february 2021 ocwoodworkers.org volume 38, issue...

February 2021 OCWoodWorkers.org Volume 38, Issue 2

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President Ralph Crowther

Vice-President Jerry KnightSecretary Michael AghajanianTreasurer John Butler

DIRECTORSPublic Affairs Dir. Sandra SmolinskyDir. at Large Alfred MissbrennerDirector at Large Ken Crandell

Director at Large Lee ChoquetteDirector at Large Andy GoldmanImm. Past President James Santhon

Woodturners Pres. Jerry Ninenger

COMMITTEES

Membership John Butler

Library Roy ReaserMentor Fred Willmot

Proofreader Jerry Knight

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGEBy Ralph Crowther

I received good feedback from my first President’s message last month including a couple of

current members who noted that we worked at the same place years ago. I think that there is a positive opportunity to learn more about other members and after some discussion at the last board meeting, we decided to try out a new feature in the newsletter of spotlighting a member. First up this month is Len Musgrave; hopefully the first of many such articles.

I’d like to thank all of you who have gone ahead and paid your dues. As of this writing we have 114 members who renewed, which is exactly half of the membership. As I noted in the year-end financial summary for 2020, the vast majority of our income came from dues. It supports the toy and pen programs and allows us to continue to bring value to the membership through zoom meetings with great speakers, contest prize money and the annual Christmas party. When you do pay your dues, John Butler will email you a personalized membership card for 2021. Print this out and use it at our participating locations for a 10% discount. When we

IN THIS ISSUE

President’s Message..........................1Upcoming Meetings........................2Woodworkers’ Sawdust....................3Member Spotlight............................7Woodturners’ Shavings.....................8

Toy Story..........................................9Items of Interest.............................10Show and Tell.................................12

meet again in person, you will be able to receive a membership card from John printed on cardstock.

The current situation with COVID has continued to close the Senior Center to our use for monthly meetings. The City of Tustin has refunded the monies for all the missed meetings of 2020. They are currently evaluating the situation on a month-by-month basis using guidelines from the state. Early indications are that when we do get to meet again in person, that the room capacity will be 25% of what it is now. So even when we open up again, I foresee that we will need to have some form of hybrid meeting with some in-person attendance and others participating through Zoom or other streaming service. Your board will continue to monitor the situation each month and adapt as necessary to bring the best monthly meetings to you. A side benefit of Zoom meetings is not having to drive to the meeting which has been great for our active toymaker Lee Kaufholtz who joins us each month from South Carolina. We also had a guest at the last turner’s meeting, Larry Elbert, who liked what he saw and joined our club. Larry lives in Park City Utah! Other members split their time between Orange County and other locales and they too can attend regularly now with Zoom.

(Continued on page 7)

February 2021 Page 2

UPCOMING MEETINGS

Ralph Crowther, Hal Metlitzky, Larry Marley and Ross Gilroy

Shop Tours Thursday, February 4

7:00 p.m. - Zoom

Keith Gotschall“Hollywood Bowl”

(holly and blackwood)Thursday, February 18

6:30 p.m. - Zoom

ToysTBA

(See Toy Story, page nine)


WOODWORKERS’ SAWDUSTBy Jerry Knight, Vice President and Program Director

January 2021 Meeting

Table Saw Tune-up

On Thursday, January 7, I gave a talk about how to tune up your table saw for maximum performance. I have made a copy of the presentation available in PDF format on the club’s website.

Your table saw tune-up should start with a good cleaning. I start by scrapping clue, pitch, or other

substances from the table top using a standard window paint scrapper.

Treat any rust spots on the saw with a commercial rust remover/stabilizer. This is a spray on liquid that chemically attacks the rust and changes it back into iron. A number of brands are available. I purchased this bottle of Rust Free at Rockler, and it has served my needs for several years.

After the table saw is nice and clean, spray the surface with a rust protector (T-9 in picture) and add a coat of high-quality wax. Johnson’s auto wax works very well as does Renaissance Wax. Apply a thin coat, let dry and wipe off the haze with a clean rag. You will be amazed at how much easier it is to make cuts with a clean, waxed table.

