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President’s Letter – August 2019
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| This month’s meeting will be starting with a social hour. Soft drinks, coffee and snacks will be provided. Please come early and check out the library, toys, “show and tell” items and just chat with other members of the guild. Doors are open about 6:00 PM, so any time after that works fine. |
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We will have our usual raffle of gift cards and also be raffling off 4 mallets made by Ron Bontz. Ron impregnates these mallets with his special process using a mysterious “cactus juice” to toughen them up. If you never used one they would sure look good setting on your bench or desk at work. Ron donated 8 of these and 4 more will be raffled off next month. Thank you Ron for you donation. If you are not familiar with Ron’s work, check out https://www.bontzsawworks.net for a complete description of the mallets and saws he makes. |
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The August meeting will be David Stine discussing “Natural Edge Design”. David is an award-winning furniture maker whose work marries extraordinary craftsmanship with sustainable practices. |
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He is the fourth generation to steward his family’s 500 wooded acres in rural Illinois, where he sustainably harvests and mills the lumber he uses in his work. Check out his website at http://www.stinewoodworking.com. |
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Depending on how long you have been a member of the Guild you have seen the membership double or triple and we are now at 234 members. As with any organization, growth presents us with both problems and opportunities. We are attacking the problems as we see them and try to anticipate others before they raise their heads.
There are a multitude of opportunities that face us and prioritizing them is sometimes a difficult task. One of the items that has been prioritized is expanding the Guild’s outreach to the community. We feel the Guild can provide programs and services to many different groups and individuals of any age that can make differences in their lives. Introducing a child to woodworking may give them a career option that they would have never considered. Donating a small, personalized box to a child in foster or adoptive care gives them a personal possession they can take with them as they travel through the system. Challenging a gifted child with a kit to build may lead to many possibilities.
We are looking for someone to head up this effort. If you would like to make a significant contribution to the future of the organization, this is one way to do it.
Increasing our outreach efforts is just one piece of the growth puzzle. By doing this we hope to make ourselves an important part of the community, draw attention to ourselves, and possibly find a community partner that would allow us to expand into a larger shop. The next few years will be interesting as we work toward our goals.
The Guild is nothing without our members. Come on out and participate in the meetings and events, give us suggestions on classes you would like to have, meeting subjects you would like to see, and “rock stars” that you would like to have in for two-day learning sessions. The more effort you put into participation, the better the Guild will be.
See you Thursday and Work safe,
Wayne Humphrey |
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UPDATED SLWG WEBSITE!!!
The Guild has been in need of a new website for some time, and it is our pleasure to introduce you to the new, completely re-written, https://slwg.org.
This new site is a big leap forward for the Guild and while we hope that everyone will enjoy it, any comments or suggestions are welcome; please email webmaster@slwg.org. More changes are expected in the coming months as requested features are implemented (such as online class registration).
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| The July meeting was the Guild’s famous Speed Dating event again with a different focus from the previous event. It was a great meeting and all who attended learned at least one useful pearl of wisdom from one or more of the Masters at each table. |
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Wayne Watson talked about measuring tools, their uses and their care. He noted that even an antique |
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can be as accurate as a new tool if it is properly cared for. |
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Mike Sistek had the handplane table and discussed their application and care needs. He brought in planes that he uses every day in the shop. |
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His recommendation is that if you have only one plane in the shop, it should probably be a good quality low angle block plane. |
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Robbie Field showed us the finer points of carving chisels. |
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It turns out that his favorite chisels are the least expensive. |
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Dan Colemen talked about the various types of drill bits, |
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their applications and how to sharpen them. |
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Ron Bontz walked us through an assortment of specialized saws, |
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the best of which were the handsaws that he produces in his own shop. |
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Don Snyder and Brad Bernhardt walked through personal protection equipment which is (or should be) typically found in |
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the woodworking shop. They covered eye, ear, table saw safety, and first aid kits and also took email addresses for reprints of safety info. |
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We squeezed around the table for Denny Krupinski to talk about the |
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applications for the various types of clamps. |
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In Remembrance of Phil Haskins who passed away July 29, 2019. We will miss his quick smile and his contributions to the Guild. Being a long time member and professional woodworker, he was also a member of the clergy. His open and friendly personality made him a great friend to all that knew him. His love of wood was known to most of us and he often brought wood from his enormous stash to meetings to benefit the Guild. He taught classes for Guild members and shared his knowledge freely to all. |
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Brad Bernhardt showed us a walnut burl bowl. |
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Jeff Lickenbrock showed us his beautifully made and detailed walnut and amber Pennsylvania spice chest. |
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Raffle Time
with Guild President Wayne Humphrey and Violet Oman
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Note of Appreciation to the
Guild 7/24/19
Hi! A group of your wonderful woodworkers recently helped empty my dad’s basement and workshop of some saws, a drill press, and tools. We were so thrilled to watch them get excited about certain items they’d see. It made our hearts happy to know that someone else will benefit from Dad’s passion and that toys will be made for children as well… Please pass on to your members how much we appreciate all you have done to help us empty the basement and again, how happy we are that you and the children will benefit!
