President’s Letter – February 2019
I just returned from an excellent 2-day box-making seminar presented by Doug Stowe. Doug is a regular instructor at Marc Adams School of Woodworking near Indianapolis.
Although the weather for Friday evening’s pre-seminar “meet and greet” was a little daunting, it was attended by nearly 20 hardy souls. There were 36 members present for the Saturday and Sunday event and it was an informative demonstration covering the many aspects from design through to a completed box. At the end of the seminar, it was decided that all attendees would build a box for the June Show and Tell and would be judged. The first prize will be free attendance at next year’s seminar which is planned for March or April to avoid weather issues. A speaker for the seminar has not yet been chosen, so if you have any ideas on who we should get please notify Wayne Watson, Mike Sistek or Tom Tupper.
Tom & Leslie Tupper are the scheduled speakers for this month. They will be taking us through how they built a lawn chair and foot stool while attending the Marc Adams School of Woodworking. They brought their chair and foot stool for Show and Tell last year and it is an impressive set.
In March, Stephen Crouse will be telling us how he built a lift on his basement stairway that he uses to move projects and materials to his shop. He tells us he built it for about $200 using many items from Harbor Freight. Steve is coming all the way from Wisconsin to make this presentation. Wayne Watson met him through his reading an article about our toy program and calling for information on how it works.
Our Annual Show and Tell and Silent Auction meeting this year will follow in April. This will give you an extra month to prepare. We delayed this event usually held in March to accommodate Stephen’s availability.
I hope you can attend our meeting on the 21st, I will see you there.
Bob |
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NOTICE!!! DANGER, DANGER …
ANNUAL DUES FOR 2019
If you have not paid your annual dues for 2019 by February 28th, you will have to repeat the Safety Class ($20) in order to use the Faust Park Shop.
Pay online (preferred) or at the meeting Thursday. |
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Annual Tune Up for Your Machinery
by
Dan Coleman |
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| Dan is a former Industrial Arts Instructor and he shared with us tips for keeping our machines up and running smoothly year round by performing preventive maintenance tune ups. Dan emphasized that you need to think like a machinist to maintain your machine’s accuracy and that you can use simple tools to get accurate results.
He noted that there are 3 areas of safety that should be observed when dealing with machinery:
Personal – what you do while you are operating the tool
Environmental – what is around you when you are operating the tool
Tool – what condition the tool is in and is it appropriate for the operation
He shared with us several tips for cleaning tool cutting surfaces such as for the table saw and jointers. He notes that 409 and Simple Green are good for removing pitch from blades, and Pam can be used as a good final coating to resist pitch buildup.
He also shared a written Inspection and Maintenance Checklist and had copies available for distribution. It has also been uploaded to the SLWG website.
It was a really informative program which was appreciated by all of the attendees. |
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| Some of the simple tools and jigs that Dan used in his demonstration. The drink cup is for doing this work on a hot day. |
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We’re looking forward to continuing to feature the fantastic projects created by Guild Members and shown at each meeting this year!!!
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Rich Sanders brought some toys and other items that he also shared at the SLWG table at the Woodworking Show. |
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| This lamp and nautilus were on the member display table. |
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This compass and jig and wooden sled were also available for members to observe. |
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COMMUNITY
St. Louis Woodworkers Guild contributions to the local community
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WE DID IT – SO WE CELEBRATED!
There was plenty of cake and ice cream for all of the over 100 members that came together to celebrate reaching 60,000 donated toys through 2018. The Toy Committee was proud to award Bill Meuth, our top contributor, a $100 gift card for making and donating 1,960 toys in 2018 – thank you Bill!
We also held our annual drawing for Rockler $20 gift cards. Everyone that donated 10 or more toys in 2018 received one entry and an additional entry for each additional 100 toys donated. Each person could win more than one gift card.
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Vickie Berry getting ready to Cut the Cakes!
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Results of the drawing were:
Bill Meuth, $40
The following received $20 gift cards:
Wayne Humphrey
Rich Sanders
Bob Zahner
Keith Lissant
Dale Norman
Willie Blue
Bruce Shelton
Adam Conners
We would like to thank Rockler Woodworking and Hardware for the gift cards. When you shop at Rockler you not only get the Woodworkers Guild discount on your purchase, but they track total guild purchases and donate gift cards to the guild.
THANK YOU ROCKLER!
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Everyone was invited to join in the celebration. |
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Bill Meuth, our most prolific toy producer in 2018. |
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FIRST 2019 FAUST PARK TOY BUILD DAY
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There will be a toy build at the Faust Park workshop on Saturday, February 23rd. We will be cutting parts and assembling trucks per the photo. Plans are to build four versions; the flatbed, stake bed, dump, and the tank truck. |
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There will be two shifts, 9 am to noon and 1 pm to 4 pm and hope to have four or five participants on each shift.
