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www.capwoodturners.org
February 2015
Capital Area
Wo o d t u r n e r s
Monthly Meeting
President’s Message
Saturday, February 14, 2015
8:00 to 1:00 at Bryant HS.
We are off to a great start this year. The program put together by Frank provided us with a lot of
information shared by our own members. I seem to
always learn either something totally new or a new
technique. I want to thank those who demonstrated for stepping up to the plate and providing their
time and knowledge for our benefit.
This month we have another quality demonstration being provided by Doug Thompson. Doug is not
only a great toolmaker, he is a woodturner as well.
This means he understands the drive we all have to
have and use quality tools. There are a lot of turners already using Doug’s tools, including many professionals. This speaks volumes about the quality
and craftsmanship of Doug Thompson tools. And
they are manufactured in the US. I have several of
Doug’s tools and will be picking up a few more at
the meeting.
Next I would like to talk about CAW workshops.
We have quite a few openings in all but 1 of our
workshops in 2015.
March
Mike Sorge
April
David Ellsworth
May
Dixie Biggs
August
Kurt Hertzog
August
Barbara Dill
September
Cynthia Gibson
November
John Lucas
The Cynthia Gibson Workshop at CAW in September is currently full, however there may be a
few openings in the CAT workshop. We will provide
further updates the closer we get.
These are all exceptional workshops, so please
give some thought to signing up.
See you at the February meeting.
Happy and Safe Turning! Bob
Doug Thompson
Doug has been interested in woodworking
since he was a young boy, and has never lost the
thrill of finding the exact piece within a log or board.
His dad taught him early that “planning is the key to
any project, and even the most difficult challenge
can be worked through if you take it one step at a
time”. He has always remembered this single lesson
through every project he has done.
At age 10 his first project was a stock for a
BB gun he made from a redwood 2x4 and a rasp,
but it had a cheek rest. He later carved a rocking
horse, made a toy box and … the list goes on. He
finally stumbled on a website www.woodhat.com
and the journey began.
He wasn’t satisfied with the quality and expense of many of the existing tools, so as a machine
repairman by trade and a good machinist, the only
thing to do was to make the best tools on the market. What started with a single design would grow
with the help and support of woodturners across
the country.
Doug’s tools are all manufactured in the US
from the best materials, and the most up to date
processes known. His tools are exceptional and
very reasonably priced. While he is here he is also
giving us a 10% discount – you just can’t beat that.
Continued on page 2
In this issue:
Presidents Message
1
About Our Members
6
Programs Report
2
Instant Gallery
8
Making a Chop Cup
3
Advertisements
11
Jimmy Clewes Finish
4
Adjustable Chopped Ball
13
[ Page 1 ]
www.capwoodturners.org
February 2015
Programs— January 2015
To register for professional workshops contact
Bob Pezold [email protected]. At CAW meetings
when we have a professional demonstrator there is
a $10 door charge.
To register for skill enhancement/mentoring
workshop contact C A Savoy [email protected].
The fee for the skill enhancement workshop is $20.
For any that may see the above as a bit more
formal than previously in force, please be aware
that these policies are necessary to ensure the staff
spends more time supporting the workshops rather
than dealing with spectator and administrative
issues.
