Mark's Musings

Mark Bronkalla

April Meeting

We had a good turnout for a Friday meeting and lots of guests. Hopefully they liked what they saw and will join.
Bob Flexner did a great job with the presentation and workshop. I think he really enjoys debunking the finishing myths and cutting through the marketing hype of the finishing vendors.
We had 20 people raise their hands for the working together question. How many will we have next month?

May Meeting

We are going to try something new. This will be a multi mini lathe demonstration meeting. Ken Bahr is setting this up. We should have 3 or 4 simultaneous demonstration. Each demonstration 'station' will do a particular task, technique or object. It is expected that each of these will be a 15 minute demo. This will allow you to walk from station to station and see all 4 over the course of the meeting. We will also have 2 Q&A sessions for the demonstrators as well.
Meeting layout will be changing with the sign ins all on the entrance side (right side as viewed from the stage). Please pick up your name tags as you come in. We have had a lot of folks without name tags. It really helps jog memories and makes it easier for conversations to start.

July Meeting

Remember the July meeting is Show and Tell. We will have sign up sheets for you. Most take a 15 minute time slot, but anything form 5-20 is OK. We will ask how long you want to talk in that range. Size range is wide open anything from a pen or jig to a boat is fine. You can show a finished or partial project, jig, technique or shop made tool.
We will also have a tool swap at the July meeting. This was very popular last year. SO take inventory and think of the tools you have gathering dust or if you are going to trade up. It is better to sell the unused tool to another member. Trickle down of tools is also a great way to trade up and help get those new to woodworking a chance to outfit their shop. Let see if we can beat the jointer trickle down / trade up chain I was in (4 sales).

Meeting workbench

We need a meeting workbench. This will be created as part of a 'build a bench workshop series' this fall. I think it will be probably 3-5 sessions. Break out of the session topics will include: trestle / base, dog hole setup and glue up, main top construction, top frame and tray, flattening, vise mounting. Ideas and volunteers for the workshops are welcome. Maybe this could be a 'round robin' workshop with sessions at different shops as well?

Lets get together

Continuing on the theme of working together, I encourage everyone to think of some dates when they can host a workshop, class, or toy building session. We want to continue the trend of getting more involvement with group projects. You can do it free as a personal fun event or have set it up as a paid guild class. The paid classes are encouraged for larger groups. For the paid classes, pre-approved expenses are covered (bits, materials, etc.), and you get the insurance coverage. For paid events, set it up with Ken Bahr. Sign up is then handled by Dick and Kathy Yezek (easier for you). They have the forms and the information needed (who, what, when, where, how much stuff). For informal sessions (non-paid) bring in a sign up sheet and maps to your shop. With a firm date, it is much easier to get 3-5 guys together rather than just 'stop by next weekend'. We will be adding a sign up easel for these postings so everyone knows where to look and make it easier to find who is hosting.

In the shop

I have basically finished my new shaper. Final weight is over 450 lbs. It is very solid - no shakes or wiggles. More additions will come such digital height readout, better fence, better chip collection, etc. Cash outlay at this point is <$120. The old spindle and bearings, table top halves and fence were reused. With a 5HP motor, power is no longer an issue. My scrap and 'good junk' stash is now quite a bit smaller. The spindle is a bit different than most as it is stepped for both 3/4" and 1/2" cutters. The new smoother carriage operation and fixed motor alignment are much better than before.
The height adjustment is via a hand wheel at the bottom or an Allen wrench from the top (much like a router lift). It works very smoothly, but it is not as convenient as I hoped. I will add either a right angle crank and chain drive or motorized height adjustment. First thing is to find an inexpensive right angle gear box.
The sliding table now has linear ball bearing pillow blocks. This is much smoother than the old one (conduit on ball bearing wheels). Travel is also increased.
Now I am all set for the panel raising class. We will do them with the table saw, router and shaper, both vertical and horizontal cutter methods.

