped into their mouths, yellowish brown balls of a fragrant, resinous substance with a licorice-like taste. Their treat was the sap of the native sweet gum tree (Liquidambar styraciflua). Little did they know that this natural confection, called liquidambar, had been in demand for centuries.
 As reported by historians traveling with the explorer Cortes in 16th-century Mexico, the Aztec emperor Montezuma relaxed by puffing a cane stuffed with a mixture of tobacco and a flavoring of liquidambar from a tropical variety of sweet gum. But even before that, in Europe, liquidambar was obtained through Asian traders for use in perfume, incense, and for treating diphtheria and flatulence.
Despite the world demand for liquidambar through the centuries, little was done with the yield of the North American sweet gum tree. It did serve as a curative for Confederate soldiers' dysentery, and was harvested during the Second World War when Asian supplies were cut off.
Sweet gum wood, though, has been another story. The often beautifully figured stock can resemble walnut. And when quartersawn, it passes as the costly Circassian walnut fancied for fine furniture and gunstocks.
Box-Joint Jig
A no-frills, always accurate
Basic box-joint jigs like this one have been around for a long time. What's different here is that we tell you the secrets for setting the jig up for perfect results! Note: To use this jig you will need a tablesaw, stackable dado set, and a caliper with dial or digital readout. You can purchase the dial type for $25-$50; digital models cost $60-$75.
We've found a dial calipers essential because box joints must be cut with exacting accuracy. Why? Any minor error in the width or spacing of the individual "fingers," even .001", multiplies itself with every finger you cut.
For reasons of design and proportion, you typically make the individual "fingers" in box joints as wide as the thickness of the workpieces. In this article, we'll make a jig for cutting 1/4" wide fingers in 1/4"-thick stock (see the drawing below for the precise dimensions of the joints). For thicker or thinner stock you adjust the size of the jig's pin and the width and height of the dado cut accordingly.

Step 1. Cut parts A, B, and C to the sizes shown in the Exploded View drawing. Any flat and straight stock will do.

  Step 2. Adjust your dado set for a cut that's .001" wider than the joint fingers (.251" in our example). With stackable dado sets you can place commercially made shims between the cutters, or make your own shims from various papers (standard tablet paper measures .002-.005" thick, some tissue and waxed papers measure .001" thick). Check your adjustment by measure a test cut with your calipers as shown. Raise the dado set 1/2" above the tabletop.

Step 3. Cut the notch that holds the pin in part A. Do this by holding part A against the miter gauge with part B beneath it as shown. Do not cut into part B.

Step 4. Cut a 1/4 x 1/4 x 6" strip of hardwood that fits snugly into the notch you just cut in part A. (The strip should slip into place, yet fit tightly enough so it doesn't fall out.) Cut a 1-1/2" pin from the strip and glue it into the notch, flush with the back of part A. Save the leftover strip. Screw part B to part A.

Step 5. Set your miter gauge for a 90° cut. Use the leftover strip to position the jig assembly on the miter gauge. Do this by aligning the jig pin 1/4" from the path of the dado set as shown. With the pin aligned, temporarily clamp the jig to the miter gauge, then affix the gauge to the jig with screws. Replace the miter gauge into its slot and cut through parts A and B. Attach the blade guard (C) centered behind the notch you just cut.
During this and the following steps, apply pressure to the miter gauge to hold its bar firmly against the right side of the slot. This will keep its distance from the dado set consistent during cuts.

 Step 6. Position a piece of scrap stock as shown, and cut a notch into the scrap piece. Position this notch over the pin and make another cut. Position that notch over the pin and repeat the cut.
With your calipers, check the width of the fingers. They should be .001" under your desired finger width. (For our 1/4" fingers the calipers should read .249".)

Step 7. Chances are your jig will need some adjustment to achieve the necessary finger width. If the fingers are too wide, say .255" in our example, tap the end of the jig closest to the blade with a hammer as shown. Make more test cuts and tapping adjustments as necessary. If the fingers are too narrow (.245" in our example), tap the other end of the jig. Even though the jig is screwed in place, the hammer taps will make these fine adjustments.
 
