There were 41 in attendance at the May meeting with three guests. Welcome to Don Chaney of Hurricane and two others that joined the club.

Welcome to new members David Mitchell of Charleston and Frank Moir of St. Albans.

We now have 65 members. That is a new record for the number of club members.

The main purpose of Valley Woodworkers is to share woodworking knowledge that allows the talents of everyone to grow. That is the reason for participating in the club projects that we do every year. At this next meeting, Peter Howell will demonstrate to us how to complete the chest of drawers he started in the April meeting. I hope everyone is learning as much as I am. Later in the year we will also observe Glen Jewell make a blanket chest. Hopefully we will see some of these items at our Christmas banquet.

We also use our talents and resources to make toys for children at Christmas. In July Peter will show some of the jigs we use to make the parts and to assemble the toys. Another learning experience!

With the coming of summer weather, Christmas is the furthest thing from our minds, but it will arrive sooner than we think. Now is the time to consider what to build and how. Let us know if you need material or plans to complete a toy project. Make arrangements to share some of your shop time and skills to participate in the toy program. I’m sure others can learn from you and enjoy hearing about your gained knowledge. Enjoy your shop time!

Jerill Vance

Glenn Pauley had some Valley Woodworkers hats made and is selling them for $10.75, which is what they cost him. If you want one, please bring your money to the June meeting.

Thanks goes out to John Williamson for giving the club members a tour of his shop on Saturday, May 13. Those who attended were very impressed with his machines, knowledge and skills.

The Rhododendron Festival is Sunday, June 11, on the Capitol grounds in Charleston. We will have an informational booth set up. Please bring something you have made for display and include a card with your name. Anyone that would like to is encouraged to stay and make a day of it. See Glen Jewell for details.

Jerill Vance unveiled a new wireless headset microphone and a new wired hand-held microphone purchased by the club. These items should help our sound problems.

Tom McClellan reports that there is $1,579.48 in the club treasury and $497.00 in the Special Projects fund.

Jesse Lazear provided the mysterious tool which turned out to be a Cooper’s Axe. Jesse received a drill bit set for his effort.

Tom Schottle provided the shop tip for May. Tom showed an after-market laser light he purchased at Home Depot for his miter saw. The laser light makes it easier to align the blade with a cut line. Tom received a drill and driver set for his effort and then donated them to the club for a later raffle prize. Thanks Tom.

The raffle prize for May was a set of clamps and was won by Jesse Lazear.

• Jesse Lazear - showed pictures of an intricately carved leg for an antique cabinet made of walnut. The leg replaced a broken leg on the original.
   
• Tom Schottle - brought a duck call he turned on the lathe. It was made out of Cocobolo.
   
• Bob Shingleton - showed a variety of toys that he makes. They include a cannon and pistols that shoot ping pong balls, truck puzzle, circus truck pull toy, tanker truck, and container truck..
   
• Andy Sheetz - brought a small teeter-totter made of Cherry and Oak. It is made to set on a desk and is powered by four Rare Earth Magnets.
   
• Dan Pleska - showed pictures of a dining room table he made. The 44” x 70” table was made from reclaimed antique Wormy Chestnut. It had bread board ends and was finished with a medium brown stain, two coats of sprayed on sealer, and two coats of sprayed on satin lacquer. He also showed an Oak Lazy Susan.
   
• Glenn Pauley - showed the picture of a kitchen island he made for his house.
   
• Bill Morris - brought a rectangular bowl, a Cherry and Holly bowl, a Cherry and Walnut platter, a round box of White Oak, and A Cherry bandsaw box. 
  Bill Morris
   
   

Steve Mickley from Frank Paxton Lumber Co. in Cincinnati, Ohio, spoke on wood finishing.

Steve started by giving a history of wood finishes. Back in the 1700’s the only finishes were bee’s wax and raw linseed oil. When tung oil was introduced from China around 1900, it became very popular because it dried/cured in three to four days where linseed oil took three to four weeks. The modern “boiled” linseed oil isn’t really boiled. It has a metallic salt or drier added to it that makes it cure in a matter of hours rather than days.

One of the gross misrepresentations that Steve pointed out is that there is no difference between the film finish formed by tung oil and boiled linseed oil. He also pointed out that most if not all “tung oil finishes” don’t have any tung oil in them. They are usually a varnish made from tung oil.

Danish oil finish is just equal parts of mineral spirits, boiled linseed oil, and varnish.

Instead of buying a sanding sealer, shellac is a better sealer. Steve’s opinion is that shellac is a much under-used product. Shellac flakes mixed with alcohol is superior to premixed shellac.

• June – Project Chest of drawers – Peter Howell at his shop
• July - Toy-making process using jigs – Peter Howell at his shop
• Aug. – Project Blanket chest – Glen Jewell
• Sept. – Project Blanket chest – Glen Jewell
• Oct. - Spindle turning – guest Charlie Brown
• Nov. – Chest project applied finish – Glen Jewell
• Dec. – Cabinet door construction - Claude Croteau

25" Woodmaster planer/molder/sander/gang saw with mobile base for sale. 5 HP motor, variable speed feed, many accessories. $2,500. See Jerill Vance for more information.

Delta 12” Model 22-540 Portable Planer with Dust Hood, Knife Setting Gage and an extra set of knives. $150 Contact Dan Pleska at 546-2367.

The following companies provided materials for last year’s Salvation Army Christmas toy project. Please give them special consideration when you need materials for your projects: Blue Ridge Machinery & Tool, Cabinet Supplier Inc., Coastal Lumber Company, Evans Lumber Company, J.C. Hamer Lumber Company, McFeely’s Square Drive Screw Company, Teays Valley Hardware, West Virginia Marine, & Woodcraft Supply. In addition, Klingspore Woodworking Shop, provides a 10% discount to club members.

An organization formed for individuals interested in woodworking. For more information, contact:

Jerill Vance, President 743-7264

Randy Hodges, 1st. Vice President 548-5052

Glen Jewell, Vice Pres./Membership 346-9819

Peter Howell, Vice Pres./Toy Comm. 757-3997

Dan Pleska, Sec./Newsletter Editor 757-4109

Tom McClellan, Treasurer 757-6181