Now it is time to check the flatness of you table top and throat plate. Take a long straight edge or builder’s level and place it on the top of your table. If you can see a light-gap under the level at any of the table’s joints, loosen the bolts and tap the surfaces back into place to eliminate the gaps. This adjustment should last for years.

Once the table is level, check that the throat plate is aligned with the table top. If you use multiple throat plates, check them all. I like to slide a machinist square from the tabletop onto the throat plate and then from the throatplate back onto the tabletop. The square should not catch at any edge. Check front, sides and back. If there is a catch, adjust the set screws on the throatplate up or down to remove the catch.


Remove the throat plate and access panels to provide maximum access to the insides of the saw. Vacuum and blow out all the dust. Meticulously blow and wipe down the motor, cooling fins and both the elevation and tilt trundles. Make sure trundle teeth don’t have any gunky buildup.

Carefully check the drive belts or cables and replace them if there is any cracking or separations. I like to give the back of the drive belt a very light spray of silicon lubricant to help prevent drying and cracking.

Spay the trundles with a dry lubricant. Do not use any type of grease or oil – grease will collect dust and gum up your machine. I have used spray silicon lubricant and dry film lubricants with good success. Do not use graphite-based products! They don’t play nice with wood. You can purchase dry spray lubricant at woodworking and automotive vendors.

Next, check that your table top and blade are aligned for top performance. Install a saw blade and raise it to maximum height. Align one of the saw teeth with the table top at the front of the saw and measure the distance from the miter slot to the tooth. I use a high-quality combination square, but many prefer to use a gauge. I slide the blade out of the square out gently (to avoid damaging the tooth) until it barely makes a scraping sound with the side of the tooth. The exact measurement is unimportant; it just needs to be uniform at the front and back. Mark the sawtooth and move it to the back of the throat opening and repeat the measurement. If the saw machinery is out of alignment with the miter slots, the tooth will either miss or strike against the blade of the square. If there is a misalignment, you must consult the owner’s manual for the alignment procedures. On most high-quality saws, this amounts to loosening a few bolts and lightly tapping the side of the tabletop until alignment is achieved.

Now adjust the stops on the tilt mechanisms so that the stops engage at zero and 45 degrees. I use a digital tilt meter. On most saws the stops are easily adjusted with set screws. Once you have the stops set, adjust the saw’s protractor so that it reads correctly at the stops. It is good practice to regularly recheck your saw’s tilt; at least recheck whenever you change the tilt of the blade.

Once the saw mechanisms and table top are cleaned and adjusted, you should clean and adjust your rip fence and miter guides. Flip the rip fence on its back and clean all of the slide points. On my saw, these are Teflon strips. Lubricate the locking mechanism as instructed in your user’s manual. My saw requires a tiny dab of gear grease every few hundred hours of use. I find that I can align my miter guide very accurately by feel (others prefer a machinist gauge or a depth gauge). I move the fence so that the fence wall is aligned with the front of the miter slot. I rub my finger across the joint and move the fence until it feels exactly in alignment with the miter slot. I then check the fence at the back of the table. If the fence is aligned, the back will also feel in alignment. On most fences, alignment is adjusted by moving one or two set screws located on either side of the fence’s locking mechanism. Creep up on the perfect alignment with a series of very small adjustments.


Adjust the length gauge on the fence by locking the fence in place 3 or 4 inches away from the saw blade. Cut a piece of scrap and measure the cut width with a good combination square. Then adjust the fence’s distance gauge so that it matches the cut’s true width.

Finally, you should regularly clean all of your saw blades. A clean blade cuts easier, resists burning and produces higher quality cuts.

Many woodworkers use simple household cleaners like Simple Green for blade cleaning. I prefer to use a non-water based cleaner that I purchase at Rockler. I am prone to getting interrupted, and have come back to a rusted and ruined blade after an interruption. Dry spray cleaners (pictured in the first slide) are also popular.

