John's Jaunt
John Johnson
Greetings!
We are just back from our whirlwind tour of parts of the east coast including Colonial Williamsburg, Washington D.C. and New York City. For those of you who are not familiar with Colonial Williamsburg, it is a part of the city that has been restored and maintained to how it was in the late 1700's, during the time of the Revolutionary War. Three of the buildings/exhibits that we visited are of interest to woodworkers, especially those interested in hand tools and hand woodworking. The first two, the wheelwright and the cooper, were very much utilitarian. Woodworking in these shops was for a specific purpose. Much like today though, the amount of effort and time that went into a piece varied based on the intended purpose. Wheels for an ox cart required less time than those for a fine carriage. Barrels intended for liquids required more time and more precise but joints than barrels for other materials. The third shop was of a cabinetmaker. Works in progress included a harpsichord and carved table legs. A third bench was being used for dimensioning of rough lumber. Quite an interesting place if you get the chance to visit.
Perhaps this visit will provide me with some impetus to complete more projects!Happy woodworking! John
Program
September Workshop
Date Saturday September 16th, 2006
Event Hands-On Workshop
Topic Stained Glass Window Panel
Presenters Mary Andersen, Leila Crandall-Frink, Liz Rohde
Location Jerry Tackes Workshop
Time 9 AM - 3PM
Fee $35.00, Guild members only
Comments
We will be creating a frame and a stained glass panel to hang in your window. You will learn techniques for stained glass and framing it with a wooden frame.
The techniques will be transferable to making a glass panel for a cupboard door or a window frame. All tools and supplies will be provided.
September Meeting
Date Wednesday, September 6, 2006
Event Regular Guild Meeting
Topic Stained Glass Doors
Presenter WWG Members
Liz Rohde
Mary Anderson
Leila Crandall-Frink
Location Faith United Church of Christ
General-Purpose Room
4240 North 78th Street
Milwaukee
Time 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Fee None. First time guests are welcome.
Comments
Liz, Mary, and Leila will share their experiences in creating stained-glass inserts as the “panel” for frame and panel doors.
October Meeting
Date Friday, October 6, 2006
Event Regular Guild Meeting
Topic Chip Carving
Presenter Wayne Barton, Founder
Alpine School of Wood Carving Ltd.
Park Ridge, IL 60068
(847) 692-2822
Location Faith United Church of Christ, General-Purpose Room
4240 North 78th Street
Milwaukee
Time 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Fee None. First time guests are welcome.
Comments
Wayne Barton is an American-born professional woodcarver who lives in Park Ridge, IL with his Swiss wife and children. First given an interest in woodcarving at the age of five under the tutelage of his Norwegian grandfather, he has had a serious interest in, and love for carving all his life.
Wayne took his formal training in Brienz, Switzerland, the woodcarving center of that country. Although versed in all disciplines of carving, he specializes in chip carving and has devoted the last twenty-five years to its advancement. Single handedly, he has been the driving force of the recognition and renaissance chip carving has enjoyed in North America this past quarter century.
Wayne Barton is the author of four best selling books published in six countries and a video and all on chip carving. They are the most informative and instructional books and video on the subject available. He has developed the finest and the most popular chip carving knives used by more carvers than any other knives. These are the knives that have set the standard by which all others are judged. He also developed and pioneered the very popular ceramic sharpening stones in use today.
Wayne is the founder of The Alpine School of Woodcarving, Ltd., the oldest establishment in North America specializing in, and dedicated to the education, training, teaching, and encouragement of chip carving. In addition, he teaches at a variety of other venues including colleges, clubs, institutions, and organizations across the United States, Canada, and in Switzerland. He is also a visiting artist/lecturer at the esteemed Chicago Art institute in Chicago, Il. His carvings are sought after by collectors and can be found in private collections around the world.
Wayne will provide an overview of his work and an introduction to the field of chip carving. This meeting is a pre-requisite to the associated hands-on workshop that follows.
October Workshop
Date Saturday and Sunday, October 7 & 8, 2006
Event Hands-On Workshop
Topic Chip Carving
Presenter Wayne Barton, Founder
Alpine School of Wood Carving Ltd.
225 Vine Ave.
Park Ridge, IL 60068
(847) 692-2822
Location TBD
Time TBD; all day
Fee TBD; Guild members only
Comments
We are in the preliminary stages of arranging a two-day hands-on
workshop with Wayne. Participants will be expected to bring (or acquire) suitable tools; blanks for carving will be provided.