The cost to participate is $5 to help offset the cost of materials. No special skills are needed and beginning woodworkers are welcome. You do not have to have taken the safety course to participate.
Specify which shift you want or if it doesn’t matter.
Participants should bring safety glasses and may want to bring hearing protection. |
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FIRST 2019 ROCKLER TOY BUILD DAY
Unfortunately, the first toy build day at Rockler this year scheduled on January 12th was cancelled due to the blizzard we received that weekend. It’s been rescheduled for March 2nd.
We’ll need 4-5 volunteers from 9:00 – 1:00 and 4-5 volunteers from 1:00 – 5:00. The morning shift will set up, make toys and talk to customers about the Guild. The second shift will make toys, talk to customers, and cleanup. This year we plan on having toy kits that customers can take home, build and return to Rockler.
If you’re interested in participating, please let Wayne Humphrey know at wehumphrey@hotmail.com or 314-440-2173
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Collected
January — 1,194
YTD — 1,194
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Delivered
January — 808
YTD — 8089
Since 1994 — 63,421!
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Over 300 Club
Wayne Humphrey – 336
Bill Meuth – 300
Over 100 Club
Rich Sanders – 184
Steve Briner – 105
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| 2019 First Time Contributors
January — Ted Hellman and Bob Meyer
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2019 Target and Challenge
Target for Delivered Items: 6,141 To Date: 11%
(Tentative target) AHEAD OF PLAN!
Target for Member Participation: 10% To Date: 5%
13 Members so far!
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| Every month there is a toy display table for showing off current toys and distribution of parts for the toy program. |
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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: http://slwg.org/toyplans.aspx |
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Hospitals that we currently donate toys to include:
SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital
St. Louis Children’s Hospital
Mercy Children’s Hospital St. Louis
Shriners Hospitals for Children – St. Louis
Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital
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Wayne Humphrey: (314) 440-2173
Vickie Berry: (972) 741-1944
Bill Schuchat: (314) 406-1823
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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
Ninety-two book box kits were handed out to member in early January to bring the total book box count to 612.
Bad weather in January forced the cancellation of two BMABStL handout events at St. Louis schools. These events will be rescheduled in the coming months.
Due to these cancelled events, Michael Shipley has a backlog of boxes in his office so no book box kits will be available at the February meeting. Information on kit availability to follow in an email.
The next BMABStl handout event is scheduled for February 28 at the Sister Chea Bowman school in East St. Louis. Sixty-five book boxes will be distributed at that event.
Please bring your completed book boxes to the February 21 meeting. Also, we should have templates available at the meeting.
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 boxes, please set your boxes in or next to Tom’s White Ford F150 pickup truck outside the entrance to the meeting space. It will save some effort if that transfer can happen in the parking lot.
Please make sure to tell Tom the number of book boxes you have returned.
Book Boxes delivered to BMABStl as of Jan. 31:
500
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Tom Tierney heads up this project for the Guild. About 35 Guild members have participated in the project so far. If you would like to participate in the project, please contact Tom. |
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SAVE THE DATE
Faust Park Toy Build Day
Date: Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019
Morning and Afternoon Sessions
Faust Park Guild Workshop
Bring Me A Book Shop Work Day
Date: TBD
Faust Park Guild Workshop
Rockler Toy Build Day
Date: Saturday, March 2, 2019 9:00 AM-5:00 PM
Morning and Afternoon Sessions
Rockler Woodworking and Hardware
11977 St Charles Rock Road – Suite 110A
Bridgeton, MO 63044
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Annual Woodworking Show Photos
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Doug Stowe Making Wood Boxes
Workshop Photos
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| Internationally acclaimed woodworking instructor and author Doug Stowe gave a group of over 30 SLWG Members a great two-day workshop this past weekend, covering everything from design concepts to wood selection to practical pointers for construction techniques for wooden boxes. He shared with us the various types of joinery used, how to build our own jigs, how to build table saw cutting sleds, where to find the most economical and most expensive hardware, and many other bits of knowledge too numerous to mention. |
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Woodworking Classes
Held at Faust Park Workshop |
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Scrapers, Scraping Planes and Scratch Stocks
(Sold out, get on the waiting list!)
When: March 30th 2019
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Cost: $25
Materials: Provided with the cost of the class
Tool List: Available upon sign-up
Class Size: 6 Students
Instructor: Mike Sistek
Decorative Line Inlay (Part I)
(Sold out, get on the waiting list!)
