SPLINTERS

Tennessee Valley Woodworkers
   Vol. 20/ Issue 7              July 2005                Editor: Tom Gillard Jr. 

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


Please remember, in your thoughts and prayers, all our Troops around the world and those on the way home.

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.
                                Design:        Tom Cowan    967-4835                            Finishing:       Phil Bishop          967-4626
                                Turning:        Tom Church   967-4460                            Carving:        Harry May           962-0215
                                Sharpening:    Bob Reese   728-7974                              Joinery:        Ross Roepke       455-9140
Maurice Ryan  962-1555   Health and Safety

List of Club Officers

                                                                                                President:          Loyd Ackerman
                                                                                                V. President:       Tom Cowan
                                                                                                Secretary:          Chuck Taylor
                                                                                                Treasurer:          Henry Davis
                                                                                                 Publicity:          Larry Bowers
                                                                                                 Newsletter Editor: Tom Gillard Jr.
                                                                                                Web-Master:  Richard Gulley
Calendar of Events:

September 19: CC Fair ––  Manchester

October:  Fall Seminar –– Put October 8 on your calendar for the TVW Fall Workshop.   Andy Rae, author and nationally known lecturer on woodworking topics, will be presenting a program on "Furniture Making".   Andy will cover a range of topics related to the making of furniture.  The seminar will be held in the annex building of the Church of Christ at Forrest Mill.  See co-chairmen David Jacobs or Matt Brothers, or stay tuned, for details.

December 9th:: Holiday Party / 20th: Anniversary celebration at American Legion in Tullahoma.


The drawing for the Delta bench top drill will be held at the August meeting. Tickets are currently on sale for $1 each.


The program this month will be: "Photographing your work"  by Ed White.



Flowering Dogwood

Its beautiful blooms belie the toughness of its wood.


When the flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) blooms in the spring, the sight can take your breath away. The clusters of petals against the little tree's dark branches make it stand out in the deepest woodland. Throughout its range in the southeastern states, the tree adds to any landscape.
The wood of the flowering dogwood has a reputation, too-but for toughness. Stiff and finely textured, the wood weighs as much as hickory, yet is harder! In fact, when used as a chisel handle, dogwood resists crushing and mushrooming from hammer blows. And because dogwood wears smoother with age, it has known service as knitting needles, pullies, and sled runners.

This tough-as-nails reputation also made it (even today) a valuable commodity in the textile industry. You see, until the 1860s, the mechanical looms in New England and Europe relied on smooth, long-wearing boxwood from Mediterranean countries for their shuttles (spindle-shaped devices for carrying thread). In that same period, though, roller skating became a popular European pastime, and boxwood became the choice for the wheels. This new demand on a limited boxwood supply resulted in the substitution of dogwood.

Indeed, dogwood became such a valuable commodity that it was sold, not by the volume in a log as other commercial wood, but by the cord! That's partly because the dogwood at best only reaches 40' tall and grows dispersed among other trees, not in stands. So, it couldn't be economically logged in volume. Instead, farmers made extra money selling a stack at a time.
WOOD On-line
 
 



June 12, 2005

China Now Largest U.S. Export Destination for Hardwood

The Forest Conservation Portal reports that "China has become the largest export destination for North American hardwoods." Last year, the annual construction value of China reached 200 billion dollars, and the annual production value of their domestic furniture market was 24 billion dollars creating demand for wood for affluent Chinese. Also China has been the world's leading U.S. hardwood products importer for three years in a row driven by strong domestic and overseas market demand for China's less expensive hardwood products. In other words, they take raw and semi-manufactured hardwood and build something, then import back to their overseas markets. More on The Great American Hardwood Forest.
This is certainly not good news for domestic U.S. hardwood product manufacturers but has hardwood tree growers and log and lumber exporters smiling at the increases in the value of their trees and logs. A nearly 30% annual increase in exported U.S. hardwood has increased demand "thus creating bright prospects for US hardwoods" said Michael Snow, executive director of the council American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC). "The major portion of this wood will be utilized in interior decoration and furniture manufacturing." 
SHOW AND TELL

Newton Wright:  Segmented turning and knotty box

Marice Ryan:  Spalted Maple clock mounts

Ross Roepke:  Desk, Walnut and Maple

Bob Leonard:  Hummingbird and inlaid box (from yard sales)

Chuck Taylor:  Turned Bradford Pear - salt & pepper, Oak burl-pen & pencil

Karen Kerse:  Segmented bowl - Walnut bottom & top

Doyle McConnel:  Turned vase - Spalted Maple

Bob Reese:  Segmented Bowl,  walnut and maple

John Mayberry:  Unfinished hollow vessel - maple & cherry

Jim VanCleave:  Large & Small music boxes, inlaid

Dick Wallam:  Wood carvings from driftwood
                      Carved walking stick w/frog
                      Wood Spirit

Loyd Ackerman:  Segmented Hollow vessel



During this months shop tours the question was ask about where to get band saw blades, this information was shared by Doyle, thanks for the information, Doyle.
 
This is the Band Saw man that I mentioned.  The blades are  Lenox brand.   We used them in the metal working industry, and I don't think there is any better.  I don't think you can beat the price and Doug will make you a custom length for any saw.  He can also help you with the blade width and the number of teeth you need.  The shipping is cheap if you are headed toward McMinnville.  The shop is located the first road past Carrier on the left and the second business on the right.  If you don't want to wait and watch him make the blades, call or email your desires before you go by.
Doyle
 
His company is     Precision Saw and Tool
                             Doug Walston
                             1055 Mt. View Road
                              Morrison, Tn
                              Phone: (931) 815-8150
                              http://precisionblade.net/



 


Web Sites of interest.

Wood Central


See you on the 19 th.


click on the image to go to these sites
Special contributors to Club functions