November Meeting
Date Friday, November 3, 2006
Event Regular Guild Meeting
Topic Shaker Oval Boxes
Presenter John Wilson, Boxmaker
Shaker Oval Boxes & Tools
Charlotte, MI 48813
(517) 543-5325
Location Faith United Church of Christ
General-Purpose Room
4240 North 78th Street
Milwaukee
Time 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Fee None. First time guests are welcome.
Comments
Shakers oval boxes have become recognizable artifacts of Shaker life and work. First made over two hundred years ago, these containers were made for community use and for sale to the “world's people” until well into the 20th century. They were used to hold food stuffs in the pantry, buttons for the seamstress and tacks in the shop. Graceful, well made and of widespread utility, they represent virtues of the Shaker order itself.
John Wilson and his school are at the center of the revival of interest in these beautiful containers. They provide all the pieces and parts needed by the trade, as well.
John taught woodworking at Lansing Community College for twenty-three years. That experience provides a broad base of skills reflected in the course offerings.
John will provide an overview of his work and an introduction to the steps in making an oval box. This session is a pre-requisite to the hands-on workshop that follows.
November Workshop
Date Saturday, November 4, 2006
Event Hands-On Workshop
Topic Shaker Oval Boxes and Advanced Techniques
Presenter John Wilson, Boxmaker and Eric
Shaker Oval Boxes & Tools
Charlotte, MI 48813
(517) 543-5325
Location Shop of WWG Member
Bill Godfrey
S53 W26445 Fox Vale Court
Waukesha 53189
(262) 542-5239 / (262) 271-5239
BillG1234@AOL.com
Time TBD, probably 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Fee $90. Guild members only.
Comments
Two parallel workshops will be offered.
Each participant in John's workshop will create a nested set of five oval Shaker boxes. All materials will be provided.
Each participant in Eric's workshop will create a related project, probably a Shaker “presentation” box. All materials will be provided.
The combined number of participants will be limited to 20.
Maps and further information will be provided as we approach the date.
Board Briefs
Jerry Tackes
August 10, 2006 board Meeting Minutes
Attendees: Dick Yezek, Leila Crandall Frink, and Jerry Tackes
Ripsaw: Hank Yun to publish September issue
Dick Yezek to provide the projector for the September meeting because the presenters will include a power point presentation. Gene Theiler will bring Shaker boxes to the September meeting to demonstrate the upcoming workshop products.
Dick Yezek to provide a floor plan of the meeting site and details of the speaker and lighting arrangement at the September meeting.
A discussion was held about incorporating committee meetings at the time and place of the board meetings. This proposal will be presented to all board and committee members before a final decision is made.
Respectfully submitted,
Jerry Tackes
Library News
Recent Additions to the Library
Jerry Tackes has recently purchased the following items for the WWG library. Please thank Jerry for taking the time to find and purchase these new items.
• The Master Techniques of Marquetry DVD by Silas Kopf
• The Skew Chisel DVD by Alan Lacer
• The Son of Skew DVD by Alan Lacer
• Segmented Turning DVD by Curt Theobald
• The Skew Chisel DVD by Alan Lacer
• Introduction to Marquetry DVD by Jan Walker
• Setting up Shop: the practical guide to designing and building your dream shop by Sandor Nagyszalanczy
• The Workshop Book: a craftsman’s guide to making the most of any work space by Scott Landis
• Tool Making for Woodworkers by Ray Larsen
Thomas Petkovsek, manager of Rockler’s Woodworking and Hardware, 845 N. Mayfair Road, Wauwatosa has generously donated the following items for the WWG library. Please be sure to thank him on your next visit to Rockler. Thanks also to Henry Yun for bringing them to the meetings.
• Taunton’s Complete Illustrated Guide to Sharpening by Thomas Lie-Nielsen. Valued at $40.
• Taunton’s Complete Illustrated Guide to Working with Wood by Andy Rae. Valued at $40.
• Taunton’s Complete Illustrated Guide to Finishing by Jeff Jewitt. Valued at $40
• Custom Tools for Woodworkers: designing and making your own by John Petrovic.
• The JET Shop Class Series Videos: Tablesaw, Bandsaw, Lathe, and Jointer & Planer
• Woodworking at Home: mission bed #113 Video by Chris DeHut. Value $25.
• Woodcarvers Problem Solver: tricks, tips and shortcuts by Graham R. Bull. Valued at $20
• Woodworker’s Power Tools: an essential guide by Rick Peters. Valued at $25.
• Woodworker’s Hand Tools: an essential guide by Rick Peters. Valued at $25.
• Masterful Woodturning: projects and inspiration for the skilled turner by S. Gary Roberts. Valued at $20.