27 January Skill Enhancement Mentoring
11 February Skill Enhancement Mentoring
14 February Meeting Day / Doug Thompson
24 February Skill Enhancement Mentoring
12/13 March Two Day Workshop Mike Sorge
14 March Meeting Day / Mike Sorge
Demonstration
31 March Skill Enhancement Mentoring
9/10 April Two Each One Day David
Ellsworth Workshops
11 April Meeting Day / David Ellsworth
Demonstration
28 April Skill Enhancement Mentoring
7/8 May Two Day Workshop Dixie Biggs
9 May Meeting Day / Dixie Biggs
Demonstration
11/12 May Two Day Workshop Dixie Biggs
26 May Skill Enhancement Mentoring
10 June Skill Enhancement Mentoring
13 June Picnic
30 June Skill Enhancement Mentoring
8 July Skill Enhancement Mentoring
14/15 July Two Day Workshop Rudy Lopez
18 July Meeting Day / Rudy Lopez
Demonstration
28 July No Skill Enhancement –
Resident Artist Vacation
4/5 August Two Day Workshop Kurt
7 August
8 August
12 August
25 August
10/11 September
12 September
29 September
14 October
17 October
27 October
12/13 November
14 November
24 November
5 December
9 December
29 December
Hertzog
One Day Workshop Barbara Dill
Meeting Day / Barbara Dill
Skill Enhancement Mentoring
No Skill Enhancement - Staff
vacations
Two Day Workshop Cynthia
Gibson
Meeting Day / Cynthia Gibson
Demonstration
Skill Enhancement Mentoring
Skill Enhancement Mentoring
Meeting Day CAW Based –
Christmas Ornaments
Skill Enhancement Mentoring
Two Day Workshop John Lucas
Meeting Day / John Lucas
Demonstration
Skill Enhancement Mentoring
Holiday Party
Skill Enhancement Mentoring
No Skill Enhancement - Happy
Holidays
Frank Jessup
Monthly Meeting Cont’d
I believe everyone is really going to enjoy
this. The meeting is half day and free. So come out,
enjoy the fun and buy some tools.
March is going to be a full day workshop
with Mike Sorge. If you have never seen his work
you are in for a unique treat. His bowls are not your
ordinary shapes, they consist of diamonds, triangles
and geometric squares. His boxes and platters feature sculpted flared tips and elegant curves at the
top center of each side. This is a don’t miss demo.
There are still a few openings in Mike’s workshop.
To get an idea of his work go to http://
www.mikesorge.com.
Frank Jessup
[ Page 2 ]
www.capwoodturners.org
February 2015
Making a Chop Cup: An Amateur’s Experience – and
Lessons Learned by Stan Wellborn
In researching the subject of woodturning and
magic, I delved into dozens of books that describe
how various magic acts are designed and performed. In the age of Internet, YouTube, and Wikipedia, many long-held secrets are being uncovered
– despite the efforts of magicians to curb those who
would reveal how certain effects are produced.
In that spirit – and using widely available source
material – I decided to try my hand at turning a rather simple magic device known as a Chop Cup. This
is a variation of the well-known Cups and Balls trick,
but instead is a single cup that secrets a magnet hidden in the bottom of the cup. In magic parlance, this
is a “gaffed” device that incorporates a “load,” or
gimmick. When used with a small magnetic ball, the
ball will adhere to the inside bottom until the cup is
turned upside-down and placed on a surface with a
small amount of force. The bump will cause the ball
to release and suddenly “appear” when the cup is
lifted.
Variations of the trick include a sleight-of-hand
replacement of the gimmicked sphere with a lemon,
a tennis ball, or other unexpected object.
The Chop Cup I designed is three inches tall and
has an inside diameter of 2-½ inches. To provide a
more exotic appeal for staging, I selected a richly
figured cocobolo blank that I could polish and wax
to a silky shine.
The project began by turning a cylinder approximately five inches long by three inches in diameter. I
then finished the outside shape and hollowed out
the interior.
I then parted off the cup and reversed it in the
headstock chuck, using tape to protect the rim. That
allowed me access to the bottom of the cup. I
turned a small recess on the edge to allow a closefitting insert that would complete the bottom of the
cup.
Using a ¾-inch Forstner bit, I drilled a shallow
hole in the center of the bottom that would accept a
fairly strong rare-earth disk magnet a little smaller
than a dime.
I then used the remaining part of the original
blank to turn a separate cover about ¼-inch thick for
the bottom of the cup, again using the Forstner bit
to hollow a depression in the center. The outside
bottom of the cover should be slightly concave.
Matching the end piece to the grain of the cup with
a small groove, I glued both together, with the magnet sandwiched in the middle.
