Austin Woodworkers,

We are planning the next hand tool meeting. Terry Hall has graciously
offered his shop in Georgetown. We plan to meet there on Saturday,
February 25 from 10 am until around noon. Here’s Terry’s address:

229 Sebastian Ln
Georgetown, TX 78633

After the meeting we plan to go to for a hamburger in Andice, TX.

This meeting will be a time to try different sharpening methods for planes and chisels. Bring methods you think work and methods that don’t work. I have learned a lot from showing other galoots tools that I didn’t think worked. At the April general meeting we are going to present some things we learned.

Here is some common sharpening equipment. Can you bring any of this
with you to the meeting?

Grinding

• slow speed (dry) grinder
• 1″ belt sander — Mark W
• hand crank grinder
• Tormek
• Makita horizontal wheel
• Delta wet grinder
• Veritas Mk. II Power Sharpening System
• Work Sharp
• Coarse Norton 3x sandpaper on glass — Mark W
• Coarse Silicon Carbide stone — Mark W
• others?

Honing Jigs

• your hands
• side clamping jig — Mark W
• Veritas Mk II Honing Guide
• General “off the stone” guide
• block of wood — Mark W
• others?

Honing Media

• Norton Waterstones
• Shapton Waterstones
• Diamond stones
• Ceramic stones
• 3M Microabrasive sheets on glass — Mark W
• strop
• Natural Arkansas stones
• India stones
• others?

Other

• point light source
• magnifier
• microscope — Mark W

Come try other equipment and compare your results. I think we
will all learn a lot.

Fellow Woodworkers,

HAPPY NEW YEAR ! ! ! “Live Long and Prosper”

January Fine Woodworkers of Austin Meeting:

• Date: 2nd Thursday, January 12, 2012
• Time: 7:00 – 9:00 PM
• Place: Fine Lumber and Plywood, 9407 Brown Lane, Austin, Texas 78754, 512-836-8990

Presentation:

• Sponsor: Peter Kennedy, Fine Lumber & Plywood
• Speaker: Curtis Turner
• Topic: Lie-Nielsen Planes

Jim Wallace, President

Fellow Woodworkers,

December Austin Fine Woodworking Club Meeting:

• Date: Thursday, December 1, 2011
• Time: 7:00 – 9:00 PM
• Place: Woodcraft, Austin

Presentation:

• Speaker: Jim Wallace assisted by John Parkinson
• Topic: Vacuum Bag Gluing and Bent Plywood and Molded Panel Fabrication

Jim Wallace, President

Fellow Woodworkers,

November Austin Fine Woodworking Club Meeting:

• Date: Thursday, November 3, 2011
• Time: 7:00 – 9:00 PM
• Place: Woodcraft, Austin

Presentation:

• Speaker: Ambrose Taylor, www.vintagematerialsupply.com
• Topic: Reuse of Salvaged Materials

Ambrose, President of Vintage Material Supply Company, has been involved in woodworking for over 30 years.VMS reclaims and sells vintage timber and lumber, primarily old-growth longleaf pine, sinker pine, sinker cypress, and native Texas timbers.

VMS services include:

• Complete CNC machining services, including parts cutting for other manufacturers and suppliers
• Complete CNC carving services
• VMS specializes in unusual, rare, and vintage lumber and timbers, including: sinker pine, sinker cypress, old-growth bald yellow cypress, and reclaimed woods such as longleaf pine and Douglas fir.
• Complete sawmill and wood-drying kiln services
• VMS supplies “green” and eco-friendly materials, including bamboo plywood, an easily renewable resource.

The “Texas Furniture Makers Show” this year is November 10, – December 10.

For information about the Kerrville “Texas Furniture Makers Show” visit www.texasfurnituremakersshow.com.

Jim Wallace, President

Fellow Woodworkers,

August Austin Fine Woodworking Club Meeting:

• Date: Thursday, September 1, 2011
• Time: 7:00 – 9:00 PM
• Place: Woodcraft, Austin

Book Report: Mark Lovett Wells, “Beds”

Presentation:

• Speaker: Peter Kennedy
• Topic: “Wood Basics”

Peter grew up in Houston helping his father who restored and built furniture, first as a hobby then later as a small business. Peter received a degree in Industrial Arts, started a refinishing business, and taught high school shop. While teaching shop, he was asked to help start a shop for Fine Lumber. He has been with Fine Lumber for 26 years. Peter continues his interest in wood working, he builds furniture for his own use and, on occasion, for others.

Jim Wallace, President

August Fine Woodworkers of Austin Club Meeting:

• Date: Thursday, August 4, 2011
• Time: 7:00 – 9:00 PM
• Place: Woodcraft, Austin

Presentation:

• Speaker: Louis Fry
• Topic: “Useful Hand Tools In A Power Tool Environment”
• Preview: You can preview Louis’ work at www.louisfryfurniture.com

Louis Fry has been designing and making custom furniture full-time for more than 30 years. The first seven years he worked out of a small, detached garage in his back yard where he taught himself how to use both hand and power tools. Then for eleven years he rented a commercial shop space in south Austin where he usually employed from 1 to 3 assistants. Sixteen years ago he and his family built a home and workshop on a piece of rural property west of Dripping Springs where he presently works by himself.

Louis creates one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture for each of his clients and tries to work to a high standard of craftsmanship. He does not do reproductions or copy the work of others but is inspired by fine design and skilled craftsmanship regardless of the style or period. He lets his work speak for itself. Louis believes his designs reveal both his strengths and his limitations.

Jim Wallace, your new and slightly overwhelmed president.

July Fine woodworkers of Austin Meeting

• Date: Thursday, July 7, 2011
• Time: 7:00 – 9:00 PM
• Place: Woodcraft, Austin

Presentation:

• Speaker: Frank Lynn
• Topic: “Spray Techniques and Equipment”

The presentation will cover the following topics:

• Why Spray Finishes
• Equipment Needed
• Types of Spray Guns
• Demonstration (with Charlie Plesums)

Frank has been restoring antiques for about thirty years; the first twenty years as a hobby, the last ten as a business. Frank’s father taught woodshop and his grandfather was a furniture builder. Prior to running the restoration business Frank worked for ten years in the software business.

Jim Wallace, your new and still overwhelmed president.

The next meeting of Fine Woodworkers of Austin will be this Thursday evening at Woodcraft, 7-9 pm. The program for the meeting has been juggled (again)… John Parkinson will lead a discussion on shop organization and storage – he has an amazing amount of material and equipment in his two car garage… er… studio, yet it always appears neat and organized.

The tool of the month, to tie to John’s clean shop, is shop vacuums. I suggest a discussion on large capacity vs. small units, fancy vs. cheap units, large vs. small hoses, noise levels, self-starting features, connection to various portable devices like sanders, etc. Special dust collection systems are a big topic that I believe deserves a complete program.

Frank Lynn, who was originally scheduled for this month is not available for the June meeting, so look for his presentation this summer.

We are looking for suggestions or volunteers for program for the June meeting.