• Creative Scroll Saw Segmentation by Patrick Spielman and Frank Droege. Value $18
Reflections
By Mary Anderson
At the August Meeting we were joined by Len Chesney From the Velvit Products Company. Len joined us to talk to the Guild about Velvit Oil Finishes. We found out that this is one of the easiest products to use as far as finishes go. The Velvit Products Company is located in Neenah, Wisconsin. 
Velvit Oil Finishes are made with Soybean Oil and Linseed Oil. They do not use Tung Oil in their finishes. The finishes come in 14 stock colors and they also have some kids colors that are brighter. Velvit Oil is a penetrating oil finish that will never crack, chip or peel. The finish resists liquids, common stains and some harsh chemicals. This is possible because the oil stains, fills, seals and protects the wood all in one coat. You can put a gloss finish over this; however, you will be defeating the purpose of using this product. Two coats of the oil is sufficient on the piece. One coat will be enough to protect the wood.
When you are ready to finish your item, you should make sure that the wood is clean and dry. Sand it with 80-grit sandpaper. You will next apply the finish with a brush or a rag. Len says that the rags work better for getting into the corners. You will want to keep the piece wet with the oil for hour to 45 minutes. Apply more if it looks like it is drying out. Next you will want to rub it out while it is wet with 320 or 400 grit silicon carbide sandpaper. When you are done sanding you can use paper towels to wipe off the excess residue. If you want a higher gloss you can buff with a soft cloth or lambs wool and/or use Velvit oil on a cloth as polish. You should then let the piece sit for 1 to 2 days depending on how humid the weather is.
If you need to clean the finished piece you can use mineral oil or Murphy’s Oil Soap. You will have to reapply another light coat of Velvit Oil if you use Murphy’s Oil Soap because the finish can be dulled. You will not want to apply wax to the piece after this because you will get spotting. This finish is very forgiving. If you get a scratch on the piece, you can apply the Velvit Oil and it will blend right in. You will not need to refinish the whole piece.
Thanks to Len for sharing all this wonderful information with us on such a warm evening..
Know Your Fellow Woodworker Featuring Lewis Enderle
Jerry Tackes
Meet Lewis, who resides in West Bend with his wife Florence of 50 years. They have three children, Karen and her husband Doug who have two daughters, Jamie and Kelly. Their son Mark and his wife Sue, have one son Andy and Mark is also a Guild member. Their third child is Curtis who resides in Portland Oregon and is single.
Lewis grew up on a farm in the Slinger area and worked for the West Bend Company for 41 years. He started at the company working in the factory, then moved on to Personnel, then in to Industrial Engineering, and finally into Data Processing where he was a systems designer specializing in payroll and inventory control.
Lewis is now retired for 10 years and is an avid do-it yourselfer. Much of his woodworking started as carpentry around the house and a summer home. He has also worked extensively with his son Mark on Mark’s home. Projects included shelves, desk and play units for his grandkids. Lewis joined the Guild to increase his knowledge and better his skills in woodworking. As a result he has learned marquetry from a workshop with Bill Hall and even further honed his skills at a class at Mark Adams School. A whispered confession is that he still has not finished the table he started at Bill Halls workshop. Perhaps some guild member can help Lewis get past his hang-up. He also does many scroll sawing and intarsia projects. Some of the more recent projects include a TV cabinet, coat tree, plant stand and especially gifts for religious and social groups. Others now count on him to come up with these treasured gifts. He is also active at his church and helps 5 elderly neighbors with snow shoveling and yard work.
Lewis and his wife live in a condo where he has a 12 by 20 foot fairly well equipped shop which includes a table saw, radial arm saw, sanders, planner, jointer and scroll saw. He does his joining using a router and especially likes a sander called a sand flea for his scroll saw work. Projects on the horizon include a down draft table, sewing machine cabinet, marquetry projects, Christmas scroll saw projects and maybe complete kitchen cabinets for his daughter.The Guild has been a valued resource especially the workshops and the library and he is looking forward to learning new skills. .
Raffle Column
by Alan Clapp
Jerry Anson was the winner of the 16-piece Forstner Bit Set last month. There will be several winners during the September raffle. Rockler has donated several items including cabinet hinges and locks, Freud jigsaw blades, Chinese Checker game templates and multiple copies of five books: Woodworker's Hand Tools, Woodworker's Power Tools, Woodcarver's Problem Solver, Creative Scroll Saw Segmentation and Masterful Woodturning. Rockler Woodworking and Hardware is located at 845 North Mayfair Road, 414-774-1882.