Yours truly,
Karen Hodapp (and Kim Major)
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The Guild thanks Robert Knight for his donation of hand tools and clamps.
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Woodworking Equipment SALE
This month the St. Louis Woodworkers Guild will begin selling surplus woodworking equipment that the Guild owns. It will be by sealed bid, open only to current members. The items range from small hand tools to large pieces of equipment, mostly used. The Guild has quite a few items, but we will only be selling about three to five items per month.
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July Silent Auction table.
Excess hand tools from the Guild Shop were brought to the meeting for disposal.
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2019 SLWG Annual Picnic
Shaw Nature Reserve
Saturday, September 14, 2019
The Annual Guild Picnic for members and their families will be held on Saturday, September 14 at Shaw Nature Reserve in Gray Summit, MO, beginning at 10:00 AM. It will include a tour of the historic Bascom House and a presentation by Dale Dufer on constructing furniture from honeysuckle branches. There will be opportunities for strolling through the native wildflower garden and hiking. The Guild will provide the main course (fried chicken), drinks, and paper products. Attendees will be asked to bring a covered dish. Sign ups will be held at the July and August meetings. |
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COMMUNITY
St. Louis Woodworkers Guild contributions to the local community
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Vickie and Bill ready to receive the Toy influx and to give out toy parts at the July meeting.
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SMALL BOXES NEEDED
We had few boxes donated in July. We have an ongoing need for boxes of all sizes for the Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition. The foster children who receive these boxes treasure them as their own personal space even though they are not living in their family’s home. Larger boxes are used for school papers while small boxes hold personal items such as jewelry and trinkets.
For box sizing and design suggestions, please see the following link: |
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COMMUNITY OUTREACH HISTORY
The Guild is compiling a list of all the community outreach programs that the Guild has done over its history so that we have specific information to put into grant proposals or for other uses. Even if you have lots of details or only a snippet, we value this input. The outreach that we are looking for is any work by the Guild or Guild members for community organizations such as Boy Scouts, Hospitals, Schools, etc. Our ongoing programs of Toy donations and Build-a-Box are large-scale examples, but there have been numerous examples of smaller projects. Please email any information you have to support this effort to Bill Schuchat at wschuchat@gmail.com.
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Quality Checks
We have asked members to perform an extra quality check on their items to ensure there were no sharp edges or corners. Thank you for taking this extra step. Last month’s donations were all in compliance. Toy Committee members will continue randomly sampling donations at meetings and give feedback to members on the spot.
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ROCKWOOD SCHOOLS TOY KITS
The Toy Committee is excited to partner with the Rockwood Schools Center for Creative Learning for a new project. The program is for academically gifted students who meet criteria set forth by the school district and approved by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
We’re preparing 80 “kits of parts” for kids ages 10-11 to assemble in class. Our task is to cut and sand all the pieces, assemble the parts to ensure proper fit, then disassemble and place all the parts in plastic bags. Five different kits (airplane, flatbed truck, stake body truck, road grader and a train engine) for this project are being built right now with a target completion of the August Guild meeting. The kits also include instructions for the kids to follow during assemble of the parts. The kits will be delivered in September after school begins. Kudos to the members who are making kits for this project: Steve Mettes, Keith Lissant, Terry Blevins, Don Turner, and Bill Schuchat.
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Collected
July — 439
YTD — 5,415
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Delivered
July — 653
YTD — 4,776
Since 1994 — 66,923!
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2019 Toy Program Major Contributors
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Over 1000 Club
Bill Meuth – 1,200
Over 750 Club
Wayne Humphrey – 878
Over 500 Club
Rich Sanders – 699
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Over 300 Club
Bob Zahner – 337
Bill Love – 323
Bill Schuchat – 315
Over 100 Club
Dale Norman – 280
Charlie Goria – 202
Steve Briner – 157
Dan Sudkamp – 152
Keith Lissant – 130
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2019 Target and Challenge
Progress towards our 2019 targets:
Target for Delivered Items: 7,843 To Date: 61% ACHIEVED
Well on our way!!