The finished cup is outfitted with a pair of
“chopped balls,” widely available from magic supply
catalogs. These are lightweight wooden spheres
about 1¼-inch in diameter and covered in a soft cro[ Page 3 ]
www.capwoodturners.org
February 2015
Making a Chop Cup Cont’d
cheted fabric. One of the balls has been drilled to
accommodate a small magnet that will be attracted
to the magnet hidden in the cup. I also added a larger rubber sphere to incorporate in the trick.
Having completed the project, I set out to impress friends and family with my amazing magic
prowess. Much easier said than done, I learned. Executing the trick successfully requires many hours of
practice and considerable stage presence, and I have
yet to master the manual dexterity needed to make
the trick work every time.
Moreover, I made a fundamental mistake in
assembling the cup: I didn’t glue down the magnet
itself inside the space I had hollowed out in the
bottom. Consequently, the cup rattles – a dead giveaway of the gimmick to anyone who examines it.
When I showed it to a couple of magician / turners,
they just smiled knowingly: obviously an amateur at
work.
See article on page 13, “The Rings-n-things Adjustable
Chopped Ball,” reproduced with permission.
A Jimmy Clewes Finish
The sole purpose of this brief article is to detail a finish that Jimmy Clewes demonstrated and
discussed in the studio on 11/7/14.
Jimmy usually starts sanding at 180 and generally sands to 400, and often to 600 when staining, as
stain reveals all.
After sanding to the final grit, spray lightly with
alcohol. Especially if coloring, this spray will clean
the sanding dust out of the wood pores and make
sealing, staining or both easier. Jimmy didn’t say
this, but this process should also raise the grain of
the wood. If you wish to use it to raise and sandback grain, do this step twice with no sanding on the
repeat.
Next either seal, color or apply finish (in today’s
example Jimmy finished uncolored wood with
Watco; other oil finishes are adequate). Jimmy
points out that almost any clear liquid, and many
finishes more so, will show the wood as at least one
tone darker – normally the equivalent of the final
finished tone.
When you are satisfied with your color, sealer, or
initial finish such as oil; you are ready to begin your
overcoat finish. From here on I shall detail a single
process using a lacquer overcoat and specific product, however, as Jimmy often says this is just one
way and there are many others.
 Apply several light coats of gloss lacquer finish
(Note from me and folk lore based on many other’s input, Deft is perhaps the hardest lacquer,
though some say any rattle can lacquer is sufficient.). Always provide sufficient drying time between coats and at least overnight (24 hours is
better) for final drying. Lacquer dries from the
inside out and thus can roll up and become a real mess if not sufficient dry.
 Sand with wet dry 800 grit sandpaper in wet
mode. Do not sand through finish and be very
cautious not to allow removed finish to build up
on sandpaper.
 When dry from sanding, dust off and move to
next step. Work the finish (rubout) with
Meguiar’s automotive rubbing compound
(abrasive part of old fashion car waxing),
[ Page 4 ]
www.capwoodturners.org
February 2015
A Jimmy Clewes Finish
Cont’d
http://www.meguiars.com/en/automotive/
products/g18016-rubbing-compound/, followed
by polishing with Meguiar’s automotive polish,
http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/product/
ultimate-polish and then Turtle wax. You’re
right, if you are thinking this is a fine car wax job
from the 1950s (before clear coats, also before
“detailing”), but remember, you are working the
lacquer finish, not the wood.
As always experiment on scrap to avoid turning
a finished item into scrap or at least a difficult strip
and start over job.
Finally, let me get a personal complaint in, anytime you can avoid wax you are avoiding future
work. I don’t know why or where it goes, but it
seem like a wax job needs to be restored annually.
Accordingly, if you are happy before putting on the
Turtle wax, then DON’T.
Frank Jessup
Monthly Meeting agenda
8:00 AM — Building opens. Set up for the demo.
Look over the Group Buy items. Have a cup of
coffee and donut. Donate items for silent auction or
raffle. Discuss the "show & tell." Rent a video. Talk
tips and techniques with other members. Get your
raffle tickets.
