July 2017

Femispheres

Drew Shelton

Hand out

I got into woodworking intending to make furniture.  I had no interest at all in trying woodturning.  A fellow woodworker at my office signed up for a penturning class at Woodcraft and talked me into taking it with him.  I was instantly hooked.  Soon afterwards I bought my first lathe, which was in 2000, and started cranking out pens.  I took a bowl turning class at Woodcraft where there was a last-minute substitute instructor - Gary Roberts.  He told the class about the Central Texas Woodturners Association and the AAW, though he did not say he was instrumental in starting both.  He had some copies of his book with him, which made me realize there was a whole universe of possibilities I knew nothing about.  I had to buy one.  While I have made a few pieces of furniture since that time, my main focus has been turning

I have held multiple positions within the CTWA, including president.

Drew

June 2017

Turning Fundamentals

Bob Edwards

Bob Edwards has been turning for what seems like forever. Living with a talented and creative wife he searched for an outlet of his own. Nothing seemed to satisfy until he discovered Woodturning. That was over 40 years ago and his enthusiasm has never dwindled. Not having the patience for pen making or segmented work he is content with just about anything else.

Bob's been a member of the AAW sense it's inception with a member number of 1210. Bob will turn just about anything that will stay together while turning but his favorite material is Mesquite.
Bob loves to travel and when he does he takes along some Mesquite to trade with turners along the way. He enjoys teaching and demonstrating to others but has a rather different approach. Rather than demonstrating how to turn one object he prefers to show how to use the tools to create your own forms.

His demonstrations are light hearted as he will sometimes deliberately make a mistake to illustrate a point. Bob encourages participation and discussion during his demos, it's like group therapy. He often learns as much from his audience as they do from him.

Meeting Photos March 2017

Click on Image to see rest of photos. Image info is located on next photo.

MONTHLY PRESIDENT'S NOTES

July 2017

1. New, hot off the press 2017, WNT Directories are now available. If you did not get your new directory last month be sure and pick yours up at James Haynes’ table. One copy per member please. If you want an electronic copy in PDF format email James Haynes at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and he will send it to you via return email. Please give David and Robin Carter a big thank you for their work in producing the directory.
2. "Bob's Challenge" for July is a box for Beads Of Courage. This is also the quarterly challenge drawing month. Remember you get one quarterly drawing ticket for each challenge you participate in. Bob pre-announced this challenge in May to give us more time to turn a box, or more, for Beads of Courage. This is one of our primary community benefit programs. See Ray Moyer’s information in the newsletter. Ray will pick up your box(es) and take them to SWAT unless you want to take them yourself. If you take them they have to be registered with SWAT before going on display. I know the shops are getting hot, but try to keep your skills up by completing each month’s challenge.
3. Challenge Photos. We will be implementing a new process to improve our challenge photos. In your name badge holder you will find a card with your name printed on it. If you have a challenge piece place this card, with your turning, on the table and also fill out the standard challenge card. When you pick up your piece for the group photo get your name card and return it to your badge holder for next month. The photographers will use the card to make one combined photo of your piece.
4. Empty Bowls is another WNT community program that continues through the year. Those that turn the most bowls get first choice at attending the luncheon in February. Bowls, pots, pens, any turned item is acceptable so bring your contributions to the meeting where they will be collected.
5. SWAT is NEXT MONTH. Time is running out to get your online SWAT registration. Go to this link to get registered SWAT online Registration . Reservations for hotel or camping are also filling up rapidly. SWAT is August 25^th- 27^th in Waco.
   1. SWAT demonstration rotation schedule is available at this link 2017 Rotation Schedule . Our club sponsors the Brazos South room and we need your HELP! For each rotation period we need at least one helper to announce the demonstrator and help clean up after the demo... If you are going to be at that demonstration anyway, then it is very easy to be the helper (no experience needed) and you get a reserved front row seat. Checkout the schedule and sign up for a slot on the pass around sheet Thursday, or call Bob Clark to get a jump on your preferred time.

See you at 6:30pm Thursday and be safe. We don't need a new "safety coordinator".

Glynn Cox

President