Club President, Joe Mannke opened the meeting by thanking club VP John Peasely for filling in last month. Reports are that John needed a few drinks and rest after that strenuous event. In any case, John survived and the club is no worse for any wear and tear.
Joe reminded everyone that the Logo contest will remain open until this fall when the snow birders return. Seems like they should be called the snow boarders, but this opinion may be solitary. Members were reminded there is no demo meet this month and the shop meet is at Pat Kerr’s shop. Just a note, Pat obtained some shop space, and his workshop neighbor moved out leaving tons of woodworking machines behind at 4425 Independence Court in North Gate Industrial Park on July 23, 2018.
Members were also reminded of the current sale offered on stylish club wear by our in house embroidery expert, Tony D’Alberto. Get them now before they are gone.
Member Greg Casagrande was introduced to everyone as the person connecting members to the club’s instagram. Send him your pictures of work in progress to be included in whats going on with the club. It is thought new members can be recruited on line this way.
Club Treasurer, Randy Cooper presented a financial report, and asked for feedback on the format, which seemed very self explanatory. Good work, Randy.
Members were reminded of the upcoming Holiday Party in December. This event is the club’s main fund raising event, without which our good work programs will go unfunded and which reduces the necessary dues to make membership more accessible to all. Previously, the club provided main courses of ham and turkey at club expense and members brought a taste delight of home cooked covered dish foods along the lines of salads, desserts, side dishes, and even fresh bread, so that even if one wanted to sample everything, and if one had a really big plate, one may fall by the wayside before getting a taste of it all. Don’t ask me how I know.
This year’s suggestion is to supplemented the main dishes with a club supplied lasagne or by portions of Cornish Game Hens if there is interest. So far, it is desired to start a dialogue, with the person in charge being John Peasely, the club VP. One member, Greg Casagrande, volunteered a large grill to assist in cooking and in keeping the food hot. If your taste buds have been activated, remember that traditionally, members make two gifts donated to the club. One of those gifts is given to the spouses, and the other gift is auctioned off to the highest bidder. The content of the gifts is entirely up to the discretion of the members, with each member contributing up to his or her own ability and skills.
Last year’s party also offered photo opportunities of members and their partners, so put those workshop clothes aside for an evening.
Featured Presenter
This evening’s main event is an encore presentation by Duke Clancy and his son Hunter, who shot a video. Duke is the person, who along with help, finished all the slabs on display at Advantage Lumber. Nice work Duke. He has since changed his business focus to one of dealing now exclusively with antiques and furniture renewal, which fits his business name well, Victoria Rose, with the following website : http://victorianrosefurniturerenewal.com/
Duke’s son, Hunter starred in the video, which showed just how much sanding is required to produce some of the wood slabs we see at meetings. After initial sanding, the finishing consists of a first coat of catalyzed lacquer followed by sanding again at 220 grit, and then hand sanding, then sanding at 320 grit followed by a rag wipe down. The second coat is an acid cured catalyzed lacquer followed by, you guessed it–more sanding, followed by sanding with a sanding sponge at 220 grit with a blow off and a wipe down. Also, he notes that a catalyzed finish needs a mechanical surface to ensure bonding–think sanding here.
The top coat is a satin acid cured catalyzed varnish followed by scuff sanding.
Duke gives this tip to anyone finishing oily woods, “Wipe with naphtha to draw out the oils in the wood.” And for any checks that develop in a piece he goes back to the touch-up pens he talked about in his first presentation.
For mechanical failure, Duke says the West System Epoxy is bulletproof and cleans up with white vinegar. He tells of repairing a board that he had purposely broken in two, and after the epoxy cured he broke it again, but it broke outside of the repair area. His conclusion is that the epoxy is stronger than the wood.
Thanks again for the return visit, Duke and the best to your son with his new interest in metal forging and making videos.
Tonight’s show and tell had eight presentations:
Andy DiLorenzo showed one of his “bowls for hunger” donations that he finished with cyanoacrylate (a type of super glue). Andy said this is the smoothest finish he has ever achieved.
Terry Bair stretched his imagination a little to design this rubber band machine gun. Firing is much faster than loading, and Terry said he is working on that.
Joe Mathis showed repairs to his fret work 
lynx, even though most people could not see where he made his repairs, his project had been accidentally dropped. A new frame was in order as well. Don’t fret about it Joe, it looks good.
Fred Damianos presented pieces intended for an imitation shaker repair for 
his daughter’s condo using some scrap sepele destined to repair a back splash and hide mica joints. He used mahogany stain and two coats of poly. For the cabinet doors, he completed the look with mahogany veneer.
George Norton showcased his napkin holder with a weight to prevent the 
paper from going airborne. The answer may be blowing in the wind, but not the napkins. Now we need one for every table at the club picnic.
Greg Casagrande had an extra large set of chopsticks intended for cooking (or extra large appetites.) Greg said he amazed his friends with this project who were in disbelief that he actually knew how to make something from scrap wood.
Joe Mannke showed photos of his bookcase project of the millennia. The 
casework is plywood with beaded columns leading up to crown moulding. He said his project may have gone quicker had he not built four left sides, but actually that is just an indication to double the number of cases. Pat Kerr painted the project for him after making Joe sand it to Pat’s satisfaction. Obtaining the paint was a project in itself, as Joe could not get the exact same paint he wanted to match, so he disassembled part of the fireplace in his house and took it in for a paint match. What’s next Joe?
Thelma Proctor showed off her new found skills after attending an arts and crafts class recommended by John and Sue Darovec. Her chip carving is the result of five days instruction from Wayne Barton who insisted she learn how to make decorative patterns using a compass, pencil, and ruler, so as she can create or recreate patterns to her liking.
Thelma said that most chip carving is done in basswood, butternut, or pine, 
even scrap wood. Maybee she’ll brings in some new tools for all to see.
A word of thanks goes out to the Spottswoods who brought in surplus items from their shop (some of these items were brand new.) An impromptu auction was held with members taking some new to them items home for use or reuse in their shop, with the proceeds going to the club treasury.
Tonight’s probability study had Steve Kandle walking away with the raffle (again) prize and Larry Simmons claiming the gift certificate for the quarterly auction. As usual, John Slezak officiated putting wood biscuits in the appropriate containers.
This preceeding text prepared by Andrew DiLorenzo, recording secretary.