8:30 — "Show & Tell." Photos of items will be
taken for the next CAW newsletter. Tape/DVD library will be open.
8:45 — Chapter business meeting with show notices and activity announcements.
9:00 — Demonstrations start
12:30 PM — Demonstration ends. Repack the
lathe and CAW equipment and clean-up the shavings. Must be out of the HS by 1 PM.
Don’t be shy! Promote yourself.
Tell us about your woodturning activities
in the CAW Newsletter. Send your
information by the 22nd of the month to
Phil Brown, [email protected],
or call (301) 767-9863.
Discount on most products to CAW
members including Powermatic and
Jet Lathes. Call for quote and identify yourself as a CAW member.
Fries, Beall and Sharp Inc.
Established 1906
7371A Lockport Place Lorton, VA 22079
Phone:703-550-1100
Fax: 703-550-1105
Store Hours 8:30 am - 4 pm Weekdays
9:00 am - 1:00 pm Saturdays
www.fries-beall-sharp-inc.com
Authorized dealer for:
Festool, Sawstop, Fein, Powermatic,
Jet, Starrett, Amana, Kaeser Rotary
Screw Air Compressors
Installation and service available on
most machinery. Call for details
Exotic Lumber Has Moved
We have recently relocated our Gaithersburg location to
Frederick, MD. We have a lot of turning stock available
and as previously agreed we do offer all members of
CAW a 10% discount.
www.exoticlumberinc.com
Neil Gager
Exotic Lumber Inc
329 E. 2nd Street
Frederick, MD 21701
[ Page 5 ]
[email protected]
Phone (301) 695-1271
Fax (301) 695-1274
Cell (410) 533-2151
www.capwoodturners.org
February 2015
About Our Members by Phil Brown
Bob Horowitz (BobTheWoodturner.com) is a featured artist from February 3 to March 2 at The
Artists' Undertaking Gallery in historic Occoquan,
Virginia. www.theartistsundertaking.com
Lynda Smith-Bugga has four sculptures in WOMEN OF ZENITH GALLERY, at 1111 Pennsylvania Ave.,
Washington, DC, through April 26, 2015. A reception to meet the artists occurs Wednesday, February
18, from 5 to 8 PM. (ZenithGallery.com)
Together with
a jewelry artist,
Lynda will have
her sculptures
in COAXING THE
ELEMENTS, at
Gallery B, 7700
Wisconsin Avenue, Suite E,
Bethesda, MD,
from February 4
to March 1,
2015. The gallery is open
Wednesday to
Saturday, 12
non to 6 PM.
An artist reception occurs Sunday, February 8, from
2 to 5 PM. The gallery will be open 6 to 9 PM, February 13, for Bethesda Art Walk. The Gallery phone
is (301) 215-7990.
Montgomery County Woodturners (MCW) elected
new officers with Gary Guenther as President, Tim
Aley as Program Chairman, and Phil Brown as Treasurer.
Tim Aley, Phil Brown, Bob Grudberg, Gary Guenther, Ed Karch, and Emily Koo have pieces in a MCW
exhibit during February in the Bethesda Public Library at 7400 Arlington Road, Bethesda, MD. Concurrently with the turned wood, large photographs
with trees in them hang on a wall next to the display
cases. An opening reception occurs Thursday, February 5, between 7 and 8:45 PM.
Last year Phil Brown donated three bowls from
wood grown in the Kogod Courtyard to the Smithsonian American Art Museum for use in their educa-
tional programs. A blog post about one of the bowls
is at: http://eyelevel.si.edu/2015/01/picture-thiswood-turning-a-tree-from-our-kogodcourtyard.html
John Noffsinger teaches a two-session class, Introduction To Hollow Turning, on February 10 and 24,
from 6:30 to 9:30 PM. John also teaches onesession classes on April 28 and May 12.
Nate Johnson teaches The Art Of Wood Burning,
March 7 and June 6, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Felton Gilliam teaches Turning Bottle Stoppers on
April 7 and May 26, from 6:30 to 9:00 PM.