Target for Member Participation: 10% To Date: 18% ACHIEVED
40 Members so far!
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Toy Pattern Library is Growing
Keep checking the website for new patterns throughout the year as well as the schedule for donating seasonal items. We’ll continue to add new and interesting patterns for all levels of woodcrafters so check back often.
Find patterns at: https://slwg.org/community-involvement/toy-program/ |
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BEHIND THE SCENES
The Toy Committee has reviewed patterns on the original website to make them easier to use and to convert them to the format for the new website. Drawings have been updated and instructions revised. We’re have added material list to patterns that previously did not have one. Last month we had some new patterns being used for the Rockwood School toy build at the Toy Desk. If you have any patterns you want to add to the website or just have a question, please get with Bill Schuchat (314-406-1823) or wschuchat@gmail.com to ensure there is format consistency.
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Organizations that we currently donate toys to include:
Foster and Adoption Care Coalition
Mercy Children’s Hospital St. Louis
Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital
Shriners Hospitals for Children – St. Louis
SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital
St. Louis Children’s Hospital
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Bill Schuchat: (314) 406-1823
Vickie Berry: (972) 741-1944
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Bob Zahner: (314) 291-1878
Hal Donovan: (314) 570-6563
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| Please contact us with comments, suggestions or if you need to arrange pickup or delivery of toys. |
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Bring Me A Book Team News
BMABStL is finishing up its Summer Program of providing books and book boxes to children living in in Horizon Housing Foundation supported communities. In July, 25 boxes with 125 books were distributed at the Sycamore Hills apartments in DeSoto, and 50 boxes with 250 books at the Fox Manor apartments in South St. Louis City.
No programs are planned for August at this time due to the start of the new school year. One program requiring 75 boxes is planned for September.
Since the beginning of the program, BMABStL has distributed 657 book boxes with over 2,500 books to children in pre-K thru third grade.
We do not plan on building more book box kits until late August or early September.
We are currently looking for additional members to serve on the Book Box Committee. Please contact Tom Tierney if you are interested in becoming a Committee member or have any questions about the program.
Thank you to the members who have supported the BMAB program by building boxes.
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For those Guild Members who are delivering completed boxes, please set your boxes in or near the White Ford F150 parked at the rear entrance on the lower level.
Please make sure to tell Tom Tierney the number of book boxes you have returned.
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Book Box Program Major Contributors
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Over 50 Club
Greg Kuklinski – 100
Hal Donovan – 92
Bob Meyer – 66
Charles Schrock – 66
Dan Sudkamp – 61
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Over 25 Club
Jack McKay – 49
Steve Mettes – 42
Joe Turner – 41
Steve Briner – 39
John Vicini – 37
Don Turner – 34
Leo Weisman – 30
Craig Noel – 26
Bill Schuchat – 26
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As of August 1, 2019
Unassembled Box Kits ready for members to pick up 0
Book Boxes in process of assembly 8
Book Boxes in QC 0
Book Boxes Completed and Delivered to BMABStl 896
since beginning of program in April 2018
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Tom Tierney: (314) 412-1817
Jack McKay: (314) 435-2232
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Charles Schrock: (314) 822-3709
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Volunteers Needed
Michael Graber has agreed to assume the Membership responsibilities for the Guild. Thank you, Michael.
The Guild needs volunteers in several areas. If you can help, please contact the indicated person.
Box Committee – This refers to the book boxes we make for Bring Me A Book St Louis. There are three on the committee and looking for a fourth to help out. We are approaching 900 boxes that the Guild has built and we need someone to help spread the load of cutting pieces, kitting them up, and the distribution and collection of boxes at the meeting. Contact Tom Tierney. treasurer@slwg.org
We have revised our needs to help with the Website and are now looking for two people:
Technical Person
The new website is being built with WordPress, so familiarity or willingness to learn WordPress is a must. An ideal candidate would also be capable of doing basic Linux and web hosting administrative tasks, such as upgrading the operating system every 4 years, migrating WordPress if necessary, and using Google. David Zemon has created the new website and will be around for a while but we are looking for a long term Webmaster. David is more than willing to train someone for this position. Contact David at david@zemon.name
Content Person
Person will be responsible for writing blog articles, updating text on page, adding a new information on a page, and other content to keep the website up to date. This person does not need to have any technical abilities. Contact David at david@zemon.name with questions or Wayne Humphrey at president@slwg.org.
