In these uncertain times with our economy sputtering, with many companies downsizing their person-nel, with families cutting back on their spending, and with the stock market going up and down like a yo-yo, it has been interesting to note that my friend William Ng, and his school of Fine Woodworking, is having one of their best year’s since he founded the school. He and I were talking about this, and wondering if it is because so many people are deciding to do more things for themselves. Take a look at the plethora of do it yourself programs on TV, and all of the different types of classes being offered at all of the big hardware stores around the country. They’re teaching tile, plumbing, and even electrical classes in the hopes of getting more people involved in do it yourself projects around their respective abodes, and it can’t hurt their bottom line either. Usually, it is at this point in my spring article that I plug our Fine Art Wood-working Show at the Orange County Fair as being an attraction for people who want to get into woodworking as a hobby, and need an incentive such as the beautiful works of art that we display every year to spur them into action on making something for the home, but, alas, this is not the point of this article. The point of this article is to bring attention to the fact that during these times

of economic uncertainty there are increased levels of stress being felt by most people, and with more and more people doing things for themselves, especially with power tools, that there could be the real possibil-ity that stress could be a factor in causing some unnec-essary accidents. Usually, stress can lead to a lack of focus, so being methodical

when starting a project is of the utmost importance. Spend some time organizing your shop, so it is clean and efficient. It is also important to lay out your project on paper, so you have a plan of attack. Put together your drawings, cutting lists for your material,

and the types of tools needed for the job, which should include things like jigs, and safety devices. I think you’ll find that by taking the time to do a few of these things before you get started that it can help in taking your mind off of those events that are bringing on the stress in your life, and help you focus on the job at hand. It also helps to keep your spouse out of the garage.

Website Update Jonathan Cosmos, our new Webmaster for the www.ocwoodworkers.com website has been working diligently to redesign our website, and hopefully it will be up and running by the time we meet again in April. As with any change, there will probably be a few bugs to work out, but I am confident that we will have an inviting, and user friendly website for everyone to enjoy.

Sawdust & Sawdust & Sawdust & Shavings Shavings Shavings Volume 26 Issue 4 April 2009

President’s Message James Santhon

IN THIS ISSUE

President’s Message 1

Woodworker’s Sawdust 2

Woodturner Shavings 3

Show and Tell 4

Coming Attractions 5

Toy Program 5

Drawings 6

Freedom Pens 7

OC Fair 2009 8

Meeting Dates 10

The Router Workshop was held at David Wade’s shop on Saturday, March 21st and those that were fortunate enough to attend were dazzled with David’s ability to take a complicated router setup and make it seem easy. As always, David concentrated on safety but at the same time was able to communi-

cate some intriguing concepts re-garding making your own fixtures to use with the router. There was some serious note taking going on there! The atten-dees went from, “How does he do that” to, “I think I can do that.” Thank you for sharing, David.

I would like to thank our Secretary and speaker for the March meeting, Ed Straub for the great lecture on entering your pieces for the OCFair. I know Ed has been very active in the Fair and was very helpful to those who came for ad-vice. Ed is always there if you need any help, please be sure to ask for any help.

Our speaker for the April 2nd meeting will be David Brunetta who lives and works in Laguna Beach. David is a very multi-talented artist who has a web-site, www.sculpturesbydavid.com. David will be talking to us about making “BOWS” yes real bows like bows and arrows. He has some splendid exam-

ples, which he will share with us.

Our speaker for the May 7th meeting will be Frank Irving. Frank is a very experi-enced and talented woodworker who is one of the few woodworkers who has had the opportunity to work with Sam Maloof. Frank lives in Laguna Woods where he uses their very comfortable woodshop. He will be bringing some of his pieces and will also give us some tips on finishing. Frank is a retired Art Teacher.

Random Notes:

• Agazzani has two new bandsaws (20” and 24”)

• New Walko workbench arrives in USA from Netherlands. See weblink for short v ideo presentat ion:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqW6GsN9Qs4

• Festool is about to introduce some new tools

• Two New Workbenches on sale from General. (See pic-tures at right.)