Nate Johnson teaches Scroll Saw Level I, May 1
and July 3, from 6:30 to 9:30 PM.
These classes are at Woodcraft in Springfield, VA.
See: www.woodcraft.com/stores/
storeclasses.aspx?id=327&page=classes
Dave Robinson will be teaching Turn a Pepper Mill
as a two-evening class March 31 and April 1, then
again on June 2 and 3, from 6:30 to 9:30 PM.
Nate Johnson teaches The Art Of Wood Burning,
April 25, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Dale Bright teaches Turning Natural Edge Bowls
on Saturday, April 18 and July 18, and Bowl Turning
on Saturday, March 21 and June 20. These classes
run 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
These classes are at Woodcraft in Leesburg. You can
register at the store, or by phone at (703) 737-7880,
or email via the web site: www.woodcraft.com/
stores/storeclasses.aspx?id=575&page=classes
Mark Supik’s workshops at 1 N. Haven Street in
Baltimore include these all-day woodturning workshops from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM for $150/class, with
a 20% discount for AAW and local woodturning club
members. Lunch & materials are included. To register, phone or e-mail Nancy Supik, (410) 732-8414, or
[email protected]. Classes for 2015 will be
posted soon.
The Right Start: Learn spindle turning, having fun
making bead & cove cuts to create wine stoppers,
mallets, and other useful objects on Sunday, February 15, and Saturday, March 14.
Bowl Turning Fundamentals, using green wood
from recently downed local trees, move from log to
bowl in one day on Saturday, February 14.
[ Page 6 ]
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February 2015
About Our Members continued
More Bowl Turning: Ready to tackle end grain
turning or try a natural edged bowl? Need a larger
lathe for a special project? Looking for a bowl in
your own piece of wood? A class designed for students who have completed the basic bowl turning
class and are ready for more. Sunday, March 15.
The Next Step Morning Workshops ($75) For
those who completed The Right Start or the Bowl
Turning Workshop, from 9:00 AM to Noon. First
hour is a demonstration of a specific skill or project.
Students then have the remaining time for directed
practice of that skill. Topics are Turned 3 Legged
Stool on Saturday, February 21, and Making Plates
on Saturday, March 21. On these dates Open Studio
follows from 1-4 pm ($30).
Don’t be shy! Promote yourself. Tell us about your
woodturning activities in the CAW Newsletter.
Send your information by the 22nd of the month to
Phil Brown, [email protected], or call (301)
767-9863.
Ornamental Lathe Available
Many years ago Marshall Jacobs made his own
version of an ornamental lathe, and his widow,
Shirley Jacobs, has been trying to find someone interested in taking it, and now it is available free.
The only charge is that you remove it from the basement. Pieces made on that lathe were of fair quality, not outstanding. I think better quality would be
achieved if the cutter head turned faster. If you like
to tinker, this could be a interesting and fun toy. If
interested in this lathe, call Shirley at (301) 6567465 in Chevy Chase, MD.
Baltimore Craft Show
The American Craft Council Baltimore Show is February 20 through 22 at the Baltimore Convention
Center. Hours are
Friday, February 20, 10 AM to 8 PM
Saturday, February 21, 10 AM to 6 PM
Sunday, February 22, 11 AM to 5 PM
Admission is free to ACC members or $16 for a
one day pass at the door. There are 11 woodturners
listed see http://shows.craftcouncil.org/2015/67/44
Wood Turning at Craft Schools
Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, TN has an outstanding building for teaching
woodturning and wood working. They offer weeklong courses and have housing on campus. See
www.arrowmont.org/workshops-and-classes for
information and look in the wood category for turning classes at: www.arrowmont.org/workshops-and
-classes/workshops?
filter_order=x.dates&filter_type=type&filter=Wood
Woodturning classes are scheduled into June 2015
at the John C. Campbell Folk School are found at
https://classes.folkschool.org/Browse.aspx?
sub=Woodturning
They describe the Willard Baxter Woodturning
Studio as: “Opened in January 2007, the woodturning studio is a woodturner's dream come true. The
2,500-square-foot space features a tiered-seating
demonstration area with video monitor, and separate wood preparation, turning, and finishing areas.