My procedure is to soak the blades in a tub of solvent for 10 or 15 minutes and then scrub each tooth with a brass or aluminum wire brush. Don’t use a steel brush, it will dull or ruin you blade. I work all around the blade on one side, flip the blade over and repeat on the other side. Finally, clean the top and face of the teeth.

When you are finished cleaning. Check the blade sharpness with a gentle scrape of your finger. A sharp blade feels sharp. When needed, you can have your blades resharpened for about $20.

After the talk Al Missbrenner did a quick survey of local businesses who offer saw sharpening services. In addition to Al’s list, both Rockler and Woodcraft provide a very convenient, but slightly more expensive, drop off service – you drop your blades at their store and they will send them out to be sharpened. You pick them up the next week. Reel Lumber from Al’s list may also be a drop-off service.

Industrial Blade & Products Co., Inc.

http://www.industrialblade.net/

1-800-729-2523

(1-800-SAW-BLADE)

2230 RITCHEY STREET

SANTA ANA, CA 92705

email us at: [email protected]

Paramount Saw

http://www.paramountsaw.com/

Tel: (562) 633-0606 Fax: (562) 633-0475

16493 PARAMOUNT BOULEVARD,

PARAMOUNT, CALIFORNIA 90723

email: [email protected]

Anderson Saw

https://www.andersonsaw.net/

Phone: (323)779-9911

12715 Daphne Ave,

Hawthorne, CA 90250


Reel Lumber Service

https://reellumber.com/

(714) 632-1988 office

1321 N Kraemer Bvld.


Anaheim, CA 92806


Upcoming Meetings

A month or two ago I asked for members to volunteer to conduct a tour of their home shop, or to suggest someone’s shop that they would like to tour. I am very pleased to announce there were enough volunteers for two or more meetings. I sincerely thank each volunteer.

After talking with all the volunteers, I divided the tours into two groups: those that are equipped to conduct an on-line tour without assistance and those that would require outside assistance recording and editing their tour.

Due to Covid-19 concerns, we will do the non-assisted tours on February 4, 2021 and present the others at a later meeting – perhaps August, 2021, if the Orange County Fair is canceled, otherwise probably November, 2021.

Feb 4 Meeting: The hosts of the four shops tours during the February 4, 2021 meeting will be our own

Ralph Crowther, Hal Metlitzky, Larry Marley and Ross Gilroy. From my preview peeks I think, all have fabulous, individually styled setups. Our meetings start at 7 PM and are held via Zoom. I think you will enjoy the tours.

Mar 4 Meeting: Long time club member, Ken Cowell, will be our speaker for the March 4, 2021 meeting. Ken will be talking about how to harvest trees and process (and sometimes dye) the wood to make your own veneer.

DUES (NEVER TOO LATE)By Ralph Crowther

I have debited everyone’s account to show that you owe your dues for 2021. The dues are the same, $40 for an individual and $50 for a family. The board did discuss the dues for 2021 and if they should be reduced in light of the fact that we haven’t met in person since February and probably won’t meet again until the summer of 2021. The decision was to keep them the same. We based this on the facts that we are still funding the Toy program ($5,300) and the pen program ($3,000) along with hosting Zoom meetings each month (some with paid programs or outside turners), and in general our other income is significantly down. The 2021 budget has us spending $3,300 more than we plan to bring in and that’s assuming everyone renews this year. So please consider renewing and supporting your club through these tough times.

Dues can be paid online using Paypal (you don’t need an account - just a credit card) or a check can be sent (made out to OCWA) to:

John Butler

533 S. Woodland St.

Orange CA 92869

SHOW AND TELL WINNERS!

Larry Marley and Ross Gilroy

You can’t win if you don’t submit something!

