WAVERLEY WOODWORKERS INC.
Clubrooms: 2 Windsor Ave.,
Mount Waverley, Vic 3149
|
NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER, 2004 |
Volume 11 Office bearers 2004/2005 Issue 10
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Now that we are in Spring Carnival mode, I hope we are all sparing a thought for all those Rocking Horses made by club members in the last 18 months. I hope a lot of members have also tried out the new lathe like I did recently and yes it purred along beautifully. But I have noticed that some members aren’t turning the speed back to zero when finished and please turn off the switches.
I know that this sounds a bit like preaching but everybody needs to leave each machine in the safest condition for the next user so that nobody needs to make any assumptions about the condition of the machine and their own abilities.
Geoff Allen
CLUB NIGHT 10 NOVEMBER, 2004 at 7:30 pm
Refresher Course in how to use the Triton Router and Table:
If you are having problems in getting going on this machine or unsure of how to get precise adjustment then Tony McLachlan’s demonstration is a must.
Create From a Crate:
What we are entering! Seven of us paid $25 to enter this competition and five of us are still going. This represents a chance for W.W.I. to show the “Woodie” community what we have been hiding.
Members are asked to look but not stroke the beautiful timbers on the night because we are having trouble avoiding scratches and marks on the timber.
Discounts Available from the following:
The following companies offer discounts to members of the Waverley Woodworkers . Note: Discounts are only available on presentation of your current membership card.
Australian Wood Panels, 40-42 Winterton Rd., Clayton 9543 5033
Baileys Toolbank. Unit 4 Rowen Crt., Box Hill 9897 1911
Blackwoods, 9-19 Lionel Rd., Mount Waverley (ask for Cyril) 9518 2222
Carba-Tec. 521 Mountain Highway, Bayswater 9427 8444
Note: The current Richmond shop will be closing
mid December, 2002
Dixon’s Hardware. 304 Stephensons Rd., Mount Waverley 9888 1813
Flatman’s Timber & Hardware. High Street Road. Syndal 9802 9211
A. Lewis & Co. 302 Jasper Rd., Ormond 9578 6218
Malvern Paint & Timber Finishes. 1933 Malvern Rd., Malvern East 9885 2883
Magnetic Abrasives. 286 Neerim Rd., Carnegie 9571 6811
Mathews Timbers. 125 Rooks Rd., Vermont 9874 1666
Moorabbin Timber. 230 Wickham Rd., Moorabbin 9553 0155
Plyboard Distributors. 192 Princess Highway, Dandenong 9793 4233
Sachy’s Industries, 43 Browning Drive, Glen Waverley 9803 2370
Shiver me Timbers, 217 Kororoit Creek Rd. Williamstown 9397 5993
Woodworking Warehouse. 11 Citrus St. Braeside 9587 3999
If you know of any other source for discounts for members, then please give me a ring on 9560 5752 with the details.
Similarly, if you have difficulty obtaining a discount from any of the above, please give me a ring. Peter Hughes
|
COPYRIGHT: Except where otherwise stated, other woodworking clubs may use items from our Newsletter. We do ask that such be without alterations, and that the source be acknowledged. |
CHRISTMAS PARTY, 4 December 12:00 noon at Valley Reserve, Mount Waverley
This year we will continue to celebrate the Christmas spirit and again at the Valley Reserve as it has been popular over the last few years.
Cost $5 per members (partners free)
Food – Roasts, Salads and Desert BYO Drinks
Parking heaps!
“ADVERTISING”
An alert businessman advertised in the paper that he would give away two hundred and fifty shovels to the owners of coal furnaces: as there were no strings attached, the supply was gone in short order. When the receiver of the shovel used it, he found printed on the handle where he couldn’t miss seeing it: ”If you owned one of our modern oil furnaces, you’d be upstairs now instead of shoveling coal”
JUST TURNING
Monday 27 September, 2004 – 11 members present
Peter Stacey and Al Sengotta are having problems with their PC’s. Ray Austin’s is fine. My word how easily these meetings get off the subject.
Bob Morrison brought along 3 Kaleidoscopes for us to play with. Also Bob had made 3 wet finished “Mushrooms” made from Casuarina – (looks like Bob has another demonstration coming up). Ron Jones has finished the Macassar Ebony pen (so where are the rest!?) Ron also showed us a Mahogany pointed lidded container with a Shellawax finish.
John Baker had a 90 x 90 post for identification and we were happy to tell him that it was probably a SE Asian Rainforest timber.
Harold Pinto brought along a footed platter in Merbau.