With mostly new equipment and tools provide the
icing on the cake.”
[ Page 7 ]
www.capwoodturners.org
February 2015
Instant Gallery (Photos by Frank Jessup)
Bruce Boke
CA Savoy
Don Johnson
(unknown)
(unknown)
George Whipple
[ Page 8 ]
www.capwoodturners.org
February 2015
Instant Gallery (Photos by Frank Jessup)
Phil Hall
Scott Hurley
Tom Huber
Tom Huber
Tom Huber
Tom Huber
[ Page 9 ]
www.capwoodturners.org
February 2015
Instant Gallery (Photos by Frank Jessup)
(unknown)
(unknown)
(unknown)
(unknown)
[ Page 10 ]
www.capwoodturners.org
February 2015
CA’s - ONEWAY PRODUCTS
20% discount on most ONEWAY products, except lathes, plus shipping.
Go to ONEWAY website www.oneway.ca to see products available.
Will provide quote upon request. Happy and Safe Turning!!!
CA SAVOY
2Sand.com is a Maryland-based coated abrasive specialist
serving woodworking and woodturning workshops,
founded on the principles of fast service, fair prices, and
superior products. We carry sanding discs, sandpaper sheets,
and sanding belts, and we can ship them to you today.
If we offer a product on our web site then we have it in stock
and ready to ship.
R. J. Stroman at [email protected] or (800) 516-7621.
Visit their website at www. 2sand.com
Visit their store at 8536 Dakota Drive, Gaithersburg, MD
Advanced Auto Tech is family owned and operated automotive maintenance and repair service center located in
Lorton, VA since 1990. We are pleased to extend a 10%
discount on any automotive service or repair to all CAW
members and their immediate family. Please visit our
website at www.advancedautotech.net or call Ben Johnson
at 703-339-5500 to schedule your appointment today.
Whether turning, burning, or carving,
LandingCrafts.com offers the finest
products for craftspeople of all abilities.
Use discount code CAWDSC and get an automatic 10% discount at
LandingCrafts.com. Certain products carry a larger discount, so contact Amy
Rothberg at [email protected] if you have questions.
[ Page 11 ]
www.capwoodturners.org
Capital Area
Woodturners
Tony Joyce
(editor)
[email protected]
February 2015
Monthly Meeting Information Bryant Adult Education Center
2709 Popkins Lane,
Alexandria, VA 22306
Map with driving directions here:
www.fcps.edu/maps/
bryant.htm
Send news items to:
[email protected]
The CAW
Newsletter is the
official publication
of the Capital Area
Woodturners, Inc.
If your contact information
changes, including your email or
mailing address, please contact
Phil Mannino at:
[email protected]
Directions:
From VA or MD, take I-495/I-95
towards the Wilson Bridge over the
Potomac River.
Take Exit 177A to Route 1 South on
the VA side.
Drive approximately 1.9 miles on
Rt. 1 South and you will pass the
Beacon mall complex with Lowe’s
on your right. Drive past the main
entrance to Beacon mall and go 4
more stop lights (about 1/2 mile).
The 4th stop light is Popkins Lane.
Turn left and go two blocks.
Bryant Center entry is on the right.
Drive to the East side of the
building. Parking is on the side or
in the rear of the building.
The entrance to the wood working
shop and meeting rooms is off the
back corner of the East side of
Bryant Center
Mentor Program
Please contact Gerry Headley and Bob Pezold at:
[email protected]
NEW Members
Capital Area
Woodturners is a
chapter of the
American
Association of
Woodturners

Steve Blankley
Annandale, VA

T. Scott Snider
Arlington, VA 22201

John Lavole
Stafford, VA

Manny Flecher
Columbia, MD 21044

Carl Hansen
Springfield, VA

Jeff Bodner
Mechanicsville, VA

Ed Grose
Annandale, VA
[ Page 12 ]