Widget of the month

A few months back I purchased Rohm keyless chuck for my drill/mill from Enco. These are very nice German made chucks. They are not nearly as expensive as the Albrecht or Jacobs keyless chucks. The original chuck was a cheap Asian import that did not grip well, was hard to tighten and loosened due to vibration.
In building the new shaper I had to make a number of large holes (3/4-1" and larger). For these holes I use 'Silver and Deming' drill bits which have a 1/2" shank. These large bits are prone to chattering when progressively drilling larger holes. ON a normal chuck this chattering loosens the bit, which then spins in the chuck and scores the shank. With the Rohm chuck, the chattering causes it to tighten! No more loosening and scoring. The quick bit changes are great and no more searching for chuck keys. The drill press will get one next.




Board Briefs

BOARD of DIRECTORS MEETING MINUTES for APRIL 9, 2004

Location:
United Church of Christ, 4240 N. 78th Street, Milwaukee
Present:
Ken Bahr, Mark Bronkalla, Leila Crandall-Frink, Jerry Kashmerick, Jeff Nebel, Liz Rohde, Dick Yezek

President:

A toy committee chairman is still being sought.

Vice-president:

Dick distributed registration lists for events recently past and future. His Bill Hull attendance figure did not match actual attendance. His paid lists need to be reconciled with Liz's.

Secretary:

Minutes of the March board meeting were accepted as written. Room set-up needs to be changed slightly. Nametags and membership registration will be moved to be near the entrance door. Both doors to the refreshment room will be kept clear of tables. Signs will be made and used to identify purpose of each table. 'Closed' signs needed for workshop registration, membership registration and raffle areas to eliminate distractions while the meeting is in session. The May meeting will require a much different set-up to accommodate the mini-lathe demonstrations to be held.

Treasurer:

Liz distributed the financial report for the period 3/1/04 thru 4/6/04. Balance on 4/6/04 was $10,848.55. A report of expenses for 2003 was included. Both the Bill Hull and Bob Flexner workshops should be in the black, but final numbers are not yet complete. The board approved Meyers Restaurant for the holiday party. Liz cited good food, low prices and a facility with easy access and no room charge. There will be three entrees based on chicken, ham and beef.

Program/Workshop:

May will now feature four demonstrations on use of the mini-lathe. Ken was asked about the Guild participating in a scroll saw workshop in Richland Center, but after some discussion it was determined more information is needed. One final pitch will be made for volunteers to conduct a mini quilt rack workshop. A workshop to build one workbench for use at the Guild meetings will be targeted for early September. Ken will check out prices for engraved plaques as a replacement for the Guilded tongues. Mark will check on prices for a 'hands free' microphone similar to those used by vendors at the Woodworking Show. The need became evident at the recent Flexner workshop.

Exhibits:

Jerry has been unable to make contact with the German Fest representative. Scroll sawing and Shaker boxes are the leading potential topics. Two shifts are envisioned: noon to 5:00 p.m. and 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. At least two people will be needed at all times to keep an eye on tools and materials. Jerry has sent a thank you letter to the Woodworking Show people.

Publications:

Leila reported the deadline for the May R.I.P.S.A.W. Leila passed around three sample drafts for reprinting of the Guild business cards. The version recommended by the Publications committee was approved with a few changes.

Respectfully submitted,
Jeffrey M. Nebel, Secretary


Raffle

Alan Clapp

The winners of the March raffle included Bill Drumel and Larry Jornt. Mike Goldstone was our April raffle winner.
The Wednesday May 5th raffle is a pair of hearing protectors donated by Paula Nicks and Dust Bee Gone. The light weight and padded headband has a 26 dB noise reduction rating. Dust Bee Gone participated in the Milwaukee Woodworking Show and offers the Dust Bee Gone breathable lightweight dust masks that filter effectively down to 3 microns. Other Dust Bee Gone products may be viewed at <http://www.dustbeegone.com> They may be contacted at 239-694-3627 in Fort Myers, Florida.

Program

MAY Program


Event: Regular Monthly Guild Meeting
Topic: MINI LATHE DEMONSTRATION AND Q&A
Presenter: Four Guild Members Due to a conflict, Bob Petrovic cannot make it to the May meeting. SO we changed the meeting to a member given demonstration.
Date: Wednesday, May, 5th, 2004
Location: Faith United Church of Christ
4240 North 78th Street, Milwaukee, WI
Time: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Fee: None - First time guests welcome
Comments: Four Guild members will be doing turning on their mini lathes. There will be one on ornaments, one on pens, one doing bowls, and one on offset turning. Each will be short, 15 minutes or so, just enough to show the techniques involved. There will be a time for questions for each of them, and after our
usual break, there will be a second demonstration. This will allow Guild members to see at least two demonstrations that night! We haven't done this for a few years, so come and see our members demonstrate their skills and get a better appreciation and understanding of lathe work. NOTE: For everyone's safety and enjoyment, it is recommended that you bring your safety glasses for added protection!