Outreach Coordinator
The Guild wants to expand our programs and outreach to the community. This person will determine programs that are needed and work with members to create them. This may involve gifted children, disadvantaged children, adults and groups. Emails generated by the website will be directed to this person for proper distribution or to be answered (about 1/day). For more information contact Wayne Humphrey, president@slwg.org.
If you would like to help out at the Guild but can’t help with the above, let us know. There is always a need for more help on lots of activities. |
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Check out the Events Calendar on the SLWG website HERE. |
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SAVE THE DATE
WEEKEND WOODWORKING SEMINAR
with
GEORGE WALKER, Furniture Designer
April 17-19, 2020
(More to come) |
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Woodworking Classes
Held at Faust Park Workshop |
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Inlay Methods 2
(lines on arbitrary paths)
When: Saturday, August 24, 2019
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Cost: $20
Materials: Will be provided
Tool List: Available upon sign-up
Class Size: Minimum 3, maximum 4 participants
Prerequisite: Inlay Methods 1
Instructor: Don Snyder
Inlay Methods 1
(lines on straight & circular-arc paths)
When: Sunday, September 22, 2019
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Cost: $20
Materials: Will be provided
Tool List: Available upon sign-up
Class Size: Minimum 3, maximum 4 participants
Prerequisite: Basic woodworking skills
Instructor: Don Snyder
Inlay Methods 3
(lines & fan motifs, sand shading)
When: Saturday, October 26, 2019
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Cost: $20
Materials: Will be provided
Tool List: Available upon sign-up
Class Size: Minimum 3, maximum 4 participants
Prerequisite: Inlay Methods 1
Instructor: Don Snyder
Additional Upcoming Classes
(More details to come)
Sept. 21 Turn a Penny Plate Tom Zeller
Sept. 28 Leigh jig for dovetails Mike Sistek
Oct. 29 Jigs & Fixtures Mike Sistek
Oct – Nov – Dec Shaker End Table Bob Brinkman
Nov. 16-17 Build a hand plane Mike Sistek
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HELP!!!
We need Guild Member input to suggest woodworking subjects that you want to learn about! We have had to cancel some classes due to lack of enough registrations and we want to keep this to a minimum.
Also, if you are interested in a BASIC WOODWORKING CLASS, please contact Eric. We need a minimum of 6 participants to schedule these sessions.
Please send any suggestions to Eric Oman at the address/phone number below. |
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Payment for the above classes:
-Payment in advance is required to be registered
– By check, mailed to Guild’s PO Box
– Pay online Guild web page through PayPal
– Pay at the meeting to Eric Oman
Please note that registration closes by the 5th of the month in which the class is scheduled. For example, for a class held in July, registration is due by July 5.
Registration or Questions?
Contact Eric Oman at eric.oman@yahoo.com or 636-248-0069 |
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Decorative Line Inlay (Part 1)
Learn to inlay decorative lines that follow straight lines and circular arcs. Inexpensive homemade hand tools and more expensive commercially available hand tools will be used. Small power tools, such as Dremel-style small routers, will also be used. These decorations can enhance drawer fronts, boxes, and other woodworking projects.
Example for Part 1 (a drawer front):
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Decorative Line Inlay (Part 2)
This class extends the inlaid lines studied in Part 1 to include decorative lines that follow curvy paths. While hand tools may still play a roll in constructing parts of a desired inlay, the primary tool will be a Dremel-style router used to follow a pattern.
Example for Part 2 (Steve Latta’s lotus flower):
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Decorative Inlay (Part 3)
Learn to make and inlay decorative objects in the form of fans, ovals, berries, flowers and other shapes. Hand tools and Dremel-style routers will be used. Learn to make fans and other shapes by using veneers with sand-shaded parts to give a three-dimensional visual effect. Inlaid objects like these add interest to drawer fronts, boxes and other woodworking projects.
Example (fan, line & berry): |
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Faust Park Workshop Information
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- To participate in the Workshop Safety Class or use the shop, you must have paid the current year Guild dues and have your current membership card with appropriate marking.
- To use the Guild Workshop during open hours, you must have passed a Workshop Safety Class.
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September Shop Hours
Sept 3 & 4, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sept 6 & 7, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Sept 10 & 11, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sept 13 & 14, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Make Checks for Safety Class payable to SLWG and attendees must bring their current Guild membership card.