Roger Pywell had made a Conkerberry pen and something I forgot to record in Bottebrush/Cherry Apple.
Bill David, Alex Morey and I were too busy to bring anything but ourselves.
Geoff Allen
Monday 4 October, 2004 – 9 members present
Ron Jones brought along some thin slices of wood with bark – on which had been hand painted with floral arrangements by his neighbour. These attractively painted items have been fitted with magnets for use as frig. magnets.
Helene Longton had for showing a Nut-Cracker bowl turned from a Myrtle burl which was not quite completed. Helene invited suggestions on how to best hold the bowl for its final sanding and finishing.
Harold Pinto showed a bowl produced from two laminated pieces of Red Gum. Harold sought help to overcome difficulties he was experiencing in achieving a good sanded finish. Various suggestions were offered particularly the aim to obtain a good finish off the tool and attention to the use of three different grades of sand paper. The benefits of the use of the skew as a scraper for final machining was discussed in some detail covering the various shapes and types of skews available and their best method of use. Details of the of wire burning of a decorative groove on turnings was explained and a demonstration of the
procedure was undertaken.
Peter Stacey brought along a rough turned blank of what was believed to be Hakia. The blank had been dried by microwave and he expects the final piece will take the form of a cake stand. Peter also had two miniature vases, thin walled, turned from branches cut from a James Stirling tree. One was finished in crystal clear polyurethane followed by light sanding and polishing and the other was finished with Linseed Oil.
Ray Austin.
Monday 11 October, 2004 – 10 members present
Alex Morey presented a plate of Mallee Root, Kauri and Conkerberry all laminated. The unusual feature of this plate was the pewter which was poured into the Natural edge which was situated partway across the plate and between the extremity and the natural edge itself. Finish was 2 coats of epoxy.
Peter Stacey brought along the part-made bowl which was begun on a turning night. The timber in this bowl is extremely porous and soaks up all the Linseed Oil applied. It is thought the timber is Banksia. Peter will continue work on this bowl and show it again after further work.
Al Sengotta brought along a black boy vase which a friend had asked him to clean up. Al wanted advice how to go about this considering the texture of the black boy timber. He was advised to steam-clean it with a small steam-cleaner. Other members suggested to leave it as it was.
Ron Jones brought along a pen of 4 timbers, Gidgee, Red Gum, Cypress Pine and Camphour Laurel, finished with Shellawax and stick wax.
John Baker brought a fiddle-back Red Gum bowl finished with shellac and bees wax and Liberion. John did this bowl in two days at Red Cliffs with advice from an experienced turner, Stew Homfrey, who will be demonstrating at the “Working with Wood” show on the Friday. John also brought along 5 handles made from Desert Oak for chisels to turn parts in his hobby of model ship building.
Bill David said the DVD of bowl turning by Del Stubbs was excellent from the point of view of close-up pictures of turning and sharpening.
Helene Longton brought along a nut bowl of Myrtle burl. Also a Red Gum and Banksia Nut tea light candle holder finished with friction polish.
Helene Longton
Monday 18 October, 2004 – 12 members present
Bill David showed a Beech bowl which won first prize at the Nunawading Show one year. Also a clock which members joked would double for a microphone.
The October edition of the Australian Woodworker magazine was passed around to show an article with a picture of a wagon with 24 Barrels that Bill made another year.
John Baker showed a part finished lidded container with the lid polished with seedlac, a finish he likes. He also told members about a visit to Port Melbourne’s Plummer Street Furniture and what lovely timbers that were there.
Peter Stacey spent the Sunday watching Guilo Marcolongo demonstrating at the Working With Wood Show and found his teaching to be very informative/
Bob Lorensene brought along a small dish and a large one of the same timber, unfinished. Bob wanted to know what the timber was and it was thought it could be Atlantic Cedar. Bob also brought along four key, needles, tooth pick rings of Myrtle, Blackwood, Sirius Acacia and Macassar Ebony. The drill size needed was 13/32” after a bit of trial and error.
Mitch de Kretser showed his Billiard Cue made from Rock Maple, Ebony and Huon Pine – a fine job. Mitch’s also showed a box made of Rock Maple, New Guinea Rosewood, Blackwood, Teak, Red Gum, Jarrah, Sydney Blue Gum, Silky Oak, NSW Rosewood and Lumbinga. It was a fine piece of craftsmanship. It was made to hold the Billiard Cue. Mitch began this work in Bob Morrison’s class.
Bob Morrison showed fiddleback Mango he bought at the Working With Wood Show. Bob also brought along two part-turned bowls of Boxe which he will enter into the Show.
