April - Northern Virginia Carvers

NORTHERN VIRGINIA
CARVERS
Web: www.NorthernVirginiaCarvers.org
APRIL 2015
Issue 2015– 4
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear Carvers,
We just returned from the Holiday Lake 4-H Center near Appomattox VA, where the carving does not stop
from Sunday evening to Thursday morning. Jack Schoendorf, Bob Hohman and I enjoyed the cabins, camaraderie, country cooking, and continuous carving and painting in the bucolic surroundings of an old Civilian
Conservation Corps Camp on the shore of Holiday Lake. It was good for the soul; and those of you who
have not tried it deserve to treat yourselves good just once.
In our absence, Bill Walmsley, tool guru par excellence, reportedly gave a comprehensive and interesting presentation
on power carving and power tool use and safety at our last business meeting. It was obviously a great introduction to
power carving, and, faced with a carousel horse I have yet to carve, I could really use that information. Thanks, Bill. I
may have to consult with you soon.
And, speaking of carving, the Colvin Run Mill carving instruction season is coming. More on that in upcoming newsletters; but we want to get everyone involved in fulfilling a 30-plus year tradition of the Northern Virginia Carvers teaching carving to families who visit the Colvin Run Mill on weekends. The format was enlarged last year so that we could
bring our own carvings to work as well as instruct. It was a lot of fun. See you there.
For all you decoy aficionados-- see the notice elsewhere in this newsletter about the Chesapeake Bay Waterfowl Art
Festival seeking carvers. It’s a great opportunity to compete your decoys in a working decoy contest. Even if you only
go to observe, the festival is a fun event.
Reminder: The NVC carving show is only five months away. What are YOU working on to enter at the carving show?
Good carving,
Mike
PACKAR D CENTER MEETING
T H U R S DAY, A P R I L 9 , 7 : 0 0 P M
CARVING FACES ONWALKING STICKS
LIN LAMBETH
PAC K A R D C E N T E R , BA S E M E N T R O O M
(see last page for directions)
Carving 4:00-7:00 PM, Meeting 7:00-8:30 PM
All other Thursdays at
Woodcraft Carving Center, Springfield
Call Peter Ward’s
cell,
571-236-3958,
if side door is
locked.
Bad Weather Policy: if
Fairfax County schools
are closed for the day
or evening, NVC will
not meet.
Lin Lambeth will be our speaker / demonstrator for the April meeting. Mr. Lambeth was a member
of NVC. He has carved in most of the disciplines, caricatures, birds, etc., but new prefers to do woodspirits, or faces in walking sticks.
He will bring several of his pieces but will demonstrate how to set up the face on the sticks for
us. He also give classes and I offered him time to promote his class and also said that if he is willing
to come across the bridge, we could
set him up at the American Legion if he had enough carvers interested. He seems very enthusiastic
about presenting to the group. We would like to have a good turnout as this is the first time that I
can recall that we have had a walking stick carver.
APRIL 2015
Page 2
March 2015 Meeting Extreme Power Carving Presentation Notes
Bill Walmsley
What is extreme power carving – generally used for larger pieces using tools that have capability of removing large volumes of wood quickly with relatively little effort on your part. This type of carving is
more suitable for pieces that don’t have a lot of detail such as is often found in abstracts although it is
often what is used to render details in chainsaw carving.
Safety: Generally because of the nature of the tools used you need to take personal precautions as well
as for workspace.
Personal:
Eye protection, minimum approved safety glasses with side shields, in some instances may want
to augment with a full face shield.
Hearing: Since tools are loud minimum ear plugs, quality muffs or both
Dust: Usually impractical/ineffectual to try and collect dust from extreme tools when/where it’s
created. However, where you can do it but probably going to need large shop vac or dust collector at minimum. Best to wear a good dust mask that fits tightly to face, is comfortable and
doesn’t fog your eye protection.
Generally avoid loose clothing & long hair not tied back. The dust & chips get everywhere so
want to make sure it can’t accumulate where it will be uncomfortable. Loose clothing can also
get caught up in the rotary action of the tool with the potential for serious injury.
Be careful with gloves don’t want to have any material catching in rotating tool. However for
extended sessions may want to consider anti vibration gloves and if using air tools which can get
cold in use may want to something to keep hands isolated from contact with the cold tool.
Using a chain saw has its own set of safety equipment, chaps, steel tip shoes, gloves, etc. which
not going to cover in this presentation
Shop:
 As mentioned dust/chips go/get everywhere and can create hazards of their own. On
certain surfaces they can be slippery creating problems with your keeping your footing. Also if left around can contribute to an increased fire hazard. Want to clean up during and certainly after you’re done. Want to have the area clear floor and bench should
be free of clutter.