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Next Shop Safety Class
When:
Thursday, August 22
6:30 PM
Where:
Faust Park Workshop
Duration:
Plan for 3 Hours
Cost:
$20 for Current Members
To attend Safety Class, must RSVP by July 30 to vicepresident@slwg.org |
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Recent Board Activities
A lot goes on that sometimes the general membership doesn’t hear about. We will try to publish some bullet points every month to let you know about these items.
- Prototypes of the picnic tables desired by the St. Louis Torchbearers 2 are believed to be unstable and present a hazard to use by children. They will be shown to the group and our concerns voiced. An alternate design will be proposed.
- Without a “sweetheart” deal on leased space it appears that this approach for a new shop is cost prohibitive. Members of the board have agreed that we need to find a “partner” that can provide financial or space assistance. This will be a major undertaking.
WH
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GUILD MEMBERSHIP
Annual membership renewal is available online with PayPal (preferred, as this speeds up the check-in process at the meeting) or at the meeting when you sign in. Current membership status is required for use of the Faust Park Shop.
Annual Membership Dues:
Basic Membership $40 (4 uses of the Guild Shop during 2019)
Full Shop Membership $75 (Unlimited use of the Guild Shop during 2019)
A basic membership entitles the member to four uses of the Guild Shop during the year. A shop membership entitles the member to unlimited use of the shop during open shop hours.
Member benefits also include:
> Discounts at Guild sponsors
> Access to Project Workshops
> Access to a local community of woodworkers
> Access to the secure portion of the website
Just Complete & Return This Application!
Or, bring the completed form to the next meeting and Join right there!!! Cash, checks, PayPal or credit cards accepted. |
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WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS
Marty Acosta
Dhruv Kar
Alan Klein
Rich Miller
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If you are a current or retired Boeing employee you can now contribute to the St. Louis Woodworker’s guild through the Boeing Gift Match program. The guild is now an approved charitable organization with the Boeing program. As an employee participant, your donation of $25.00 USD or more or the equivalent volunteer hours of 25 hours or more will be matched 1:1 by Boeing. The maximum individual contribution is $6,000.00 or 6,000 volunteer hours. Your contribution is tax deductible as long as you follow three simple steps:
Step 1: Eligible Boeing employees or retirees first make a contribution directly to the guild
Step 2: After making your donation go to Total Access and click on My Community Giving – GIVE – Gift Match on the Boeing Gift Match page.
Step 3: Register your donation whether it’s monetary or volunteer hours and select The St. Louis Woodworker’s Guild and enter the total amount and the date of the contribution.
It’s that easy, you get a great tax break and it benefits the guild directly. If you have any questions, please email Wayne Humphrey at president@slwg.org and if I don’t know the answer, I will try to find it for you. |
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The St. Louis Woodworker’s Guild is now listed with Amazon Smile.
AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite woodworker’s guild every time you shop at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to the St. Louis Woodworker’s Guild.
Simply go to smile.amazon.com and select the St. Louis Woodworker’s Guild as your organization that you want to receive donations from your eligible purchases. The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price from your eligible AmazonSmile purchases. You don’t make the donation, Amazon Smile does. It truly is at no cost to you. Just make sure you go to smile.amazon.com instead of amazon.com. If you have any questions on how the program works, just send an email to Wayne Humphrey at president@slwg.org . |
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SLWG Officers, Board Members and Committee Leaders |
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President:
Wayne Humphrey – 314-440-2173
Vice President:
Wayne Watson – 314-541-3047
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Secretary:
Tom Tupper – 636-236-3313
Treasurer:
Tom Tierney – 314-412-1817
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Directors:
Grant Black (exp. 2020)
Vickie Berry (exp. 2021)
Violet Oman (exp. 2022)
Don Turner (exp. 2023)
Immediate Past President:
Bob Brinkmann
Marketing & Membership Chair:
Wayne Watson
Membership Coordinator:
Michael Graber
Woodworking Show Coordinator:
Wayne Watson
Book Box Committee Chair:
Tom Tierney
Outreach Coordinator:
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Newsletter Editor:
Grady Vaughan
Librarian:
Al Carlson
Toy Committee Chair:
Bill Schuchat
Shop Manager:
Wayne Watson
Classes and Workshops Coordinator:
Eric Oman
Web Master:
David Zemon
Legal Counsel:
Bill Hobson |
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Our Sponsors
The St. Louis Woodworkers Guild relies heavily on sponsorship to execute on our mission statement of education, community service, and local development. Please support our sponsors.
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(In-store only)
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