JUNE Program

Event: Regular Monthly Guild Meeting
Topic: Comparison of antique and new hand planes
Presenter: Mike Hanley
Date: June 2, 2004
Location: Faith United Church of Christ
4240 North 78th Street, Milwaukee, WI
Time: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Fee: None - First time guests welcome
Comments: Mike Hanley, one of the founding members and a past president of the Wisconsin Woodworkers Guild, has done extensive research into the capabilities of both antique and new hand planes that are available today. He will compare and contrast them as well as provide information on the best ways to acquire hand planes. This is a great companion program to the Òhow to use a planeÓ program done by John Petrovic in February. John showed us how to use them and Mike will point you to the best ones and how to find them.

JULY Program

Event: Regular Monthly Guild Meeting
Topic: Guild members Show and Tell
Date: Wednesday, July 7, 2004
Location: Faith United Church of Christ
4240 North 78th Street, Milwaukee, WI
Time: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Fee: None - First time guests welcome
Comments: Always a great time and very informative. Here is your chance to show what you have done, how you have done it, and give out shop tips, fixture tips, etc. to help all your fellow Guild members work better, easier, and safer. Please sign up so we can plan the time to get everyone up to the mike!
Wisconsin WoodworkerÕs Guild Workshops
May Workshops

Workshops

Topic: Wood Surface Preparation for Uniform Finishing
Presenter: Mark Bronkalla
Date: Tuesday May 11th
Location: Mark BronkallaÕs Studio
Time: 6:30 to 10 PM
Maximum enrollment: 8 (Members only)
Fee: $25


Topic: Sign Making with Guilding
Presenter: Don Berger
Date: Saturday, May 15th, 2004
Location Don BergerÕs Studio
Time: 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Maximum Enrollment: 5 (Members only)
Fee: $25
Comments: This will be a beginnerÕs level demonstration of sign making. There will be a basic discussion of sign making, including types and variations that are common today. There will be a small hands-on gilding project included in the workshop. Don will be giving enough detail to get you started on some basic sign making. Gilding techniques are used on many other woodworking projects, such as picture frames and to embellish furniture. Good for anyone not familiar with these techniques.


Topic: Chip Carving
Presenter: Klaus Zunker
Date: Sunday, May 16th, 2004
Location: WOODCRAFT
Time: 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
Maximum Enrollment: 12 (Members only)
Fee: $25
Comments: Workshop is to learn basic chip carving methods. This class will cover sharpening your tools, layout of design, basic cuts and techniques used in chip carving. Excellent starting point for anyone interested in this unique and decorative woodworking method. You will make a small decorated mailbox at the workshop. The experience and skills Klaus has is sure to get you started on the correct path.

Demonstrate at German Fest

Rolf Hoffman of German Fest will be at our May 5th meeting. He is looking for scroll sawing and other woodworking demonstrators from the Woodworker's guild for German Fest. German Fest is July 23, 24 and 25. If you can volunteer to scroll saw or make shaker boxes it would be appreciated. This is a Wisconsin Woodworker's Guild activity. German Fest gives each volunteer free admission, a free meal and beer tickets.