 Eliminate distractions and people sneaking up on you. Using these tools requires focus anything that breaks it invites injury.
 Need to securely position piece you are working on but don’t have the hold downs
positioned such that they get in the way. Vises, carving screws, work positioners (e.g.
Wilton Power Arm), clamps, sand bags all work. Since can accomplish a lot in short period of time want to keep in mind when deciding how to hold down work piece. Don’t want
to spend all your time clamping and reclamping your work piece in between a couple of
minutes of actual carving.
Tools:
Focus on two types of tools, angle grinders and die grinders which are available as electric or pneumatic
powered. While I would put chainsaws in the category it’s a whole separate topic itself and not covered
here.
Angle grinders – extreme would deal with those machines that take a 4”-6” wheels run at < 15K
rpm. There are larger grinders available (7”&9”) but they are too heavy/exhausting to use and do not
have the range of carving oriented attachments available for them. Many power tool manufacturers have
an angle grinder in their lineup. Not a lot of differentiating features between them, no tools for changing
wheels or repositioning of guard. One extremely useful feature is variable speed. Quality of construction/durability roughly parallels cost.
(cont’d on p. 4)
APRIL 2015
Page 3
Ed Morrison returns to Northern Virginia for Decoy Workshop
If you are looking to try your first decoy, or even to advance your
carving skills, the upcoming workshop is ideal for you. The
Northern Virginia Carvers are hosting an Ed Morrison Decoy
Workshop in Springfield, VA at American Legion Post 176 on
May 1-3, 2015. The workshop will start at noon on Friday, continue all day Saturday, and end late in the afternoon on Sunday.
Ed requests that novices start off with the canvasback because
it is not a complicated decoy and is relatively easy to paint. More
experienced carvers can sign up for any common species of duck and specify desired features
(high head, feeding head, etc).
The workshop costs $135 for NVC members ($155 for non-members, who automatically become members for a year), which covers the three day workshop of carving and painting plus
the tupelo carving blank. Ed also provides additional blanks for $35 each.
There is room for only 12 carvers in the class. The class is for hand tools only.
DUCKS AVAILABLE
Experienced carvers can select from the following list of duck blanks:
1. Ring Neck Ducks
9. Ruddy Ducks
2. Mallards
10. Buffleheads
3. Black Ducks
11. Old Squaws (hard to do in a 3 day class)
4. Widgeons (hard to do in a 3 day class)
12. Red Heads
5. Scaups
13. Harlequins
6. Hooded Mergansers
14. Pintails
7. Golden Eyes
15. Loons
8. Wood Ducks
Sign-up is a two-step process:
(1) Mail your name and your check for $135 to the NVC Treasurer, Peter Ward (5311 Dunleer Lane, Burke, VA 22015) as soon as possible. Let Pete Ward know your choice of
decoy when you sign up. Ed appreciates having the list of blanks a few weeks early so
his is not rushed into cutting the blanks in the last few days before the workshop.
(2) ALSO, please mail Mike Connors ([email protected]) with the duck you select.
Mike will collate the responses and send them to Ed so he can get an early start on cutting out blanks.
NVC RULES on WORKSHOP ATTENDANCE:
The fee paid to instructors is based on the number of students, so tuition payments are non-refundable
once an instructor has committed to the class. After the instructor commits, refunds can only be made if
an alternate student is found before the start of the course.
Participants will be asked to assist with the setup and cleanup associated with the class. Setup includes
moving supplies into the classroom and setting up the tables and chairs. Cleanup includes removing supplies, cleaning the floor, putting the tables and chairs away, etc. One half of the participants will be assigned to setup before the class and the other half will be assigned to cleanup after the class. An effort
will be made to accommodate personal preferences.
Power tools are not permitted.
APRIL 2015
Page 4
March 2015 Meeting Extreme Power Carving Presentation Notes (cont’d from page 2)
Safety: Should always use the guard that comes with machine. Should always use two hands with strong
preference with one on body of tool the other on the auxiliary handle. NEVER EVER TRY to hold the
piece you are working on with one hand and use angle grinder in the other.