Woodworker Sawdust Chester Maharaj

Mentor Workshop David Wade

Shavings President’s Message Vic Cohn Hello fellow OCWoodTurners. Please note the following definition of an ‘Expert’ taken from Wikipeadia.org, an online dictionary source.

An expert is someone widely recognized as a reliable source of technique or skill …. An expert, more generally, is a person with extensive knowledge or ability in a particular area of study. To me, an expert is someone who can take a complicated subject like ‘Wood’ and explain all about it to others in a very simple, straight forward way, that is easily understood by everyone who is listening. Now I have been referring to our own David Wade who did the demonstration at our last WoodTurners meeting, March 19, as an expert, but David refuses to acknowledge that he is one. I am certain that all the members who were treated to David teaching us about ‘Wood’ would agree that he absolutely knows what he is talking about and therefore is an expert.

David began with a warning about the toxicity of wood and how important it is for us to protect ourselves when handling it. We then learned about the different parts of a tree and how the many layers of the tree affect our turning efforts. I thought the most interesting part of the pres-entation was how David drew, on the white board, a cross section of wood that was about to be turned. David pointed out that there were sev-eral different ways to position your turning project with regard to the bark, the growth rings and the pith. What I found the most exciting was our being shown an actual example of a turned piece that had been oriented different ways with regard to the bark, growth rings and pith. Wow, what an impression David made. He explained something to us and then he proved what he said by showing an actual piece of turned wood. David then suggested that the challenge for the month of April 2009 would be to choose a piece of your own wood and turn a project keeping in mind the best possible use of the wood with regard to the bark, growth rings, and pith. David, you are an expert to us, and thanks from the whole group for such a great demonstration. Craig Chambers reported on our next Pro demo by Donald Derry on Saturday, April 4 at the Clifton C. Miller Community Center, 300 Centennial Way, Tustin, CA at 9am. We then sounded the trumpets, da-dut-dah-dah-di, and announced that the OCWA toy program had won the Woodcraft Magazine Editors grand prize for best Christmas toy program for 2008. We received a $200 gift card to be used at our local Woodcraft store that I’m sure Bill Rogers and Tom Polhamus will find easy to spend for much needed supplies. I’m hoping for a follow up article in the Woodcraft Magazine, so let’s keep our fingers crossed. We went on to our 1st Wood-A-Thon where members brought in and donated wood for sale on a $5, $10, $15, or Silent Auction Table. We took in $430 for the evening. Thanks everyone for making this a great success. Dur ing the break we announced the March birthdays, sang happy birthday, and shared in a big birthday cake made out of Chocolate and Vanilla cupcakes. Gee, the

thick icing was sooo good. And what about all the home made cookies from refreshment person, Pam Lane? Thanks, Pam. Now it was on to the monthly

challenge, a High Build CA Finish on pens, with judging by David Tilson, last month’s demonstrator. Ruthie Ingram took 3rd place

and won a saw blade changing tool, Robert Bilevich won 2nd and won a 12” Irwin clamp, and you guessed it, Ross Gilroy won 1st place and a 16 piece set of Forstner bits. We all love you Ross, but one of these days, we’re going to have a new king of the mountain. (That’s supposed to be a challenge to all you other Woodturners) Show & Tell had many wonderful entries and the 50/50 raised $55 dollars for a member and also for the ‘kitty.’ Next months Demo will be by Ralph Alder whose extraordinary turning skills were on display at last years OC Fair. That’s it from here, and remember, our club, the OCWT, is as great as it is because of YOU.

