Ames Woodworkers Club Newsletter
November 2017 Ames, Iowa
The Ames Woodworkers Club meets at various places in Ames and in other locations in Central Iowa. Unless otherwise announced, meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month. Membership is open to all interested in woodworking, arts and crafts involving wood, and related activities. Annual dues for 2018 are $10.00.
NEXT MEETING: TUESDAY, November 21st, 2017
Program: Making Wooden Recorder Instruments
Presenter: Mark Nelson
Time: Gathering begins at 6:30 pm – Meeting begins at 7:00
Location: Fire Safety Institute Building, ISU Campus, Ames, Iowa
Our presenter for November will be Mark Nelson of Ames. Mark has been creating and building recorders for over 15 years. For those of us that are tone deaf or not a musician, a recorder of this kind is also known as a Native American Flute. He will discuss aspects of creating the musical instrument from start to finish, including wood selection, milling and construction, tuning (not turning), and finishing. With nearly 1000 recorders completed, he is happy to share the details of the woodworking methods of his hobby with us! Plan on attending the November meeting to see a facet of woodworking and instrument making that we rarely have an opportunity to experience! Member’s Show and Tell items are also welcome at this meeting!
Directions to the Fire Safety Institute Building, Haber Road, Ames (ISU campus) - From the intersection of 13th Street and Stange Road (south of Veenker Golf Course), proceed one "long" block east on 13th St. past the apartment complex to the next intersection, and turn right (south) onto Haber Road. The Fire Safety Institute Building is a brick building just to the north of the railroad tracks and the ISU gasoline station. There is plenty of parking available in the lot immediately south of the building. Enter through the main entrance on the south side of the building. The room we will meet in is inside the front entry, down a short hallway, and then to the left.
MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL PERIOD BEGINS: The November meeting marks the start of the annual membership renewal period. A 2018 Membership Renewal form is provided with this newsletter for those of you that would like to renew your membership for 2018 by completing the form and mailing it together with your membership dues ($10 for 2018). You can also submit your completed form and make dues payment in person at the December End-of-Year Potluck Dinner meeting as in past years.
UPCOMING 2017 MEETING DATES….mark these dates on your calendars: November 21st – Making a wooden recorder December 19th – End-of-Year Meeting/Potuck
LAST MEETING NOTES: The AWC’s annual “Shop Tour Saturday” activity was held on Saturday, October 21st at several shops in the Ames and Ogden areas. This year’s hosts included Al Johnson (basement shop), David Junck (outbuilding shop), Roger Nass (outbuilding shop), and Evan Zerby (commercial shop). Members attending the shop tours were able to see how the hosts designed their shops and arranged their major shop tools, work spaces, and storage areas. The tours were well attended and members had many opportunities to talk woodworking and to get some great ideas when visiting the host shops. Several members enjoyed having lunch together at Westowne Pub between morning and afternoon tours. Among the more unusual shops shown at this year’s shop tours was the antique car and truck collection of David Junck – plus a combination of antique signs, metalworking/shop equipment for farm implements, and other activities. We thank all of the tour hosts for offering to show their shops, and look forward to next year’s tours!
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MEMBERSHIP in the Ames Woodworkers Club not only enables members to attend meetings and receive the monthly newsletter, but members are also entitled to make use of discounts at some local businesses. When your 2015 dues are paid you will receive an AWC Membership Card that can be presented at the time of sale at participating woodworking businesses to make use of in-store discounts for club members.
VIDEO TAPE LIBRARY: The Club has a fairly diverse collection of video tapes on various woodworking techniques and projects that may be borrowed for free. Tapes may be borrowed by club members at each meeting. Please return borrowed tapes promptly at the next meeting so that others may have access to them. Call Charles Smith (515-450-3257) to arrange pickup or drop-off if you can’t attend a meeting when the tape is due.
AWC TOOL LOAN PROGRAM - Club-owned tools are available for loan; contact Jim Gunning (Phone: 515-292- 8412, e-mail: ) to make arrangements. AWC Tools available for loan:
• Table saw alignment system: [Master Plate, A-Line-It dial gauge and miter track mount, alignment video]
• Jointer blade setting jig • Pen Disassembly Tools • Blum 35mm Hinge Hole-boring jig
• Delmhorst J-Lite Wood Moisture meter • Wizard Wand-style metal detector • Spline Jig
MISCELLANEOUS CLUB BUSINESS:
• NEW MEMBERS – New member forms are available for download printing from the AWC web site at http://www.ameswoodworkers.com.