Wheels: Cutting and grinding/abrasive
Cutting – Produce more chip like debris, reactive to grain can be grabby (end grain) run with grain
Arbortech - Industrial or Pro-4 Woodcarver, three circular carbide teeth. Less grabby, rougher
finish
King Arthur - Lancelot/Squire chainsaw type teeth more prone to kickback, smoother finish
Grinding – Saburr, Kutzall, Holy Galahad structured carbide teeth, have flat & curved shapes
produce more dust than chips. The Holy Galahad has unique feature holes in wheel that allow
you to see what you are doing, like strobe light. Have three grades, coarse, medium, fine
Sanding – disk pad or better flexible sanding wheels
Die Grinders: Those that use ¼” shank bits. Various configurations straight, long nose/extended reach,
right angle.
Cutting: As with angle grinder grabby particularly on end grain
Much like Lancelot there is a miniature version, Percival
Various shapes solid carbide bits for machining aluminum.
Grinding: More grain neutral, produce dust
Various shaped Kutzall/Typhoon/Saburr bits
Sanding: Disc pads, drums
Pneumatic Carving Tools: – Pneumatic hand piece that takes ½” shanked traditional chisel and gouges
although far more limited selection of sweeps & sizes. I haven’t seen any available recently ones that I
have were Swiss Made & Sculpture House, but I couldn’t find them in current catalogs. The compressed
air provides the oomph.
Electric vs. Pneumatic Tools:
Electric – heavier, more wear items, gets hot in use
Pneumatic – less expensive, runs cooler, easy to regulate speed, weigh less, needs compressor and you
are tethered to an air line which is more unwieldy/less flexible than electric cord.
Photos by Joel
Jacobson & Bob
Simoniz
APRIL 2015
Page 5
Chesapeake Bay Waterfowl Arts Show
Attention decoy carvers, waterfowl enthusiasts, and fairgoers: the 2015 Chesapeake Bay Waterfowl
Arts Show will be held May 15-16 in indoor facilities at the St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds in
Leonardtown, MD. The address is 42455 Fairgrounds Rd, Leonardtown, MD 20650.
This is an excellent opportunity to enter a local decoy carving contest, get your antique decoys appraised,
purchase antiques in a decoy auction, and learn more about decoys and waterfowl art in general. For the
ninth straight year, world class wildlife art, antique duck decoys, delicious wild game, local wines, duck
calling, and retriever dogs come together in southern Maryland for a fun-filled weekend, with something
for everyone.
On Saturday, May 16, visitors will be able to see view and purchase fine wildlife art including original oil
and watercolor paintings, photography, and hand carved gunning and decorative decoys, sculpture, wood
carvings, hand crafted furniture, ceramics and more. See and learn about antique duck decoys from Maryland and learn about this fascinating aspect of Chesapeake Bay history.
Free decoy appraisals and identifications offered by Decoy Magazine and the Potomac Decoy Collectors
Association.
Live Auction of Decoys and related items conducted by Farrell Auction Service, LLC.
It is an especially good venue to enter your own carving or simply admire the masterpieces entered in the
2015. The Working Decoy Competition is organized by Heck Rice, champion carver and President of the
International Wildfowl Carvers Association.
For tickets and information, please contact [email protected] or visit
www.cfsomd.org.
Show & Tell from March Meeting
(Photos by Joel Jacobson & Bob Simoniz)
APRIL 2015
Page 6
Our President, Mike Connors, Bob Hohman and Jack Schoendorfer attended the Ed Morrison Class at Holiday Lake.
Bob Hohman displays his carving skills at the Holiday Lake
workshop
Carving a decoy with a hatchet
Jack Schoendorf happily at work
at Holiday Lake 4-H Center
The time to pay your annual dues has arrived. Anyone who has not paid
their dues in the next couple of weeks will be dropped from our roster
and will not receive any more newsletters. Please mail your dues or pay
at the carving sessions or this upcoming meeting.
This will be your last newsletter
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
Timothy Card
Reston, VA
Adam Dempsey
Washington, DC
Mary Beth Loutinsky
Alexandria, VA
Jarod Slaton
Lorton, VA
APRIL 2015
TIME TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP
Membership in the Northern Virginia Carvers runs
from January to December. Please bring your dues,
which are $20.00 for a single
membership and $5.00 for each
additional family member, to the
Carving Center or Packard Center on Thursday nights, give to
Peter Ward, Treasurer, or mail to
Robert Simoniz, Membership
Chairman, 6819 Rock Creek
Court, Alexandria, VA 22306.
Make check payable to NVC.
The NVC Board would like to have your suggestions
for future topics at the Packard Center and also classes
or workshops you would like to see offered. Write
your suggestions on the renewal form or email to Mike
Connors, [email protected].