Turner Committees

Outside Programs Craig Chambers (714) 761-9245

Pen Projects Ruthe Ingram (714) 536-3624

Workshops Vic Cohn (562) 252-2580

Wood supplies Jeanette Gonzales (562) 417-7750

Refreshments Chester Maharaj (714) 832-6203

Video/Sound Ralph Alder (714) 544-3328

Challenge Denise Paley (949) 830-0730

50/50 Drawing Bill Rogers (714) 637-2912

AAW Membership Victor Cohn (562) 252-2580

Logo / Shirts Harold Hardy (562) 429-1671

Nominating Craig Chambers (714) 761-9245 Art Fitzpatrick (562) 421-6992

Special Projects Jerry Nininger (949) 631-7530

Show & Tell Photos OCWA

When I attended the AAW symposium in Portland in 2007 they asked that any groups that made wooden toys to please bring some to share with a local hospital. I took some of our toys and put them on a long... table be-side toys from all over the country, and I was very proud of our quality compared to the others. Woodcraft magazine held a contest to find the best toy making group in the country. Vic Cohn filled out the application for us and sent it along with a write up and pictures on our program. He received a call from them requesting more information, which he sent, we got excited because it sounded like we were in the running. Then Vic got a call last week and was told that we won the contest---WOW!!! My hat is off to all of you who have been making toys and helping with our work parties. Its a great tribute to your commitment to the OCWA. On March 7th we had a work party at the Lutheran High School wood shop. Once again we had a great turnout when 27 people showed up to help. Ed Smet brought a bunch of his keep sake boxes, we put hinges on 80 of them and assembled another 50. Most of these boxes go to parents of children who have lost their battle with life threatening diseases. Roger Balling brought over 400 parts for the flip top cell phones that he and Jim Balestreri make. We had a lot of people sanding and shaping the parts, Roger was amazed at how much work got done. You talk about a team effort, I have never seen that much sawdust in any one place. Yes, James, we issued dust masks to all the workers. Burt Underwood brought about 100 helicopters for us to work on. Everyone worked together to sand the fuselages and props, even

Vic's Grandson Adam got into the act. Our next work shop will be Saturday April 4th at Roger Ballings' house. His address is: 18622 Fairwood Lane, Santa Ana, 92705. He will have directions on how to get there at our next meeting on April 2nd. I will pass around a sign-up sheet at that meeting. Thank you all for everything you do to make our program strong.

Coming Attractions OCWA Events Location Dates

Utah Symposium Provo Utah May 14 — 16

San Diego Fair Del Mar June 12 — July 15

AAW Symposium Albuquerque June 26 — 28

OC Fair Costa Mesa July 10 — August 9

Demonstrations Host Date Cost Location

Pro Workshop Don Berry

Hands On OCWT April 2 — 3 $275 Foreman’s Shop

Pro Demonstrator Don Berry OCWT April 4 $30 Tustin Senior

Center

Pro Demonstrator Stuart Batty OCWT August 9 TBD Tustin Senior

Center

Dave Brunetta Wooden Bows OCWA April 2 Free Tustin Senior

Center

Frank Irving Finishing OCWA May 7 Free Tustin Senior

Center

Toy Program Bill Rogers

Christmas Party

I put out all my remaining raffle items last month and we brought in an unprecedented low of $21.00. I hope we can do better this next month, please! At this years budget meeting I discovered that the money going to the raffle also goes towards all club expenses, toy program included. So every dime goes for a good cause, from the chairs we sit in and the room we use to Ruthe’s Freedom Pens and the Toy program. So every dime counts. We are changing the raffle just a little from last year and after discussing it in detail at the board meeting we decided to have one month of just gift cards and the next month one or two larger items, and back and forth. We’ll see how this comes out. So everyone save up your lunch money for a raffle ticket. Prices are the same as they have always been:

$1 buys 1 ticket $5 buys 6 tickets $10 buys 13 tickets and plus bonus ticket (free) I will still try to have a $100 bonus card from time to time, depending on how things go with our sponsors, but if I don’t you haven’t lost anything. And I am still open to suggestions, for items ranging in price from $90.00-$150.00. We will investigate this and see if we can pull it off for you. PLEASE, do let me know what you would like to see, or just drop a line and let me know what you think. Do you have an even better idea?

