April 24th 2021:
Prescott Area Woodturners met at the YEI building, 6708 Corsair in the Prescott Airpark on April 24, 2021. This dual Zoom and in-person meeting was called to order at 1:20 p.m. due to issues with audio and camera.
President Ken Allen welcomed those of us on site and those viewing at home. He noted that there were no new members in attendance. Ken reminded us that, at the last meeting here at YEI, a table from the YEI inventory that was about to be delivered was damaged at our meeting. We were admonished to refrain from sitting on or putting things on any of YEI’s merchandise.
Ken announced that Program Director Gene Perryman has arranged for three Interactive Remote Demonstrations. Because there is much less expense related to these demos compared to bringing in a live demonstrator, the Board of Directors voted to absorb the cost of all three from our dues. Gene Perryman presented a clip board with descriptions of the classes offered by each of the demonstrators and asked members to mark the ones in which they are interested. (The list was also sent to the membership via e-mail.)
Ken Allen said that our website now has a beautifully edited video of Barry Walter’s fabric pen demonstration on March 27. The mid-week Chips and Grits discussions will now occur once a month, on the second Wednesday at 10:00 a..m. An e-mail with the Zoom link will be sent prior to each meeting.
Event Chairman Dan Hall talked about the sale on Courthouse Square on May 8 and 9. Eleven members have signed up to sell their work. Help will be needed on Friday May 7 to load equipment from our shed, take it to Courthouse Square and set up. Again on Sunday May 9, help will be needed to tear down the site and transport equipment to the shed. Contact Dan Hall with any questions.
Bruce Potter is collecting bowls for the Empty Bowls Event in September. His collection is growing, and he reminded us that he will accept bowls at any in-person meeting, or, if you call him, he will meet with you to transfer your bowls to the collection.
Walt Spencer showed us a Beads of Courage lidded container he had received today. He said that our contact from Phoenix Children’s Hospital is changing, but he already has 16 to 18 containers to deliver when the new contact is named.
Vice President Mark Oglesby showed us the club business cards he had made. Members were given a few to have on hand for those times when we are talking with folks in the community who might be interested in PAW. The card shows our logo and gives a few points about us. It can serve as a personal invitation to explore membership in PAW.
Treasurer Dennis Egan stated that the club treasury is in good shape, and showed sales receipts he has had printed, one pad for cash sales and one for credit card sales. These receipts will be necessary for the sale held in November, when buyers are a distance from the cashier.
Website Chair Susan Murphy was on Zoom. She asked folks to send, or resend, pictures for the website. A computer glitch erased some that she had received.
Safety Chairman Dave Smith today talked about extension cords and the various dangers associated with their use. Dave also supplied a hand-out that emphasized his points.
The Raffle today consisted of pieces from the donation by former member L.G. Mace.
Gene Perryman was today’s demonstrator. He is known for his unique creations, which he calls “Pieces & Parts” – Gene’s personal version of segmenting. Today he showed us the way he combines resin in his pieces as he built the blank for a pepper mill.
The best size and shape for this pepper mill is a Pringles can, for which he built a base of pine and affixed a center pole. He then proceeded to fill the container with small pieces of wood in varying colors. When it seemed full, he added still more pieces, some as small as veneer. He said it was important that the space is full or the pieces would float when the resin was added – “trust me”. We heard that phrase several times. Obviously, Gene was giving us the benefit of his experience. When it was packed as tightly as he could make it, there were sticks above the edge of the container; these he bound with a rubber band, again so nothing floated. He wound duct tape around the container to make sure there were no leaks. Then he prepared a small amount of resin which he poured into the container. Gene does not use a pressure pot. Instead he taps the outside of the container after each pour to settle the resin. He finds several small pours to be best.
The second part of his presentation focused on bowls. Bowls are not begun with a found object, but are formed by gluing pieces onto a waste base. The base must be flat and level, because the “pieces and parts” are not all the same thickness. When the layer of pieces is glued, he wraps the entire base with duct tape. He pointed out wrinkles in the duct tape that might allow resin to seep through. He smoothed those with a hot glue gun, without glue.
In conclusion, Gene told us that he hoped to prompt us to take an idea and make it work for YOU.
Show & Tell included folks from the meeting site as well as some on Zoom.
The meeting adjourned at 4:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Marge Hunt, Secretary