The attendance at the Zoom meetings is still about half what we saw when meeting in person. I know it isn’t the same, but those that attend are having a great time. We open up a half hour before the meeting for everyone to get logged in and socialize and the post meetings usually continue with a smaller group for up to an hour longer. So, if you are reading this message and haven’t joined a Zoom meeting, give it a try. The bright red Zoom button on the members’ page of the website will take you to the next meeting. There are also links to many of the past meetings which will take you to our YouTube page where you can see what happened during that meeting. If you have any questions, comments or complaints about the Zoom meetings please let a board member know and we’ll try to address it.

(Continued from page 1)


MEMBER SPOTLIGHT- LEONARD MUSGRAVEEdited by Sandra Smolinsky, Public Affairs Director

Born 1942

Education: B.S. Aircraft Maintenance Engineering/ FAA Airframe and Powerplant License, Parks College of Saint Louis University, 1964; Master of Business Administration, Long Beach State University. 1975

Employment: Captain, United States Air Force, 1964-1968; 389th Tactical Fighter Squadron, DaNang, Vietnam, 1967-1968; Aeronautical Engineer, McDonnell-Douglas Aircraft Co., 1969-1975; Manager, Production and Engineering Test Group, National Oilwell Varco, 1975-2008

How did you get involved in woodworking?

I started woodworking as a hobby in 1969 because the furniture that I could afford was of very low quality, and I thought I could make my own at least that well. I purchased a used table saw for $80, and that lead to a 50-year love affair. Being an engineer, woodworking was easy for me to do. In the beginning, I just read a lot and figured it out on my own. I have a garage full of both power tools and hand tools.

Over the years my projects have been mostly for my home and for my three grown children. Since I now have three granddaughters, the projects will go on for many more years. It all started with a TV stand in 1969 and now it encompasses dry sinks, china and curio cabinets, hall tree, coffee tables, toys, chairs, a Sam Maloof rocking chair, Brian Boggs country chairs, and, of course, jewelry boxes and cabinets. In 1993, I purchased a used lathe and it has now become at least 75% per cent of my woodworking efforts. I love making bowls and anything round.

What was your role in OCWA?

In 1987 I discovered the OCWA and I have been President of both the Woodworkers and the Turners group, back in the nineties. Over the years I’ve made items for special clients, handymen and friends. I enjoy woodworkingfor the pleasure I get from it; if it feels like a job then it’s not as much fun. I have won several ribbons at the Orange County Fair over the years. In 2008, I took first place in the Woodworking Show’s Novice category for my jewelry cabinet and as a result of a first

place I am now considered a “professional.” However, the highlight of my woodworking career was in 2012 when I took first place at the OC Fair with a very thin pierced plate and beat Ross Gilroy. My piece was on the cover of the OC Fair Book featuring First Place Winners and in the Gallery section of the August issue of Fine Woodworking Magazine. If you have seen the works of Ross Gilroy, Frank Andrews, Ken Cowell and others, this was a big deal for me.

How do you see the future of woodworking going forward?

I would like to see more young people get involved in any craft where they can use their creativity and get their mind off the pressures of everyday living. This should start by reinstituting shop classes as a reward for students with good grades to be rewarded for their efforts.

What else did you do for fun when you were’t in the shop?

Although I was not a pilot in the Air Force, I did pursue my love of airplanes by getting a Commercial Pilots License, Instrument and an Instructor’s Rating. In 1978 I rented a Cessna 177 and flew the entire family back to Florida, Pennsylvania, and then back home. We were in the air for a total 54 flying hours. It was a great three weeks and the kids were old enough to recall some great times now with relatives along the way. Other interests over the years were model airplanes, off - road motorcycles, camping and catamaran sailing with our three children as they grew up.


WOODTURNERS’ SHAVINGSBy Chuck Phillips

The Turners meeting was graced by the inimitable Cindy Drozda. She is well known for her lidded vessels with incredibly delicate finials. She has also been at the forefront of remote interactive demos, and her production values are first-rate.

She gave us something just a bit different: a multi-axis hollow vessel. She describes it as a vessel with the inside bigger than the outside. It’s a bit of a tricky concept, ask a friendly time lord for clarification.

