July 2003 Newsletter
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In this Issue
From the President
Highlights June meeting
Coming Events 
Little Tern Project
Profile Alan Ramsay

From the President Annual General Meeting

The year 2002-03 has been interesting, rewarding and, I think, successful. For that, thanks are due to every member of the Society. There can be no success, in whatever terms that may be measured, without members making a commitment to attend meetings, workshops and other activities as arranged. 
Special thanks are due to members of the Management Committee who, month by month make an additional commitment to ensure the activities of the Society are planned with the overriding interests of members and the objectives of the Society as the focal points.

Membership of the Society has shown some interesting movement. Currently, there are 64 members, a very healthy number considering the demographics of the catchment area. We have 10 monthly meetings throughout the year and in 2002 –03 attendance has averaged 33 with an average of 4 visitors. Minimum attendance was 22 members (July – AGM!!!), maximum attendance was 44 in June. By anybody’s standards those figures are pleasing and speak volumes for the health of the Society.

Monthly meetings remain the backbone of the Society’s activities. Planned segments have been supported by increasing numbers of members prepared to display and explain their work via the “show and tell” segment, often the part of the meeting evoking the most participation, enjoyment and satisfaction. In addition the Christmas Family Day (Kangaroo Valley) and the January BYO Bar-B-Q were both well attended and enjoyed by all.

Activities in addition to monthly meetings have been arranged for the development of members’ skills and, within the restrictions imposed by such things as the size of the venue and the optimum number from the point of view of active participation, attendances have been to capacity.
Those workshops were: Sharpening Day (Jim Davey) July 20: Turning Workshop (George Viellaris) Sept. 21, Nov. 23, and March 23: Laminated Designs in Wood (Ernie Fenske) Feb. 22; Ring Cutting Bowls (Alan Martin) April 19. The Society is greatly indebted to those members who willingly undertake an educational role for the benefit of other members. A major part of the success of this organization is the principle of members sharing with other members. Underlying that principle is another which is even more basic: ie; that we all have something to learn and we all have something to give.

Sadly, throughout the year a number of our members passed away. We are grateful for the memory of them as individuals and for the contribution they each made to the Society.

The Annual General Meeting will see all positions within the Society declared vacant and an election to fill each of those positions will ensue. At this point I sincerely thank all those who have held a committee position in the past year. I also commend each of the positions for the consideration of members and wish both the new committee and the Society in general a very successful and profitable 2003 –04.

Arnold Parrott.

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Note: Annual membership fee for individuals or families $25.00 payable in July.

Highlights from June  Meeting

It was a very well attended meeting for a cool night. I counted at least 46 present. Visitor Colin Gale was welcomed to the meeting. President Arnold touched on the coming events to remind everyone they are expected to bring their half super-foot item to the next meeting. Raffle wood was won by Ernie Fenske, Ray Harlow, Colin Gale, Bill Turner, and Paddy Riley. President Arnold waited until the last prize was collected before announcing the winners would be expected to use the wood to make something to show at a subsequent meeting in Show and Tell !!!
Arnold and Jim Davey did an introduction to the Old Tool part of the evening. Arnold mentioned the main four operations in a woodwork 
project, to wit cutting, shaping, smoothing, finishing. He drew particular attention to hazards in woodwork, particularly dust hazards. 

He showed the following diagram as a timely  reminder.

Arnold showed some of his prized old tools and reminded members that you can often get more satisfaction using a hand tool to create something than to use machinery.This sentiment was echoed by Jim Davey who confessed to having the usual array of machine tools but felt there was room for both in a workshop and proceeded to demonstrate that with property tuned and sharpened hand tools you can sometimes even surpass a machine finish. 

Some old hand tools take on  almost a bizarre appearance as evidenced by Jim’s old Lock Mortise Chisel .

Jim also reminded us that with hand tools there is much less need for much of the costly workshop paraphernalia we can surround ourselves with like dust masks and extractors. Jim showed us a few more of his old planes and discussed the reasoning behind the different angles for plane irons which may vary apparently between 12 and 55 degrees. The lower angles are used for end grain and ‘cranky’ grains. Most are about 45 
degrees but one manufacturer favours about 50 degrees for Australian timbers.

Show and Tell.
Excellent participation by members bringing their antiques treasures. I noted contributions from George grey, Brian Byrne, Bob Conlon, Bob Turner, Bill Turner, Ray Owen and Gordon Elford and they all had stories to tell. We saw a surprising array of old planes, hand braces, old woman’s tooth, gimlets, moulding scrapers, moulding planes, plough and beading planes, spokeshaves, scribing and firming gouges, sharpening guide, keyhole (compass) saws, Peg/spigot cutter, folding boxwood rulers in various forms, egg beaters, some multi-speed. It was probably one of the most comprehensive show of old tools we have had. One person even tried a swiftie by bringing in a lead ball mould from the days of muzzleloaders and black powder !.

Other show and tell comprised of two nice bowls in Cedar and one in Sally Wattle by Ian Morrisson. Gordon Elford brought in three segmented bowls. He also had a large hand carved platter in White Cypress. John Goodger showed how you can retrieve an error in the process of segmented bowl making which resulted in an even more attractive pattern. Very nicely done John. Peter Farrell thought he could get away with photos of his new Buffet in European Ash. Personally I would have liked to see him carrying it in especially since it seems it was beautifully made.