Ron Jones brought along a turned apple shaped like the Pink Lady variety with a red stalk.
Hellene Longton brought along the Myrtle Nut Bowl finished with a button underneath to hide the screw head. Helene also brought along a prepared piece to try inside-outside turning of a lamp in Silver Poplar.
Helene Longton
VALE - GRAEME CARMICHAEL
Graeme Carmichael, a member of Waverley Woodworkers and a guide at the Botannical Gardens, was kind enough to give a private tour of the gardens for a number of our members last year and it was very informative. Graeme was also a long time member of the Tree Collectors Society and it was with this in mind that I approached their stand at the Wood Show. Then I discovered that Graeme had retired from guiding at the gardens on 22nd July, and passed away on 29 July.
Graeme gave a talk to our members one Club Night on the various timbers and trees. He was a learned gentleman and kindly.
Helene Longton
“CARING”
Caring is a beautiful word: It is – a mothers arms, a fathers affection
A drooping posy of wild flowers proffered by a sticky small hand
It is – a grandma’s understanding
the smile in a voice on the telephone a
letter from an old friend
apple-pie baked by a neighbour for a housewife who is not well
It is – a seat on a tram offered to an older person
a welcoming floppy-eared dog
a pair of warm slippers by a fireside
a compassionate word for a sorrowing heart
It is – room in somebody’s lap when a child is very small
and room in somebody’s heart
when a man is very old.
Caring is a beautiful word.
It is akin to love. Gwen Hopkins
AROUND THE TRAPS
Note the following dates in your diary:
November 7 - Hand Tool Preservation Association of Australia
Melbourne Tool Sale
Glenferrie Primary School
80 Manningtree Road, Hawthorn (Melway 45 D11
9:00 am to 1:00 pm
Entry $3.00
December 4 -19th - Fine Woodworking returns to the Meat Market
At 42 Courtney Street, North Melbourne.
THE MEAT MARKET ARTS CENTRE
SEE THREE GREAT EXHIBITIONS ALL AT ONCE
“CREATE FROM A CRATE” (an exhibition highlighting
recycling)
“START (the very best students works from around
Victoria)
“THE VWA EXHIBITION”
(The products of Victoria’s finest woodworkers)
January 13 – 16th – Queenscliffe and District Woodworkers Exhibition and
Sale
Uniting Church Hall
Hesse St. Queenscliffe
Daily 10:;am – 5 pm except Sunday 1:00 pm to 5 pm
Admission $2
April 8, 9 & 10th Turn-Fest Mt Tambourine
A woodturning symposium with over 80 live
demonstrations conducted by 15 of the world’s best
woodturning and carving professionals. Fully catered
weekend with meals and accommodation provided.
For further details contact S/E Woodworking Supplies
07 3804 5255
BEWARE- WHO IS WATCHING?
Be on your best behaviour (though that will be difficult for some that come to mind) when about your work in the workshop, you never know when your character may appear in a stage play.
The little birds have told me about one of our members who is a published playwright.
Let it be known that Angela Quarrington of the Monday morning girls has written a play “One Long Day” which has been performed by the “Dancehouse” theatre.
Angela being a TAFE student and a mother of two children under the age of 10, has a busy and challenging life. She has experimented with all forms of writing but particularly enjoys writing plays and poetry. Recently she had a non-fiction article published in “Living Now” magazine- her first publication! Motherhood is the greater challenge to be honest, she says. Although having children limits my freedom to write, it gives me something to write about and takes me out into the real world of scary relationships and acts of communication. Someone famous once said, “That it is easier to write about life than to live it” – well Angelo agrees. My greatest ambition as a writer is, one day, to expose myself at the Dan O’Connor Hotel – reading poetry of course!
HELP WANTED!
The Club receives a number of requests for help from people in need from time to time and one in particular is:
A Doll’s House: Mrs. Kathleen Price asks if any one could build a Doll’s House for her. If you can help please contact Kathleen on 9807 4760
FOR SALE:
“Golding” Wood Lathe for sale, 210V 38” centres.
4 jaw chuck. 4 speed. ½ HP. No 2 Driving Dog. No 2 Live Centre 2x 5” Cast iron face plates. Chisel rest.