You start with a blank that is turned round (you could start with any shape as long as you can lay out your centers). Before taking it off the lathe, draw a reference line on the side. Lay out three concentric circles: The major diameter encloses the tips of your triangular sections, the minor diameter is the inner limit of solid (circular) material, and the smallest diameter marks the offset turning centers. This last one should be small enough that any marks from the centers are within the minor diameter. How are these diameters determined? Largely by trial and error on graph paper.

Her method for trisecting the circle for the centers is quick and clever: start from a diameter line and set your compass to the radius of the circle. Start at one intersection of the circle and diameter line, and strike an arc in each direction onto the circle. These intersections define 2 of your 3 centers, and the opposite diameter intersection marks the third. You’ll get a bit of practice, as this layout needs to be done on both ends. Finish the layout by extending the line from the center through each intersection, then out to the edge of the blank. Number them 1,2,3. If you offset the number on each end the finished piece will have a twist.

Part of the fun of the shape she’s making is that the size of each end is different, so that the sides of the vessel must curve. Put the blank back on the lathe with the center points. True up the blank, and mark a line for the high point of the curve. Rough out the curve by

turning a smooth curve from the high point down to the major diameter you have laid out on each end.

Run a line on the side connecting the radius lines from the layout. Cindy calls these “rib lines”, and they mark the high point of the side. Use a fairly thick marker with a contrasting color. A grease pencil works well for this, as it doesn’t soak into the wood like a Sharpie would. With the piece mounted between a pair of offset centers (match the numbers), turn the ghost section down to the rib lines. Take your time and stop often to check your progress. Repeat for all three faces.

The time has come to give the piece an inside. On what will be the bottom of your vessel, turn a tenon that’s just a bit smaller than the minor diameter from your layout. Use this to mount the work in a chuck. To make sure it runs true, before fully tightening the chuck, use the tailstock to press the shoulder of your tenon against the chuck jaws.

Turn a smoothing transition from the triangular side to a round shape for your top. You want to cut deep enough to remove any indentations from the offset centers. With that done, drill out the center to mark your target depth. The hollowing is best done with a captive rig. Freehand is possible if you’re really good.

The interior shape you should be shooting for is small enough at the top and bottom that it is entirely within the respective minor diameters, but the middle swells out beyond that. This will mean that the inside pokes out through the side faces. The resulting ribs can be delicate, so do your hollowing in sections. One bonus is that as soon as you break through the side, chip evacuation is automatic.

With the hollowing done, reverse the piece so that the bottom tenon can be turned off and the base shaped. All that remains is sanding and finishing. Lots of sanding. Be sure to use a sanding block at the transitions to maintain crisp edges. You will also need to clean up the windows, as the edges are only as smooth as your hollowing and the wood grain will allow.

Sounds simple enough, right? You’ll never know for sure until you try it.


TOY STORYBy Ken Crandall, Toy Chairman

As hoped, we are off to a good start on our toy production. Doug Turner brought me 200 of his scroll-sawed egg toys and 20 alphabet snake puzzles. Don Winans will apply color and return them to Doug for stenciling. Good teamwork guys!

Last year, while verifying contact information for each

of the non-profits that we give toys to, my committee also garnered better information as to the ages and genders of the children served. I became aware that we needed more product for the Middle School age group. Small cars, trucks and planes are simply not appropriate. I am always open to new toys that might fill this bill. Robert Morris has made 50 each of two peg puzzles that

will provide many hours of challenge. His wife has sewn hundreds of small bean bags for the table-top cornhole game.

On the COVID-19 front I am pleased to report that Bill Rogers has made a complete recovery from his bout with the virus. He remains a bit weak but has returned to his bandsaw and cut out 70 heart boxes. His son, Jeff, and he have instituted Woodworking Wednesdays to get Bill up and running. Jeff has printed the participation certificates for last year and you can either pick them up at my house or wait for the next work party, whenever that might be. However, we will remain dark in February. Vaccinations are rolling out now and many in our age group are high priority. If any of you are able to be vaccinated, please let me know so that I might gain some confidence as to when we might reopen. Until then, stay safe and keep making toys.