Send your suggestion to: cherilee@softprogs.com SUBJECT: OCWA Raffle Very important: include OCWA RAFFLE in the subject. I have made an email filter to find messages with OCWA in the subject and separate them from my spam. I wont get it unless you do and I don’t want to miss hearing from you. LAST BUT NOT LEAST:

The condo complex where I live is still cutting down a large number (over 50 or more) of old growth (1982 vintage) trees. The better part is the remaining trees will be coming down a few at a time, not all within a month or two. It will probably take 6 months to a year or even more to com-plete. The girl in charge (Melanie) of the operation is getting me a map with the trees numbered and their species. This would be a great opportunity to get some nice burl or some large limbs for turning, or just some wood to let dry out for future use. You can contact me using the address above with OCWA RAF-FLE in the subject line to let me know if you are interested in any part or a whole tree. Please do not go directly to the landscapers, Melanie has told me they have given the Asso-

ciation a price to haul the trees away, and if we take it for them the Association wants the credit from the landscapers. We don’t want to pay them for work they didn’t do. See you all at the meeting in April.

Monthly Drawings Cheri Durthaler

Board of Directors

President James Santhon (949) 481-2821

Treasurer Ralph Crowther (949) 588-2922

Vice President Chester Maharaj (949) 422-4522

Secretary Ed Straub (714) 536-4568

Woodturners President Victor Cohn (562) 252-2580

Public Affairs Chairman Don Scott (714) 533-7883

Director at Large Bill Rogers 714) 637-2912

2nd Director at Large Ralph Alder (714) 544-3328

Newsletter Don Scott (714) 533-7883

Committees

Badges Lew Musgrave (714) 532-4778

Toy Program Bill Rogers 714) 637-2912

Library Ollie Vaughan (949) 278-5939

Nominations & Elections Bill Rogers (714) 637-2912

Refreshments Pam Lane (714) 774-4497

Welcome /Membership Art Dunbar (949) 830-3569

Mentor Chairman David Wade (714) 771-3248

Resources George Plummer (714) 540-4527

OC Fair Ed Straub (714) 536-4568

Drawing Cheri Durthaler (714) 936-9188

Webmaster John Cosmos (909) 393-4241

Nationwide total = 93,221, 2009 = 2,041 Orange County Total = 11,659, 2009 = 1,032 As you can see we are still a tad over 50% of the total for 2009. But rest assured that there are woodworkers all over the nation who would like to take our number ONE position away from us so we must not let these early figures fool us into thinking that we can remain number ONE unless we keep our momentum going. How awesome is it to be number one with the Toy Program and the Pen Project? I told you guys and gals YOU ARE THE BEST! Thank you all for your help and support!!! My goal this year is 3,000 pens and we have a great start with 1,032 pens shipped for the first quarter of the year. Perhaps you will be interested to know how much it costs to meet this goal! Here is a brief breakdown of costs: 3,000 pen kits at $1.25 = $3,750; ship-ping for 12 large flat rate boxes at 12.00 each = $144.00; printing approximately $150.00; and miscellaneous expense $100.00. for a total of $4,144.00. The above costs do not include my trips to Camp Pendelton, PR pens, pen sets donated for fund raisers, Larry Roth engraving names; cookies to troops, etc. Camp Pendelton Wounded Warrior Battalion Ground Breaking Ceremony: I would like to share my ex-perience and privilege of being invited to the Wounded Warrior Ground breaking ceremony that took place on February 27, 2009. The photo in the center of the collage is the artist rendering of the new facility. There will be a total of three build-ings and the first building will have 100 rooms to house 200 wounded and be completed by March 2010. The new facility is situated in a peaceful setting overlooking O’Neill Lake. General Lehnert had the final vote as to whether the new facility would be near the more populated area for con-venience or the more peaceful setting. After getting out of bed at 1:00 AM one morning to visit both locations it was easy to decide that our wounded should be where they could enjoy the peace and beauty of the chosen location. This location is also very close to the Naval Hospital which will be more convenient for the Doctors and wounded for their appointments and treatments. Wounded Warrior Canes made and donated by Ollie Vaughn and gratefully accepted at the Wounded Warrior Battalion. Thank you so much Ollie!!! General Mike recently sent me an article regarding Woodworkers all over the nation who turn and personalize canes with the soldiers name, com-bat tours, and dates of wounds and a craved eagle’s head on top of each cane. One of the Wounded Warrior’s at Camp Pendelton proudly showed