• AWC WEB SITE – (www.ameswoodworkers.com) - Webmaster Jim Gunning is always looking for additional items to put up on the web site, including images of members projects, announcements, etc. Contact Jim Gunning (Phone: 515-292-8412, e-mail: ) for information.
• SWAP AND SHOP: This section is YOUR free advertising to put out the word for previously-owned tools or materials you are looking to buy, or if you would like to sell similar items. Are you looking for a tool?? Have something to sell?? Let the Editor know what it is you have to sell or want to buy.
ITEMS FOR SALE: (Please alert the Editor if your items have sold – we normally list items for up to 3 months.)
LIST YOUR ‘FOR SALE’ OR ‘WANTED’ ITEM HERE TO REACH 100+ WOODWORKERS
►WALNUT LUMBER FOR SALE – Recently kiln-dried walnut lumber available: Rough sawn boards around 1” thick, 7 ft. long, and approx. 14” wide (400 bf was available as of 7 June) - $4.00/bf - Contact Clint Hertz at or call 712-260-1102 (after 12:00 noon) for more information.
►RADIAL ARM SAW – Sears Craftsman 10” Radial Arm saw, including metal stand, with blade guard upgrade and new table/fence. Handy for knocking-down long stock to manageable size; 110V; 10” carbide-tipped blade – Priced to sell at $50 or best offer - Contact Rob Wallace at .
►TABLE SAW – Grizzly 10" Heavy-Duty Table Saw, Model G1023, very good to excellent condition with manual; also comes with Shop Fox Classic Fence, Left and Right Dubby Cutoff Fixtures, and Delta Tenoning Jig - Contact Lisa Kuehl at for more information.
• MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNTS:
The following local woodworking-related businesses that have extended AWC members a 10% discount on purchases (excluding power tools):
Ace Hardware – 615 24th St., Ames; 515-232-1791.
Acme Tools – 629 SW 9th St., Des Moines; 515-244-4189.
Hokel Machine Supply – 224 Duff Avenue, Ames; 515-232-6505. (10% discount on machinery)
Hutcheson Lumber & Millwork - 2169 180th St, Marshalltown; 641-753-4144 or 641-751-8125
Sherwin-Williams, Co. - 1624 South Duff Ave, Ames - 515-232-2124 (20% discount on non-sale items; 5% sale)
The Woodsmith Store - 10320 Hickman Road, Clive, 515-254-9494.
Woodhaven - 501 W. 1st Ave., Durant, IA 52747, 1-800-344-6657 (10% disc. on items they make)
Brad point bits can be sharpened with a diamond file and some careful touching up of the beveled surfaces on the cutting portion. They cut more efficiently and cleanly with less blow-out when the spurs have been sharpened and are kept clean.
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• DECEMBER 2017 AWC MEETING – The AWC's meeting for December 2017 will be held on TUESDAY, DECEMBER 19th and will be the annual End-of-Year Holiday Meeting and Potluck Dinner, held at the Fire Safety Institute Building, ISU Campus, Ames. Arrival & set-up begin at 5:30 pm – Dinner begins at 6:00; Meeting at 6:45 pm.) Bring show and tell items and food/desserts to share. Spouses, children, significant others, and friends are welcome to attend the meeting. Further information about the program and directions to the meeting will be included in the December 2017 AWC Newsletter.