 

Step 8. With your calipers, check the depth of the fingers in your scrap stock. Adjust the height of your blade until the depth reads .016" more than the width of your fingers (.266" in our example). This leaves the fingers long enough so you can sand them flush with the box later.

Notice from the Treasurer:
DUES are due.
$10 for singles
 $15 for families


NAME TAGS

The subject of name tags came up at the last meeting. Our name tags were made by K&S TROPHIES , 510 Country Club Drive , Tullahoma. They were about $5.00 including tax the last time we checked. When in Tullahoma you can go by and have one made. The tags are 1" x 3" with white letters on a blue background. Just tell the folks that you want a Tennessee Valley Woodworkers name tag. If you are never in Tullahoma, Henry Davis will be happy to take care of it for you, see him at the February meeting or give him a call at 393 - 3191.


Mini Lathe Give Away.

To show our appreciation to our loyal and faithful members your Executive Committee has again this year decided to give a prize to one lucky member.

Several prizes were suggested and the membership voted on the prize we should give away. The overwhelming choice was a Mini Lathe. We have purchased a Jet 14 inch Mini Lathe and it will be given away at our Christmas gathering this December. The Lathe will be on display at our February meeting. To be eligible to win the lathe just sign the drawing register at each regular club meeting that you attend between now and December. That means that if you attended the January meeting and attend every meeting from now through November your name will be in the drawing 11 times.

The following rules will apply:


FOR SALE

I HAVE BOUGHT A NEW LARGER LATHE, AND AM SELLING THE FOLLOWING.

SEARS CRAFTSMAN  LATHE.
12"SWING, 36" LONG
3450 RPM MAX,
WITH THE FOLLOWING:
MOUNTED ON WOOD TABLE WITH TOOL DRAWER.
BASIC SET OF CRAFTSMAN LATHE TOOLS
6" AND 12" TOOL RESTS.
4" FACE PLATE
ORIGINAL AND NEW 4 POINT SPUR CENTER DRIVES.
SCREW CENTER DRIVE.
DEAD AND LIVE TAIL STOCKS
10MM CHUCK

THIS IS THE SAME LATHE MADE BY RIDGID THAT IS CURRENTLY BEING SOLD AT HOME DEPOT FOR $295.  BASIC TOOLS AND ADDED ACCESSORIES COST APPROX. $100-$120. PLUS THE TABLE.  ASKING $175.  WILL CONSIDER OFFERS.

I CAN BE REACHED AT MY OFFICE PHONE 931-962-1303 FROM 8:00AM TO 4:30 PM
THANKS,
KEN GOULD

Feburary program

This months program will be about routers. Tom Gillard and Henry Davis will be talking about some router techniques that they have used. They will also show several different type routers, router accessories and fixture for the router. You need not bring your safety glasses or ear protection as they don’t plan to make any live cuts.

Next Month
Of the 720,000 inuries per year associated with woodworking, 42 percent happen at the tablesaw. Yet common sense, proven practices and tried techniques will keep you from harm's way.


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"Briggs Paint on Atlantic street in Tullahoma will be carrying natural color Deft Oil in gallon ($22.50) and Quart ($7.99) sizes as a test marketing project.  They should have it on the shelf before the end of January.  They will continue to carry it, if there is a demonstrated demand,  and maybe expand to carry the colors as well.  See Jeff at the store for questions or comments."
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WEB SITES of INTEREST

Scott Phillips Video Help sessions

Arrowmont School of Arts and Craft

WOOD ONLINE newsletter

Falls Mill

Appalachain Center for the Arts

Forest Products Lab. 1999 Wood Handbook

Find A Tree - Hangman Style!    Tree identification game...

Woodworker's Journal

WOOD Online TVWW page

Kevin's Woodturnings

The Oldham Company

The Woodworker's Choice

Russell Brown's Web Page



Saw Blade Sharpening Services: Branching Out is now offering their services as a drop off spot to have your saw blades sharpened.  The blades will be picked up (Tuesdays), sharpened, and dropped back off at Branching Out.  The Leitz Tooling Systems out of Collierville, TN will do the sharpening.  Call (393-0525) or stop by for details.


 
 







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