Call to order by Chair at 7:00
In attendance:
David Costain, Gary Dumas, Calum Ewing, Brad Holley (chair), Bill Howes, Ted Monk, Mary Elizabeth O’Toole (notes), Stephen Parsons, David Schlosberg, Glenn Whitehead, Mike Winslow,
Chair – Welcome
Brad – still sunny and warm
Jordan Crowell is unable to make us for a presentation on design, live edge and finishes. Hopefully, he will be able to join us in the fall
AGENDA
(following new format introduced last meeting)
SAFETY TIPS – discussion of tips and strategies for safer workshop
AWA PRIME TIME – Stephen Parsons present on his Shore Birds project and share his learning about resin
SHORT CUTS – Brad – a couple of tips for flattening a board wider than your jointer
TIPS, TECHS AND TOOLS – a few tips on new tools or techniques
FINAL WORD –Announcemtns, proposal for charity challenge, and discussion about dues.
SAFETY
Last month, Ted reminded of the need for a First Aid kit
This month, tips about table saw safety
- Ted suggests this important reminder: Never put your fingers near the blade until you can you count the teeth – since the only time you can count the teeth is when the blade is still
- Brad adds– never take your eyes off a moving blade
- When you are finished with the blade, put it down in the table – bury the blade
- Wait until blade has stopped moving after you turn it off
Tips about access to controls
- (from Stephen) – have more controls that are foot mounted, and have foot-controlled, or air-powered on/off switch which eliminates the need to look for an on/off switch if there is problem — a jointer that has a power switch with air control (air drives the switch to turn it on and off) means you can still hold the wood and hit the switch with your foot
- (from Brad) – I have moved the switch so I can control with knee and not let go of the wood – additional off switch
- On the topic of switches, remember to check the power and set-up when you change your usual practices, Calum shared an incident he had because of a change from routine uses. He shared that he ordinarily uses his router in the table, which has plug inside and switch outside. Recently, he, moved the router to do some work on the deck, he forgot that he usually keeps it on for the external plug to work and neglected to check the power. When he plugged it in took off across the surface. He says “If I had been closer to it would have been bad and could quickly have been an accident, not an incident.”
Safety challenge:
Mary Elizabeth issued a challenge for everyone to take action each month on one of the safety tips presented
Brad suggest could be good by way of updates as well
Trevor Edis shared earlier that he had been more aware of safety as result of Stephens presentation about his accident a couple of months ago
Take care with rags to apply finish
Glenn shared that he usually has a bucket of water to throw out rags but recently was working with some rags and boiled linseed oil and forgot to get water. He threw the rags outside the shop into the garden thinking would get water later. Within maybe 20 minutes the rags had ignited, started a bush on fire, and set off fire alarm. Fortunately, were able to get in control but happened very fast.
REMEMBER to throw rags used with finishes in water then hang to dry before throwing out
TECH TIPS AND TOOLS
Catching glue drips
Brad – Perusing on Instagram and saw a woodworker (@archerwoodworking)who makes cutting boards all day and uses a melamine sheet to capture the glue drips then scrapes off the glue with a putty knife – 8 in a sheet of melamine useful for assembly and to protect the surface. Brad uses paper or wax paper to catch glue and then throws it out but this would be more useable.
Other suggestions:
- (Stephen) – Cdn Tire is getting rid of silicone sets that include a baking sheet that would probably work similarly to melamine
- (Calum) – you can use those corrugated foam core used for election signs
- (Dave S) – in a pinch, I will put packing tape under things -messy to remove but works when no other options
- (Brad) – clamp bars with teeth can get covered with glue – covering with painters paint can be effective for that
Other tool recommendations
- (Ted) – Izzy Swan on YouTube – esp his demos on his X-Clamp X-Clamp System (izzyswan.com)
- Calum – went to get some new jigsaw blades and discovered – Sterrat dual cut blades – universal fit for any jig saw – designed specifically for cutting veneer plywood (at Home hardware) – teeth go opposite directions – so these ones will keep the plywoods still -They did a great job cutting laminate for countertop and only complaint in the middle the teeth are very small so tight difficult to do a tight corner. For up to 1 3/18″
SHORT CUT
Tips for flattening a board to wide for the jointer
BRAD
Board in 11 ½ inches wide so a little warped
Identify the high points (on the underside) by rocking board – tap tap tap test
Flip the board, mark x on the opposite (not high) sides to indicate ‘do not plane here’
Start planning after the corner and work to the other end
Do some – flip and repeat the ‘tap tap tap’ test
(Bill)– I don’t have a jointer so always flatten boards by hand – I would do a diagonal between the two high points and go back and forth between those for a bit first
The other things that will save you a little time so you don’t have to keep turning it over – use the winding sticks – and if you can’t find your winding sticks, use two longest planes for winding sticks
PRESENTATION
Stephen Parsons
Working with Resin
sharing learning journey
Zack Higgins at NB woodworking — and Ted Monk shared lots of tips on resin castin
Questions
- (from Calum) – doing a river pour table so doing some research – see people making molds with melamine and tuck tape – molds break when getting them out — how have you been dealing with that
- (from David) – you haven’t mentioned endothermic materials – to my experience you can use that heat to slow the process down—warmer space will help it cure faster
- (from Calum)– could you talk about how you are creating the joints in the legs to give the legs different positions
Stephen – thinking of building the joint and adding another piece
CALLUM – sort of segmented – cut through on an angle with legs in different positions – rotating with shapes – trick probably be figuring out the geometry on it
SHOW AND TELL
Bill – shopmade tools
Carving tools
Each sweep of the gouges has a handle of a different species — ie walnut handle means all #3 sweep
Chair making tools – mostly either find these tools in old collections – or make your own
Travisers – work cross grain
SHORT CUTS – Flattening a Board
BRAD – started off showing how I might flatten a board – the lst time I flattened a board I made a small stepping stool — bridal stool
MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
BOD is discussing price and will make a decision on that
Don’t know how we will proceed next ear—may be able to have some people join live meetings remotely.
Challenge to invite others to join
FOR NEXT MONTH
Sara Atkinson – NSCC graduate from Heritage Carpenter – does restoration of historical homes – will discuss how to restore sash windows and tell about some current projects
CHALLENGE in June – annual 2×4 — prize of some sort — 2×4 and no other wood – how much is 2×4 these days – can we use babinga or something else cheaper
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