• CABINET AND FURNITUREMAKING GROUP - We last met on October 24th at Jim Merideth‘s shop in Ames to discuss the demonstrate Jim’s new tools and to review current and recent projects by Jim, Mike Gilger, and Nate Lamb. Jim showed and demonstrated his new Jet 12” jointer/planer commenting on the excellent performance in both modes and the ease of conversion from one omde to the other. He rated it five stars in all regards. He also demonstrated his new Supermax 19-38 drum sander. Again, reporting a high level of satisfaction with the tool and its performance. Mike showed some recent custom picture frames, commenting on the challenge of getting perfect miters. Nate showed a modern self-designed coffee table in walnut and two other smaller projects he has created as he begins his effort to go into the custom woodworking market. His designs appear to be well thought-out and well executed. Cy Hornberg showed a small jig he built with the aid of his CNC machine used to carry lines on boards around he edge and opposite sides of a board. He had cut out pieces for several additional copies of the jig and offered them to those interested in building their own version. Jim then showed the parts he had prepared for the construction of a craftsman-style settle (small couch) he was building for his daughter. He explained several techniques used ini the preparation of the project parts and showed several special-built jigs used in the construction. The next meeting will be on November 28th and will be held at Jim Merideth‘s shop at 1231 Idaho Ct. in Ames. The topic of the meeting will be jigs, their construction and use – everyone is encouraged to bring one or more jigs for show and tell. Gathering will begin at 6:30 pm and the meeting will start at 7:00 pm. If you would like to join the Cabinetmakers Special Interest group, contact Will Zitterich at .
• TURNERS GROUP – The October meeting of the Ames Area Woodturners was held on Sunday, October 22nd from 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm in the shop of Roger Nass; approximately 26 members attended the meeting. The demonstration topic was “Turning Tower Tops (Turmkreisels)”, presented by Roger Nass. Roger explained the general idea behind the tower top in that it spins at the top of a turned tower having a small cup which captures the top at the end of its spin. He showed the general form of the top and the need to have a properly sized finial to spin the top, a wide enough ring to able to top to maintain momentum, and a correctly sized spinning surface at eh bottom that will allow the top to spin, yet with a small enough shape to be caught by the cup. During the business meeting, members discussed the forthcoming meetings, possible future group orders, and were reminded of the need to develop plans for future meeting topics for 2018. Members also submitted their orders for the Fall group order being placed with Craft Supplies USA. The group also discussed future plans for other group orders, possible future meetings for November and early 2018, scheduling a possible tool-build Saturday in spring, and other topics. John Anderson provided some details about his experience attending the Robust Tools 2017 Annual Open House in Barneveld, Wisconsin where he had won the Grand Door Prize! Show-and-Tell projects were brought by Doug Stremick, John Anderson, Dick Meuler, Dean Schafer, Roger Nass, Will Zitterich, Paul Christensen, and Rob Wallace. The next AAWT meeting will be held on Sunday, November 19th at 1:00 pm in the shop of Roger Nass. The topic of the meeting presentation will be on using spindle tools correctly with emphasis on making finials. Details about the November AAWT meeting were included in the November 2017 Turners Update newsletter that was recently sent to group members via e-mail. Contact Rob Wallace (; 292-5785) if you are interested in joining the Turners Group.
• PLAN NOW FOR THE END OF YEAR POTLUCK DINNER MEETING: This is the AWC’s end of year event scheduled for December 19th for getting together with fellow members and being able to have an extended group Show-and-Tell to highlight member’s projects. Plan now to bring a project or two to share with members at this popular annual event, as well as some delicious food to share! More information will be available about it in the December AWC Newsletter.
UPCOMING REGIONAL WOODWORKING EVENTS:
WOODSMITH STORE THURSDAY EVENING SEMINARS – Held at the Woodsmith Store, Clive - Seminars are held Thursday evenings and begin at 6:30 pm and run to 7:30 pm – Cost it $ 8.00 per seminar (includes $5 Woodsmith Store coupon); no pre-registration required. For updated scheduling see: http://www.woodsmithstorespecials.com/events/
Nov 30 – Carbide: Next Evolution in Turning; Dec 7 – Bowl Turning; Dec 14 – Router Basics
See you at the November AWC meeting at the Fire Safety Institute building on the ISU campus on Tuesday, November 21st at 7 pm.
This image was posted to a woodturning-related Facebook group with the simple question, “Can you tell what happened?” If you look closely, the turner was drilling an end-grain large hole using a Forstner bit – likely a cheap, dull Forstner bit – and the process developed enough heat to ignite one or more embers - which was overlooked. After leaving the lathe for a short time immediately following the drilling, the turner returned to see that the shavings on and beneath the lathe had caught fire. Fortunately, that was all that had burned, but the consequences could have been much, much worse. The advice and warnings on how to prevent this should be obvious, but it is one aspect of woodshop safety that that is often overlooked. Don’t be a victim of fire in the shop due to carelessness!