Reflections

Holiday Party

Dick Butula

It is always a pleasure to have an expert in his field come to a Guild meeting for a presentation. That was exactly what we had at our April meeting. In this case it was Bob Flexner, the guru of finishing, as he was introduced by Kevin Seigworth. Bob's book 'Understanding Wood Finishing' is the best selling one on this topic. He has also made two videos, 'Repairing Furniture' and 'Refinishing Furniture' that have received awards. You may have read many of the hundreds of articles he written on finishing or restoration in Woodshop News or Popular Woodworking. Bob has taught at several hundred workshops and seminars. In fact the program this night and the workshop on Saturday were from one of his two-day sessions.
Despite his credentials, Bob admits that he is not a finisher. He doesn't even like finishing but just happens to be very good at it. He is a woodworker, but he really enjoys doing repair work. When doing repair work you need to imitate the work of the original woodworker (artist) to get it to look like the piece when it was first made.
A handout was distributed on 'How to Care for Your Furniture' that Bob had written last year. More copies could be purchased from him if anyone wanted them. He also gave out the outline of his presentation for all to follow, with space for making notes. Also available were copies of his book, videotapes, and a summary of the articles he has written since his book was published (sort of the second edition).
The topics of his presentation covered the problems we as amateurs or hobbyists might run into:
Bleeding In Oil Finishes;
This is caused mainly by warmer temperature and is only when using oil or oil/varnish blends that are thinned. To solve the problem, keep wiping off the bleeding until it stops. When it is dried, disguise it by sanding or steel wooling, and then apply another coat. If it is really bad, strip it and start over.
Dust Nibs;
They occur because of dust in the air, and more frequently when using slow drying finishes like polyurethane varnishes. To avoid them, keep the area, finish, brush and equipment as clean as possible. Also use faster drying finishes such as lacquer or shellac. Fast drying water based finishes can also be used. If you do get dust nibs, rub them lightly with a brown paper bag to knock them off. The surface will feel good but you may still see them in the right light. You can always sand it level and then rub to a sheen.
Brush Marks;
Can be avoided by thinning out the material. Products, such as Seal-A-Cell, are just thinned down varnish. The down side of using the thinned varnish is that you will need to apply more coats. Another option is to put on the regular varnish and sand out the brush marks and then apply a thinned varnish coat. It is also a good idea to do this in warmer temperatures. A cooler material will be stiffer and brush marks are more likely to appear.
Runs & Sags;
Can best be avoided by using lacquer. The solvents that are in it, to make it thin for spraying, evaporate so quickly that the pigments don't have a chance to run. Runs and sags are not a problem if the finish is wiped on. When applying a finish, watch it in a reflected light. Then if you see any runs or sags you just brush them out. You are more likely to get them with a thicker material, so thinning can help to avoid them. When they do appear after drying, you can either: sand or scrape them out, apply another coat; or rub them out.
Bubbles;
Occur when you brush on the finish. They are caused by the turbulence of the brush, not by shaking the can. When they do appear you can get rid of them by lightly tipping off with the brush, making long sweeps from one end of the piece to the other. If they remain it is because the solvents evaporated to soon. Bubbles can be avoided by adding thinner and working in cooler temperatures.
Finish Won't Dry Or Harden;
Because of cooler temperatures of the room, of the object or the material being applied. It can also happen if the material is put on to thick. Wipe or rub off any excess material. On oily woods, clean the surface with naphtha before applying the material. Apply the finish as soon as the naphtha dries. Also do not use an oil finish on oily woods. If you are using shellac, make sure it is fresh (less than one year old). It will dry faster than older shellac that will harden much slower. With fresh shellac you will not get water rings.
Uneven Sheen;
Is caused by the finish not being thoroughly mixed. The finish must be mixed prior to applying each coat. If the surface is large and the application takes a long time, the finish should be stirred frequently. If it does happen, apply another coat that is stirred or rub in an even sheen.
Blotching From Application;
Of stains occurs if you are applying to a larger area. This happens with water based and lacquer stains (fast drying). NOTE: (These are not because of wood problems such as pine). The area that is stained first starts to dry sooner than the later parts. Using a slower drying stains or working faster on smaller areas can avoid blotching. If you see it soon enough you can apply fresh stain to re-dissolve the first stain and rub it evenly. If it is too dry you can try using thinner to rub it out, or if that fails you may have to strip it off.
Lap Marks;
Happens when you do not keep a wet edge during application. They can be avoided when staining by reflowing quickly with more stain. If you are brushing finish, keep a wet edge. If spraying, overlap each stroke by 50%. If they do show, sand level and apply another coat.