When: April 27th 2019
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Cost: $25
Materials: A material list will be included in the tool list
Tool List: Available upon sign-up
Class Size: 4 Students
Instructor: Don Snyder
Decorative Line Inlay (Part II)
When: April 28th 2019
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Cost: $25
Materials: Provided with the cost of the class
Tool List: Available upon sign-up
Class Size: 4 Students
Instructor: Don Snyder
Note: Decorative Line Inlay Part I is a prerequisite class
Decorative Inlay (Fans, Berries, Flowers, & Other Shapes)
When: May 28th 2019
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Cost: $25
Materials: A material list will be included in the tool list
Tool List: Available upon sign-up
Class Size: 4 Students
Instructor: Don Snyder
Note: Decorative Line Inlay Part I is a prerequisite class
Basic Router Jigs & Fixtures
(Sold out, get on the waiting list!)
When: June 29th & 30th 2019
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Cost: $50
Materials: A material list will be included in the tool list
Tool List: Available upon sign-up
Class Size: 6 Students
Instructor: Mike Sistek
Other classes in the works are for making a Diamond Stone, Cutting Board, a Shop Mallet and we will have a Christmas Ornament class. We are just working on dates to have the classes. If you have a class you would like to instruct or a class idea that you would like to have the guild offer, please contact Eric Oman or one of the Executive Board members.
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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@hotmail.com or 636-248-0069 |
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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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February Shop Hours
Mar. 2 & 3, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Mar. 5 & 6, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Mar. 9 & 10, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Mar. 12 & 13, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
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Next Shop Safety Class
When:
Thursday, February 28, 2019
6:30 PM
Where:
Faust Park Workshop
Duration:
Plan for 3 Hours
Cost:
$20 for Current Members |
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The Guild is looking for new Shop space
We find ourselves in need of additional Shop space to accommodate our growing membership and equipment wants and needs.
We are asking all members to help us locate a facility that has the following:
- Location: within a 10 mile radius of Hwy 40/64 and Hwy 270
- Square Footage: 3,000 to 5,000 sf
- Floor: Minimum 3” thick concrete slab
- Ceiling Height: 8 to 12 feet
- Electric: 400 amp Single Phase (3-Phase a plus but not required)
- Lighting: adequate fixtures in place for manufacturing
- Plumbing: Restroom(s) and kitchen sink
- HVAC: Heated and air conditioned
- Parking: 20-50 spaces
- Garage Door: at least one 8 foot wide drive-in door
- Dock: Optional – Standard truck height
Please contact Tom Tierney (314) 412-1817 if you have any questions or comments.
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2019 GUILD MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS
Annual membership renewal period is now open and you can renew 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.
The Guild accepts cash, check, credit cards or PayPal for dues payment.
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2019 Officers and Executive Board Member Election
Nominating Committee Report
The Guild Nominating Committee will present its slate of candidates for this year’s election of Officers and Executive Board Members at the March meeting and the election will be held at the April meeting. Nominations may be made from the floor at either meeting. Contact any member of the Committee to learn more about the open positions and the election process.
Committee Contact Info:
Tom Tupper trtupper@yahoo.com 636-236-3313
Don Snyder dis@ee.wustl.edu 314-780-5443
Tom Tierney tmtierney@gmail.com 314-412-1817
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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 Mike Sistek 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 Mike Sistek at president@slwg.org . |
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Member Benefits Include:
> Discounts at Guild sponsors
> Access to the Guild Shop & 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, or credit cards accepted. |
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SLWG Officers, Board Members and Committee Leaders
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President:
Bob Brinkmann – 314.378.1893
Vice President:
Wayne Watson – 314.541.3047 |
Secretary:
Keith Lissant – 314.962.1907
Treasurer:
Tom Tierney – 314.412.1817 |
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President:
Bob Brinkmann – 314.378.1893
Vice President:
Wayne Watson – 314.541.3047 |
Secretary:
Keith Lissant – 314.962.1907
Treasurer:
Tom Tierney – 314.412.1817 |
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Directors:
Grant Black (exp. 2020)
John Bronson (exp. 2019)
Violet Oman (exp. 2022)
Vickie Berry (exp. 2021)
Marketing & Membership Chairman:
Wayne Watson
Membership Secretary:
Mark Zupec
Woodworking Show Committee:
Wayne Watson
Charitable Requests Coordinator:
Mike Sistek |
Newsletter Editor:
Grady Vaughan
Librarian:
Al Carlson
Toy Committee:
Wayne Humphrey
Class Coordinator:
Eric Oman
Webmaster:
Cecil Robertson |
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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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