2018


Past Presidents of OCWA2013 - 2020 James Santhon 2012 Vic Cohn 2010 - 2011 Craig Chambers 2006 - 2009 James Santhon 2005 Doug Nowlin 2001 - 2004 James Santhon 1999 - 2000 Carson Davis 1997 - 1998 Sam Migliazzo1995 - 1996 Mike Neesly1993 - 1994 Larry Baum1991 - 1992 Len Musgrave1988 - 1990 Al Griffin1987 Andy Goldman1986 Greg Martin1985 Dough Christie1984 Bob Pederson

Woodworker of the Year2020 Ken Crandall

2019 Ken Cowell

2018 Bill Rogers

2017 John Marshall

2016 Len Musgrave

2015 Ken Cowell

2014 Larry Marley

2013 Ralph Crowther

2012 Ed Smet

2011 Len Musgrave

Person of the Year

2010 Al Whitcomb

2009 Ed Straub

2016


OCWA is now registered with AmazonSmile which allows OCWA eligible to receive a .5% donation from all eligible purchases through the AmazonSmiles.com. If you'd like to participate, simply go onto Amazon.com, search and click on AmazonSmile, and once

on the AmazonSmile's site select Orange County Woodworkers from the list of charities. There is no need to change settings – all your account info/settings remain the same. You'll have access to the same products as found on Amazon.com. Thank you for participating.

For more information please contact Ralph Crowther.

FRIENDS OF OCWAPLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Austin Hardwoods & Hardware – (714) 953-4000 • www.austinhardwoodsonline.com

Exotic Woods USA – (631) 651-8651 • www.ExoticWoodsUSA.com

Industrial Blade & Products Co. • www.IndustrialBlade.net

Laguna Tools – (800) 234-1976 • www.LagunaTools.com

OC Lumber – (714) 556-1774 • www.oclumber.com/

Reel Lumber Service – (714) 632-1988 • www.ReelLumber.com

Rockler Woodworking & Hardware – (714) 282-1157 • www.rockler.com/retail/stores/ca/orange-store

Woodcraft Supply – (714) 963-9663 [(714) 963-WOOD] • www.Woodcraft.com

Sawdust & Shavings is the newsletter of The Orange County Woodworkers Association. It is published monthly, the Thursday before the Woodworkers Meeting.

MAILING ADDRESSP.O. Box 1038 Fullerton CA 92836-8038

Do you have an idea for an article, shop tip, or tool review? Please send articles to: [email protected]

Deadline for submissions is the Monday after the Woodturners meeting.

A BIG WELCOME

TO OUR NEW MEMBERS:

Jody Ebel, Yorba Linda

Larry Elbert, Park City, UT

Thomas Iriye, Yorba Linda

James Iriye, Yorba Linda


Len Musgrave

OCWA Meeting Show & TellJanuary 7, 2021

Pepe Ulloa


SHOW AND TELL - SE-TEMBER 17

Len Musgrave

Ross Gilroy

Roy Reaser

Roy Reaser


Andy Goldman

Ralph Crowther

Jim Mains

Charlie Lupul


Jerry Nininger

Jerry Nininger

Charlie Lupul

Ralph Crowther


Jerry Nininger

Jim Graham

Ralph Crowther

Ralph Crowther


Jim Graham

Larry Marley

Ralph Crowther

John White


Mike Aghajanian

Mike Aghajanian


Mike Aghajanian

Larry Marley


George Kulakowski

George Kulakowski


Andy Goldman


Andy Goldman

Holger Pateau


Holger Pateau

Jerry Nininger


Jerry Nininger

Len Musgrave – Challenge


Len Musgrave

Roy Reaser


Ross Gilroy

Ross Gilroy


Ross Gilroy - Challenge

Lyle Rowlins


Lyle Rawlins

Ralph Crowther - Challenge

february 2021 ocwoodworkers.org volume 38, issue...

Documents