Newsletter

August 27, 2005 www.emgw.org

President: Steve Olesin Olesin@gis.net

Vice President Bill Karp Karpwoodworks@verizon.net

Treasurer Frank Woolley frankwoolley@hotmail.com

Secretary Peter Wilcox snowmole@yahoo.com

Membership coordinator Phyllis Jaffee pgjaffee@29designs.com

Webmaster John Nitzsche jknitz@comcast.net

The next meeting will cover japanese tools and will be hosted by Harrelson Stanley at his shop in Pepperell, MA, September 10 at 9:00 am.

President’s Message

Welcome back to our woodworking community. Summer has been trying for all but the air-conditioned few. Those that built furniture last winter are sure to know if they left enough clearance around those drawers!

Notice the results of the membership questionnaire later in the newsletter. Furniture and cabinet making are the greatest interest in our guild followed by tools and finishing. We will try to further your knowledge in those pursuits with our upcoming meetings.

As we enter the active woodworking season, the guild will start off the year with a visit to a local supporter and purveyor of the Japanese style of woodworking and tools. Harrelson Stanley, a Japanese trained woodworker and owner of Hiraide America, has invited us to their unique environment to listen to an introduction to Japanese tools as he shares with us the logic and usefulness of the Japanese way of woodworking. He even promised to allow us to try out some of the tools and offered a 10% discount to meeting attendees.

This will also be a public meeting. We are submitting press releases announcing our first meeting of the year in local papers so we may have some new faces gathered around us. As usual, our meeting will start at 9 AM with coffee and donuts while the newspaper announcements are declaring a 10 AM start. This will give us time to catch up on old friendships before the official presentations. I encourage all of you to welcome the new faces around you and introduce yourself. First impressions are lasting impressions. We will have guild membership flyers available to anyone interested.

We look forward to your greater involvement as well as attendance.

Steve Olesin

Membership In

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Well, it is that time of year again. As we start our 2005-2006 season, I am reminding all of you to please pay your yearly dues in a timely fashion. The dues are $40 per year and that money helps the guild provide the refreshments at meetings and honorariums for guest speakers. We will be having a BBQ at our Annual meeting in June and your dues will make that event possible. Please make your check payable to EMGW and bring it along to the next meeting. Thanks.

Upcoming Schedule

Here is the current schedule of events planned for the 2005-2006 season. We will be working to complete the schedule in the coming months.

Meetings will be held on the Second Saturday of each month between September and June. The annual meeting will be the June meeting. Coffee and donuts will be served at all meetings. Honorariums will be paid to all outside speakers.

September 10 - Confirmed

Topic Japanese Tools

Steve Olesin - coordinator

Dave Landers - introductions

Publicly advertised meeting

Presenter Harrelson Stanley

Location Hiraide America - Pepperell

October 8 - Confirmed

Topic Tool Making - Making a marking knife

Fashioning steel into a marking blade and forming a laminated handle

Presenter Steve Olesin

Location Steve Olesin's Shop

November 12 - Confirmed

Topic Deep Relief Carving

Steve Olesin coordinator

Presenter Clive Hamilton

Matthew Dworman - Astro Arts Host

Location Astro Arts Woodworker's Co-op - Worcester, MA

December 10 - Tentative

Topic Plane Tuning Clinic

Clinic leader TBD

Location TBD

January 14 - Confirmed

Topic Sharpening Clinic - 3/4" or wider chisel or block plane iron

Clinic leader Peter Wilcox and others

Location Peter Wilcox's Shop

February 11 - Tentative

Topic Case Construction

Presenter TBD

Location TBD

March 11 - Tentative

Topic Shop-made Jigs

Member projects display

Publicly advertised meeting

Presenter TBD

Location Rockler - Cambridge

April 8 - Tentative

Topic Buying hardwood lumber - what to look for

Coordinator Bill Karp

Presenter Steve Olesin, Chris Kovacs and others

Location Downes and Reader - Stoughton

May 13 - Confirmed

Topic Photographing Woodworking Projects

Presenter Paul Ruggerio and Bill Karp

Location Paul's Shop - Boxford

June 10 - Confirmed

Topic Annual Meeting

BBQ

Hostess Phyllis Jaffee

Location Phyllis Jaffee's home

Survey Result

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Here are the results of the survey that Steve Olesin sent to members in the springs. Low numbers mean greater member interest.

Final Questionnaire Results

*Reasons for being a member *

Woodworking Education 1.6

Meeting and getting to know other woodworkers 1.8

Informal problem-solving discussions among members 1.8

News of local woodworking shows and events 4.1

Opportunity to display or sell or demos 6.4

Meetings held on Saturday mornings 4.2

Meetings held on weekday evenings 6.2

*Topics of Interest *

Furniture building 1.3

Cabinetmaking 1.8

Tool and Jig making 2.4

Finishing 2.7

Design and design concepts 2.7

Tool sharpening 2.9

Raw Material souring 3.0

Decorative inlay and banding 3.1

Power tool maintenance 3.2

Chair making 3.4

Building with hand tools 3.5

Veneering 3.6

Marquetry/Inlay 3.6

Woodworking geometry and math 3.7

Professional Shop Practices 3.7

Tool Presentations 3.8

Refinishing and restoration 4.0

Carving 4.4

Bowl turning 4.8

Spindle turning 4.8

Carpentry 5.1

Product selection and marketing 5.1

Pricing / Cost Control 5.2

Reproduction or ornamented furniture 5.4

Retail/Wholesale strategies 5.8

Sculpture 6.2

Next meeting

Sophisticated Japanese tools are becoming popular with American woodworkers due to their excellent handling and cutting characteristics. Attend an open guild meeting where we will hear from Harrelson Stanley, a Japanese trained woodworker, who will introduce us to a variety of tools and even allow us to try a couple out. They are also offering attendees a 10% discount on tools during the meeting.

The meeting will be from 9:00 AM to around noon, Saturday September 10 at Hiraide America’s Shizutani School (www.japanesetools.com) at 51 Shattuck Street, Pepperell, MA. Shattuck Street is just off of Rt. 113 within a few board lengths of Rt. 119.

Directions From Route 495 just North of Rt. 2 :

Take EXIT 31 toward GROTON / TOWNSEND on RT. 119 WEST

Groton Center will be approximately 7 miles

Pass through Groton Center and go approximately another 4 miles (past Rt. 111) until you come to Rt. 113

Turn Right onto Rt. 113 then the next left onto SHATTUCK ST.

Once on Shattuck Street proceed about .5 miles - on your right will be a dirt driveway with a boulder marked Shizutani Farm. That is 51 Shattuck Street.