May 2021 S&T

We had three gatherings in May - one on May 5th, one on May 11th, and one on May 19th. Below are photos and descriptions of the many projects discussed during the Show & Tell portion of the meetings.

Tom Lawlor used his time during Covid to learn SketchUp using the book shown below. After learning this free CAD product, he then designed and built this TV Stand. The stand is of red oak - 5/4 & 6/4 planks that he bought at one of the club auctions. All the joinery is mortise & tenon. He added walnut inlay to the sides stiles. For the drawers, he used hand cut dovetails to at the front and back, using poplar for the sides and back. He finished the stand with shellac as a base coat and then Waterlox.
Tom noted that it was a great learning adventure and its even more fun to look at than the flat screen TV that sits on its top! His approach to mortise & tenon was very similar to what Neal Johnson demonstrated on April 7th.

Bill Keller presented a series of bread knives he recently completed. The wood (left to right) is walnut, ash, cherry, oak, and sapele. Bill used a band saw to cut the shape based on the template shown in the second photo. After cutting, bill used the self-made jig to aid in holding the knives while shaping them. He also used a 1/4" roundover bit to break the edges of the wood.

Dave Weir presented this nativity scene he recently finished. The carvings are based on a series of YouTube videos presented on the CarversWoodshop Channel. He also showed the "Guy" based on a video from Doug Linker's YouTube Channel.

Jim Yonkers showed a variety of projects he recently completed. The first is a Harvest Table constructed using reclaimed chestnut barnwood out of West Virginia. The table measures 96" x 36" and is finished using the West System products. Jim also turned a Bathroom Caddy of Heart Pine - aka Long Leaf Pine that was reclaimed from cotton gin timbers. He estimates the wood is 100" years old. The finish is a combo of mineral oil & bees wax. The maple and walnut c10" x 14" cutting board also has a finish of the combo of mineral oil and bees was. While lounging in Georgia, Jim also finished a two-headed character top for a new walking stick. He carved it of juniper and applied a variety of acrylic paints and then spray lacquer for the finish. The yelper style turkey call was turned from Georgia juniper and African blackwood.
Jim carved the wooden spoon from a piece of cypress that grows in the water around Georgia. He will not finish it at this point because it grows in water. The hugging cutting boards are cherry to which Jim applied a mineral oil and beeswax finish.

When in Georgia, Jim often encounters livestock of various types. The roster likes to come into the Shop and can be particularly nasty. We think he is hoping that Jim will build him a "nesting hut" for his gaggle of hens!
On the other hand, Jim and his son will routinely see wild hogs which often - like this one - end up in the smoke house he built previously.

Elaine Negrotto is learning how to scroll in addition to her carving. Recently, she completed this Bruce Worthington pattern featured in the Spring 2017 Scrollsaw Woodworking & Crafts magazine. Elaine used pine and applied paint to showcase the various features after adding a bit of carving and shaping the highlight various areas. Details of the birds are shown in the other photos.

Arlene Schlueter recently finished carving, scaling, and painting this striped bass with its mouth closed. She's starting on a new one next with it's mouth open!

Ted Kleege read that purple martins help to eradicate the mosquitos so he built a hotel for the martins to use. As it should be, the hotel can be disassembled for its yearly cleaning. Also, the 13-14' pole is hinged to allow it to be lowered.

Charlie LaPrease made two table tops for his son to use on two stool based whose seats were broken. The tops are from hickory and finished with Osmo oil.
Charlie also fit in some turning - or actually returning - as each of the pieces shown was dried for a couple years prior to returning. These first two are apple, with the second, thinner one the core of the left. Next are two from walnut, one from mulberry and one from Russian olive. Last, he's been practicing turning mini-bowls (about 4") from a 1" thick piece of wood and shows four cherry and one maple bowl.

Barbara Raymond-LaPrease presented this whimsical plaque of cherry that she embellished with colored pencil. The plaque's design is by Kenny Hopkins, one of our June 2021 demonstrators. Kenny will demonstrate how to create patterns like this for those assembled.
Barbara also show the "Spring Chicks" she cut from mahogany and painted. Charlie then assembled the chicks and they adorn the mailbox at the entrance to Eight Acres!

Mel Taber purchased this burl several years ago at the spring Saratoga woodworking show hosted by the Northeastern Woodworkers Association. No one was sure what the wood was but discovered that is was redwood once he started cutting it. The burl was large enough that he was able to get all of the bowls/platters shown from the burl! Some have a turned center whereas the rest he created using an angle grinder. All are finished with OSMO.

Mel also presented a large collection of bottle stoppers ready for the buyers. Note that Mel uses cut-off pieces of wood to create display stands for each bottle stopper.

Bob Henry has a location in Rochester where he sells a variety of projects. His gnomes in a variety of formats are very popular but this litter of kittens is also! He made a similar set of dogs. Each piece is 5/16" thick and he attaches a piece of black card stock to the back.

Mike Bloomquist showed two different projects - one carved and one scrolled. The Winter Solistice Tomte carved of basswood, adorned with watered down acrylics, and sealed with a clear satin poly shows the his carving skills. He used a pattern by Betty Padden in the Holiday 2020 issue of Woodcarvers Online as a guide when carving.

Mike showed a series of photos depicting his scrolled butternut three piece Tree of Life that is mounted in a wormy butternut frame he built. He created the pattern from a online graphic, modifying and adjusting the size to meet his daughter's request. To strengthen the wood, he laminating the 1/4" butternut pieces onto 1/4" plywood and then used black water-based enamel to darken the edges and hide the plywood.

Mike Vecellio was given a bunch of scraps from a friend who makes cutting boards. He glued up those scraps randomly into blanks he then used to turn these 7" candy bowls using the "board to bowls" technique demonstrated in 2019 by Mike Gridley. The only thing missing is the M&Ms!

John McCabe uses his scrap pieces to make handles for these Craft Supplies USA pizza cutters which are then sold at a friend's Cazenovia shop. The woods he used were koa, mango, cherry, walnut, and mahogany.

Ray Smith presented two different bowls as the weather is more conducive to garage turning, One from birch and one from cherry. It's the first time this newbie turner created a bowl with a splayed lip. He used Walnut oil for his finish.

Larry Prunotto presented two magic salt shakers, a 6" one of oak with a sycamore cap, and a 3" one of curly maple and charry using the instructions provided in Doug's April demonstration. He also showed a spalted birch pencil cup that he will present to the Clay Lowe's manager that assisted with pricing and discounts on wood and supplies for the Build a Desk project. All pieces have a wipe-on poly finish and then were Beall buffed.

Robert Ward presented two different groups of projects - those for which he had orders and those he completed for "stock" since he will be participating in a few of the upcoming craft shows during June and July.