If interested contact Fay Harris 9598 4263
“CREATE FROM A CRATE”
Information on this Competition and Exhibition is given in earlier sections of the newsletter
WOODWORKING TIPS from
“FINE WOODWORKING”
(Published with the express permission of Taunton Press, publishers of “Fine Woodworking”. Such permission is restricted to Waverley Woodworkers Inc,)
“How To Fix Damaged Finishes’
By Jeff Jewitt
(Part 2 of a 2 part article)
Gouges and Dents
Some damage is so deep that your only choice is to fill it as best you can to match the surrounding wood. The most popular fillers are coloured wax and burn-in sticks made from shellac or a synthetic resin. Of the two, coloured wax is easier to use, but burn-in sticks dry harder, so they’re better for areas that will be subjected to more wear and tear.
To fill larger gouges with wax, rub the area with the wax, or cut off a small piece and pack it into the depression. Then, using a chiseled spatula made from a small piece of wood, pare away the excess wax until it is fairly level with the surface. Rub the wax level with the surface using the back of a piece of fine sandpaper.
Burn-in sticks are a bit more difficult to use, and it’s easier to damage the surface around the gouge if you're not careful. Melt part of a burn-in stick with a soldering iron or burn-in knife, then quickly press down with your finger to push the resin into the depression. (ED: won’t the resin be a bit hot?)
If the resin is shellac and the finish surface is varnish or oil, the repair is best leveled by wrapping a piece of muslin around a small piece of wood, wetting it slightly with alcohol and rubbing the repair until it’s smooth.
If the finish is shellac or the burn-in stick is made of lacquer resin, level the filler by sanding very carefully with fine sandpaper lubricated with mineral spirits. You’ll need to topcoat all burn-in stick repairs with more finish to protect them. While you're at it, you may want to lay on new topcoat over the entire surface.
Water and heat marks
If the damage from moisture appears black or gray, water has permeated the finish and discoloured the wood below. To repair such damage, you must strip the finish, sand the wood and bleach it with oxalic acid, which is available in powdered form at most hardware and paint stores.
If the damage appears as a white ring or a whitish, foggy area, water or heat caused the damage, and it is confined to the finish. The damage may be at the very top of the finish or closer to the bottom (where the finish meets the wood). There is no easy way to know exactly how far down the damage goes, and where it is will affect how successful any repair will be.
Most damage near the top can be rubbed out with some steel wool and mineral oil, rubbing compound or even fine sandpaper. The whitish colour disappears fairly quickly, and once removed, the finish can be rubbed back out to the original sheen.
If the finish is lacquer or shellac, a light padding with a rag moistened with denatured alcohol will remove the white spot. Dampen the rag just enough that it feels like the tip of a dogs nose—moist but not dripping wet—and use a back-and-forth pendulum motion to remove the white spot, working with the direction of the grain. If neither of these methods works, the damage was probably caused by heat to the bottom of the finish. In that case, your only choices are to strip off the finish and start over or find a good-looking vase to hide it.
Dull and Dirty Finishes
If a finish appears dull and dry but is otherwise intact, you can revive it with a simple cleaning and a coat of wax.
Start by wiping the finish thoroughly with a clean rag dampened with naptha. This step removes any oil-soluble grime. Then switch to a detergent to remove water soluble dirt. The best cleaner I’ve found is to mix one capful of Dawn brand dishwashing liquid in a pint of warm water. Use a slightly dampened cloth, not one that is dripping wet.
Next, abrade the finish using dry, no=load, stearated 400-grit sandpaper (such as Fre-Cut or Adalox), then follow up with 600-grit. The goal here is to remove only the very top layer of finish but not to sand all the way through to the wood.
After wiping off the sanding residue with a rag dampened with naptha, use a natural or dark coloured paste wax – depending on the colour of the wood – to bring the lustre back up.
Jeff Jewitt restores furniture and sells finishing supplies in Cleveland, Ohio.
He is a frequent contributor to Fine Woodworking.
WOODWORKING TIPS FROM “WOODSMITH”
Copyright of August Home Publishing Co. Publishers of “Woodsmith”, “Shopnotes” and “Workbench magazines. All worth the read. Used by Waverley Woodworkers Inc. by permission.
Clogged Forstner Bits
I have a number of Forstner bits made by various manufacturers. And I have noticed that some of the bits tend to clog with wood chips more than others do, especially in the larger sizes. This is annoying because you have to stop the drill and clean out the bit.
When I started comparing the bits, I discovered that the “mouth” of the bits weren’t all the same. On the bits that clogged, the sides of the mouth were nearly parallel. On the other bits, the mouth tapered out toward the top to eject the chips cleanly.
In order to create more room for the chips that clogged by “opening” up the mouth. To do this, file or grind back the top edges of the opening, see drawings.
There’s one thing to watch out for. Just be sure you don’t file or grind any of the cutting edges of the bit.
Joel Hess
Online Editor, Woodsmith