Orange Peel;
Is a problem that happens when you spray a finish. Applying too much material without enough air pressure causes it. It can also happen if you are holding the gun to far away or moving it to fast and not applying a fully wet coat. Thinning the material or increasing the air pressure can avoid it. You can tell if you are applying properly by looking in a reflected light. If you do get it, sand level and rub to a sheen.
Blushing;
Occurs in lacquer and shellac. It is caused by moisture in the air on a warm day. The moisture gets into the material and when it eventually evaporates it leaves an air pocket that causes the light to reflect differently. The blushing is right on the surface so it can be rubbed out with steel wool.
Dry Spray;
Is when it is drying too fast. This only takes place with lacquer and shellac. What is happening is the finish is drying before it hits the surface. It is avoided by adding lacquer retarder.
Fish Eye;
Is caused by silicone, which is oily, that is in furniture polishes and lubricants that you may be spraying on your machinery. If it gets on the wood, finishes can't stick to it. To avoid it, wash the surface with solvents, ammonia and water, or a strong detergent to get rid of the oil. You can also add fish-eye eliminator to the finish. If it does occur, strip and start over.
Cotton Blush;
Results from using too weak of a lacquer thinner. The lacquer hasn't been put into solution and appears as little globs that look like cotton. Sand it off and use the right lacquer thinner
Sand Through On Edges;
Can be avoided by softening the edges of the raw wood. If they do show, color in with a marker or an artists brush.
Dye Didn't Color Grain;
When using water based stains. It happens mostly on oak. This is a result of the high surface tension of the water and it doesnÕt get into the lower grain area. To overcome this use an oil based stain. Wipe it on and rub off the surface. This may slightly color the surface, so to avoid that, first apply a sealer, then the stain that will get in the grain and wipe off from the sealed surface.
Ghosting (Layering, Witness Lines);
Are all the same description for what happens when you rub with steel wool and you go through the top layer of your finish. The topcoat has not bonded to the one underneath, and you are exposing that layer. The more you rub, the bigger the mark will get. Cover by applying another coat and don't sand through.
Swirls In Wax;
Are the result of accumulations of wax on your buffing cloth or lambs wool pad. All you are doing is moving the wax around on the surface. Use a clean buffing material to avoid this from happening. If you do get swirls, wash them off with mineral spirits and start over.
After the break Bob went into explaining why finishing is so hard to learn. Professional finishers have learned the differences in finishes by trial and error. Once they have found what works for them, they stick with that product. We as amateurs and hobbyists have to rely on the labels on the cans we buy or from information you read in magazines or books. Unfortunately much of the information is contradictory.
To illustrate this point, Bob gave examples from the last four issues of Fine Woodworking of 2003. He stated that you need to understand the problem or you'll never overcome them.
Varnish doesn't cure well after two years because its driers deactivate. This appeared three times in the last two years. Your experience tells you that it isn't true, but reading in a major publication causes you to doubt your own experience.
Use only food safe finishes- that is oils without driers- on salad bowls and food utensils. Behlens and General Finishes make Salad Bowl Finish that are both varnish that contain the same driers as all varnishes (not lead, of course). Fine Woodworking started this myth in the last issue of1979. The fact is that any clear woodworking finish is safe for use on food consumption articles.
Qualasole, padding lacquer and Wood Turners Finish are lacquer. They are in fact shellac.
Waterlox is an oil/varnish blend. This appeared twice in the last four issues. It is a varnish. It is made with tung oil but it is still varnish.
The earth pigments raw and burnt umber and sienna are naturally transparent. They are not. They are opaque. If you use it and it do not get the result you expected you think that you did something wrong because an authority told us that is what it is supposed to do.
Shellac doesn't begin to deteriorate until you open the can. It actually begins to deteriorate when it is mixed with alcohol. It gets worse every day. So if you look at a can with a date that is three years old you think it is still OK and it is not. The statement was contradicted in a later article and suggested that you mix shellac fresh when you use it.
There are no really bad finishes. You just need to know the product in order to use it properly.



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For Sale

Jesem Rout-r-lift and router table. Including a mounted PC-690 style routerbase. Has setups for many different router styles. Excellent condition. Original Price $360.00, asking $150.00
Porter cable Deluxe Router Edge Guide, # 42690 Brand New $45.00, asking $30.00
Call Pete Sapienza

Delta 22-540 12" portable thickness planer. Good working condition. Comes with children's workbench / stand, including a real front mounted woodworking vise and a 12" knife sharpening jig for Delta vertical grinder. All for $225.
Call Mark Bronkalla

Delta 16" bandsaw with extra blades and accessories. $275 Brian Halligan