Finally Paddy Riley brought in his Irish  version of a Chinese puzzle box. He locked the instructions on how to open it inside !!!!!!!!

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Little Tern Project

We met National Parks and the Media at the school on 27th June to hand over about 50 decoys for painting. Four tables placed end to end to form two workbenches. One bench containing many wooden Little Tern decoys, paint, paint brushes and rags. Geoff and Darrell madly converting the rags into aprons. Peter Reed and Pat Hall from the National Parks and wildlife Service witnessing the events unfolding in the Main Assembly Hall. Miss Boyd the teacher charged with supervising the painting of the decoys, and her pupils gathered near the stage watching Alan wave a winged bird in the air and listening to his talk on what was to happen. The shouted reply, "REAL GOOD to the question, " What sort of painters are you ?" And the scene was set for the action to come.

Geoff and Darrell demonstrated, guided, explained and supervised what was necessary to make the decoys look like real Little Terns and the students from Culburra reacted with overpowering enthusiasm. They painted white and grey with the dexterity of Picasso and Ken Done. Those with the grey, cutting in like true professionals, but unfortunately the shortness of time and the length of paint drying, did not allow one decoy to be completed. More than one session will be necessary with those school children to get the birds completed and the intervening holiday won't help, but from the observations of their effort and that enthusiasm, these decoys will be ready for the August/September migration.

For those members who through knife, chisel, angle grinder or just hard work, produced a bird or two for this project, you can rest assured that your bird or birds will be out there in the sand to attract another couple of Little Terns into a protected nesting site and helping an endangered species.
Contributed by Alan Spearpoint

Timber and Working with Wood Show

Overheard:
My informant was at a stand where plane blade and chisel sharpening was demonstrated. He picked one up and turning to a colleague said quietly. “This hasn’t got a mirror finish on it the way we were taught” . The demonstrator overhearing said “Oh yes! I know Jim Davey too !” 
A little while later at another stand showing old tools he said “This old chisel will be hard to bring back to prime condition and to get a mirror finish on it “ To which the demonstrator replied “ Oh so you know Jim Davey too !” Now is that a coincidence or what !!!!!!!!!!! (Editor)
My visit to the Show
 This year I was fortunate in having a lift to the 'Timber and Wood Show' with two West Cambewarra friends. (They're both potential SWS joiners.). After the car was parked in the Fox Studios car park, we headed for the Show venue. I tried not to gloat as I waved my pre-paid ticket and my companions walked to the end of a long queue.
As I entered the grounds two attractive girls enthusiastically greeted me. Though that seemed to be their job as they gave out adverts for a new hammer. I continued on into the outdoor area, where as in previous years I admired the large slabs of attractive woods.  A beautiful slab was just then being sawn off a large Sequoia log, that had been locally grown. The vertically held chain saw was formidable.
In the Hall of Industries it was surprising to see how many people were already shuffling along the aisles and milling around various attractions.
After doing a general reconnoitre of the building I ended up buying a set of Riffler files from McJing Tools. (The scraper blade holder I wanted from Carbo-Tec wasn't available.) My favourite attraction was the stand of The Woodcut Craft Co. (from near Scone.) who were displaying traditional chairs and demonstrating the making of them. As I've been attracted to the idea of making a Windsor chair for some time I returned to the Traditional Tools Sales Area. There after elbowing my way in to the counter I bought a Scorp !!!  (I think they called it a two-handled curved drawknife.) So now maybe I've no excuse for not trying a chair project.    I also met Tony the local (Nowra) High School teacher, who directed my attention to a modern chair displayed way at the back corner of an Education Dept., High Schools display of work. This chair had been made by an Emma To and was almost the equal in standard to a displayed chair, in the main hall, by professional furniture designer and maker Robert Chapman (from Unanderra.). Emma To's design and construction diary displayed with her chair was most enlightening, but I found her $200+ cost of manufacture and finishing a bit startling.
The show seems to be getting more crowded each year. An indication of this may be the dozen or so SWS members and other people into whom I bumped during the day. But it was another enjoyable visit.
Contributed by Lawrie Cowell

A note from me.
If someone would like to understudy for the editor’s job I’d be very happy to help them or indeed step aside, given that we are about to have a new year start. It is an interesting job which I have done now for several years. The newsletter is formatted in Microsoft Publisher 2000 so if someone is interested but not confident in using that program I would be very happy to teach them. This newsletter is usually loaded onto our internet site in the first week of the month. At the time of preparing this Newsletter we have had almost 900 visitors to our website on the net. I will continue to manage the site in the new financial year as it fits in comfortably with my other internet work 

Geoff Spencer (Editor)
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Coming Events
 
July 16th Annual General meeting. Committee’s choice— any article made using half a super foot of timber (12” X 6” X 1” or the equivalent volume). Points will be awarded on the basis of minimum waste. And don’t forget. Bring a wife, partner or girlfriend.
August 20th Guest John Hawkins Scroll sawing. (tentative)
Oct 31st to Nov 2nd - Our annual Joint Exhibition 
Date to be fixed -Bob Kells Cabinet Making

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Profile David Esdaile

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