me his cane on my last visit. It meant so much to him that someone would take so much time and effort to make this cane just for him. Here is one quote from the article that was written by Michael Laris, a Washington Post Staff Writer: C.A. Savoy has gotten too good at making canes. “There’s a need. If there wasn’t, we wouldn’t be turning them, “ said Savoy, a master woodworker from Fairfax County. “When the kids stop coming home wounded, we’re out of business. And that can’t come soon enough.” Army Maj. Joe Claburn, 32, stopped outside a dining room at Walter Reed Army Medical Center yesterday to pick up his cane. Burned along the side is his nickname, “Crazy Joe.” That’s what the Pakistani soldiers dubbed him in 2001. They taught him a few phrases in Urdu before the invasion of Afghanistan, and that he used for a while before he knew just what he was saying: “I’m a crazy man”

Purpleheart pens made by Bruce Potter and names lazered by Larry Roth. This is just a sample of the 32 pens that I took to the Wounded Warriors on the day of the ground breaking ceremony. Thank you Bruce and Larry!!!

P.S. I want to thank Victor Cohn for the birthday surprise at our last turner' meeting. That was very thoughtful and I'm sure all of the other March birthday people enjoyed the surprise 'cupcake' sheet cake as

well. Victor you are outstanding! ;-)

Bless you all………….Hugs, Ruthe

Freedom Pen Project Ruthe Ingram

OC Fair 2009 Ed Straub As noted in my previous segment about the Apprentice competition there has been several changes since the 2007 competition. A new building, more Division-Class categories and more entries, for instance. There were 55 master entries in 2007 and 99 entries in 2008. In 2009 we have added a special Division-Class for Boxes. This divides the Accessories Division into three Classes. The spread sheet in this article shows how the entries have been distributed in previ-ous years. This article is directed to the old and new masters who will be making entries into the 2009 Competition. In the 2008 Competition there were 17 Classes with 14 1st place ribbons being awarded. These 14 entries are shown in the montage below. Ten 2008 Apprentices have graduated to the Master class. This will heighten the number of entries and improve the competition with the 2008 Masters. The Contemporary Furniture and Accessories and Open Form Turnings had a large number of entries and hence more competition for those three 1st place ribbons. There were no entries in the Marquetry/Vaneering Division and only one entry in the Wooden Models Division. The Art/Studio Furniture Division is the ideal place for the Masters to display their unique design and craftsman-ship abilities. A Master may fashion a unique table, chair, chest of drawers, cabinet, etc outside the staid bounda-ries of either traditional or contemporary furniture and express a unique signature design. Commissioned pieces seem more likely here than from the other Divisions. Here is where imagination and ingenuity are allowed to team with craftsmanship to produce truly outstanding works of art and functionality. Let Ikea do the knockoffs. The four 2008 Art/Studio Furniture entries are shown in the small montage.

OC Fair 2009 Continued

WHERE? Tustin Senior Center

200 S. C Street Tustin, CA 92680

WHEN?

Woodworker’s Meeting Thursday April 2nd 7:00 pm

Woodturner’s Meeting

Thursday April 16th 6:30 pm

Board Meeting Thursday April 2nd 6:00 pm

P.O. Box 1038 Fullerton CA 92836-8038

Friends of OCWA — Please Support Our Sponsors

Anderson International Trading

(800) 454-6270 Deft, Inc Laguna Tools

(800) 234-1976

Rockler Woodworking & Hardwoods (714) 282-1157

Austin Hardwood & Hardware

(714) 953-4000 Forrest Blades Reel Lumber Service

(714) 632-1988 Festool

Craft Supplies, USA (800)551-8876

Industrial Blade & Products Co.

Renaissance Door & Window

Woodcraft Supply (714) 899-1422

Sawdust and

Shavings

Monthly Newsletter of

The Orange County Woodworkers

Association

Visit us at the Web at: ocwoodworkers.com

The OCWA newsletter is sent out on the Saturday be-fore the Woodworkers Meet-ing . . . At the latest. Any articles you wish to sub-mit must be in my hands by the Saturday after the Turner’s meeting. Editor: poppyocwa@scottseagle.com