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of southwest florida

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Club Newsletter

January 2020

from the top

And so starts my second year as your club president.

Only a fool would say this job lacks challenge or involves little stress.   It provides ample doses of each.  That's just the nature of operating any organization.

But it also provides something much more important:  Opportunity.  Just as the club itself has grown, I too have grown along with it.  I've made new friends.  I've learned a great deal more than I can process.  I've watched others get inspired to do more with their own hobby.

A club isn't about who made what, who has what tools or even the size of your work space.  It's about giving yourself the opportunity to grow as a person.

It took me a full year, but now I get why people join clubs.  And I look forward to growing some more in the coming year.

in this issue

This month's Featured Work


Dom Bello brought in a Mahogany-turned bowl that he also carved.  The bowl was finished with polyurethane.  A great job of mixing his turning kills with his carving skills.    


January 2020 Club Meeting

Well, it's a new year, a new decade, and a new meeting time.  January marked the first time that we met on our new meeting schedule of the third Thursday of the month.  It was an amazing beginning with one of the best attended meetings we have ever had.  Everyone was excited to see how the new year would start.

The first show-and-tell of the year started off with nine members bringing in some amazing work.  We saw wonderful examples of bowls, peppermills, lamps, bangles, hollow forms, and carved turnings.  

Club president Joe Payne started the regular meeting by covering some old and new club business.  Members were encouraged to come participate on Saturday the 18th to help Phil Edilla with the Pens For Troops program.  President Joe also discussed several aspects of the upcoming ArtFest 2020 festival.  Board member Craig Meyer provided a fantastic 3D rendering of the club booth layout for everyone to see.

Club Treasurer Dan Alvo provided a quick summary of the club coffers.  The club is doing well and plans on a few big equipment upgrades in the coming year.

The club is making final plans for the Fort Myers ArtFest 2020.  The sign-ups for Artfest 2020 are underway, and at the time of this newsletter, there are still a few slots that need filled for turners, Q&A members, set-up and tear down volunteers.  This is going to be a great opportunity for our club to get out and show people who we are and what we do.  John Gerald is working on having tops ready for final turning so we can give the kids a small gift and maybe inspire them to become turners one day.

The Pens for Troops program by Dan Alvo and Phil Edilla is doing very well.  Phil estimates that we have nearly completed our next batch of pens to be sent overseas.  In addition, Phil is working on having a stockpile of tubed blanks ready to turn for those volunteering at Artfest 2020.  

Open shop Saturdays  

January Open Shop Days

January 4 & 18, 2020

January marked the beginning of our club having two open shop days per month all the way through April 2020.  

On January 4th, we had a full shop with people working of everything from pens to boxes and everything in between.  The feature of the day was Club Director John Gerald demonstrating how to turn tops for the kids at ArtFest 2020. 

On January 18th, the shop was open for personal projects, but we also had several members that dedicated their day to the Pens for Troops project.  Several members were cutting, drilling, and tubing blanks while others were assembling the final pens.  

February Open Shop day is the 15th.   The February 1st Shop Day is cancelled due to ArtFest 2020.  Hope to see you there!

Featured presenter

Franck Johannesen
Hollow Forms 

January's guest presenter was Franck Johannesen from the Sarasota Woodturners Club.  Franck presented the tools and techniques he uses to create some incredible hollow form vessels.  His hollow forms are truly a work of art.  Not only did he demo the equipment, our club members were invited to the lathe to try out his tools and receive a few minutes of instruction and advice. 

THIS MONTH'S TIP

Turning a Perfect Tenon - Every Time!

Here is a very simple way to cut a perfect tenon every time.  First, get yourself an inexpensive set of wrenches... most of us have a drawer full of extras. 

Simply sharpen the top side of the wrench and use it for your final sizing of a tenon.  The wrench is made to a specific size so your tenon will match that every time.  


AAW National News

AAW Symposium 2020

The American Association of Woodturners has announced the initial details for the 2020 symposium.  This time it will be held in Louisville, Kentucky.  You can read more about it on the AAW 2020 Symposium Page.

Upcoming Events

  • 03/21/2024 6:00 PM
    3061 E Riverside Dr, Fort Myers FL 33916
  • 04/06/2024 9:00 AM
    Riverside Community Center, East Door
  • 04/20/2024 9:00 AM
    Riverside Community Center, East Door
  • 05/04/2024 9:00 AM
    Riverside Community Center, East Door
  • 05/18/2024 9:00 AM
    Riverside Community Center, East Door

Chapter 120
American Association of Woodturners


Address:
3061 E Riverside Dr
Fort Myers, FL 33916

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