Greetings

As you read this you will note that it’s late. I didn’t realize 3^rd Tuesday was early this month (as early as it can possibly be – the 15^th.) So I’m sitting here on Thursday the 10^th composing a newsletter.

I don’t know if I included a “What I’m Thankful For” item last month, but here’s an unusual one for you – I’m thankful that I’m Soooo BUSY! I was thinking the other day how nice it would be to have nothing to do. Then I realized having nothing to do would mean no friends and neighbors that knew they could call on me for help. No church property or church family that needed my attention. Or possibly not busy because my health did not allow me to do the things I love to do. The final reason I’m glad I have a long To-do list – Why should God leave you hanging around if you don’t have anything to do?

Now let’s get started with Splinters!

Great News From UTSI

This month Tennessee Valley Woodworkers will be meeting face to in H111 (as well as the online Zoom meeting.)! It’s been a long time (over a year) but things are getting back to normal. Thanks to Governor Lee and the folks at UTSI for opening these facilities and allowing us to meet again. Looking forward to seeing you all.

LIVE/Zoom Meeting June 15

We will have our next meeting on Tuesday, June 15th from 6:30-8:30.  The program will be a Super Show & Tell. You can bring new items or things you’ve show in past newsletters and Zoom meetings. We’d like to see the items up close and personal. Please sent pictures and requested information to the email address below. This will save time getting pictures ready for Show & Tell.

You can join the Zoom meeting by following the instructions below:

1. By Sunday, June 13th – Provide pictures and descriptions of your Show & Tell items to tnvalleywoodworkers@gmail.com 
   Descriptive information for each photo/related set of photos should include:

Woodworker Name: 
Project Name:
Wood(s)/Materials Used: 
Finishes applied:
Lessons Learned (if any): 

May Show & Tell

Here are the items that were shown in last month’s Zoom meeting. 

Gary Runyon showed homemade hand planes he made from hard rock maple, cherry and Texas ebony and finished with Minwax Antique Oil Finish.  Most of the plane blades were made from O1 tool steel and hardened by Gary.  He noted that tool steel can be purchased through several online tool steel sources including McMaster-Carr and others.  He offered to help fellow club members with this project.  Please contact Gary if interested.

Peter Hunter showed a Wig Stand he turned for donation to a Chemotherapy Patient.  He used hard maple for the stand’s base and top and cherry for the spindle.  He applied three coats of polymerized linseed oil as the finish.  He explained that the polymerized linseed oil repels moisture from the wig and doesn’t leech oil into the wig.  As part of the project, Peter also made a #1 Morse Taper to hold his turnings.  He had a jig to turn the #1 Morse taper exactly to the plan form. (Pic1, Pic2, Pic3)

Internet Links of Interest

Pete Miller sent me this link for inexpensive pen kits –
http://www.penkitsmall.com/ – However, this is a Chinese website and they ask you to register as a member before you can browse the site. We’ll let Pet tell us more about his experience with theses folk.

Carver’s Corner

The Splinter Carvers continue to meet first and third Saturdays of the month from 8:30 am to 10:30 am (whether Jim’s there or not).  The shop is located at 201 Jolliffe Acres Ln, Tullahoma. Tools and wood are available at the meetings, just bring yourself and try your hand at carving!

 Sweeping Up

From Pinterest:

Short n sweet, but that’s all for this month.
Watch out for SPLINTERS!

Submissions to the newsletter are more than welcomed. Send funnies, tips, or other content that may be of interest and you may see it in a future edition of SPLINTERS.