Please give us your current email address if you can
receive the newsletter by email. This will save the club
a great deal of money. Some clubs are now charging
members who get mailed copy a higher amount for
dues. NVC does not currently do this, and does not
wish to start, but we do try to keep the mailed copies to
a minimum.
If you have changed your email, please let us know. If
you used to get the newsletter by email, but recently
have received mailed copies, then something is wrong
with the email address we have on file for you, and
your email copy bounced back. Please contact Bob Simoniz at [email protected], so he can correct the
database.
SPECIAL EVENTS CALENDAR
April 24-25-26: 45th Annual Ward World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition. Roland E Powell Convention Center,
Ocean City, MD. www.wardmuseum.org/specialevents
May 1-3 Decoy Carving Workshop with Ed Morrison, Am Legion
Post 176, Springfield, VA
May 15-16: The 9th Annual Chesapeake Bay Waterfowl Arts
Show: St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds in Leonardtown, Maryland. http://www.cfsomd.org/waterfowlshow.html
June 07: Northern Virginia Carvers teach carving at Colvin Run
Mill first session
Sept 20-24 Decoy Carving Workshop, Holiday Lake 4-H Educational Center www.holidaylake4h.com
Nov 13-15 Easton Waterfowl Festival, Easton, MD
www.waterfowlfestival.org
Page 7
NORTHERN VIRGINIA CARVERS
RENEWAL
FOR JAN-DEC 2015
Name___________________________
Address:
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
Home Phone_____________________
Cell Phone_______________________
Receive Newsletter by E-Mail?
Yes______ No_______
E-Mail___________________________
Membership Fees Per Year:
Single $20.00
Family: $20.00 + $5.00
each additional member
Additional members names:
________________________________
________________________________
Suggestions for Programs or Classes
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO NVC
AND MAIL TO:
Robert Simoniz, Membership
NORTHERN VIRGINIA CARVERS
6819 Rock Creek Court
Alexandria, VA 22306
APRIL 2015
Page 8
DEADLINE FOR MAY NEWSLETTER ARTICLES: FRIDAY APRIL 29
DIRECTIONS:
Woodcraft Supply (Every Thursday except 2nd Thursday)— Concord Shopping Center, 6123 Backlick Road, Springfield, VA 22150, 703-912-6727. From I-495 take Braddock Rd East; turn right on Backlick; turn left on Cumberland
which tees at Concord shopping center. Concord Shopping Center is between Commerce and Cumberland across from
Mike’s American Café.
American Legion Post 176 (carving classes)— 6520 Amherst Avenue, Springfield, Virginia 22150. From Springfield
driving East on Old Keene Mill Road to Springfield Blvd. just past Veterans Bridge, turn right and proceed to the Post
parking lot on the right. From Springfield driving West on Franconia Road, passing under I-95 to Bland Street just
past Shoney's Restaurant, turn right onto Bland Street and proceed to Amherst Avenue. Turn right onto Amherst Avenue
and proceed over Veterans bridge. The Post is on the right, before Kay Jennings Toyota at the foot of the bridge.
Packard Center (2nd Thursday of each month from September through May, 3:30-9:00 PM, meeting at 7:00) —
4022 Hummer Road, Annandale, VA 22003. From I-495 take Little River Turnpike East and turn left at the first light onto
Hummer Road. Just past the small shopping area less than 1/4 mi on the left will be signs for the center. Turn left into
the drive and bear right when it forks. The evening entrance for meetings is on the side of the building on the parking lot
side. The meeting area is in the conference room in the basement.
NVC Contacts
President
Mike Connors
Chairs General Meetings and Board Meetings
Vice-President
Les Thomas
Vice Chair of General Meetings and Board Meetings
Treasurer
Pete Ward
Manages Finances
Secretary
Joyce Spieler
Keeps Minutes and Maintains NVC Archives
Center Coordinator
John Overman
Manages Carving Center - Runs NVC Library
Colvin Mill Coordina- Richard Sniffen
tor
Coordinates Carving Instruction Program at Colvin Mill Park
Show Coordinator
Maryam Keleshame
Coordinates the Annual Show & Competition
Membership
Chairman
Newsletter Editor
Bob Simoniz
[email protected]
703-486-9635
[email protected]
703-620-3826
703-978-8128
[email protected]
703-430-3515
[email protected]
703-494-8323
[email protected]
[email protected]
703-407-2360
Maintains membership database and collects dues
Edits and publishes NVC Newsletter
[email protected]
703-768-1087
Program Coordina- Teri Netter
tor
Develops New Programs for the Club
[email protected]
703-338-7332
NVC Web Site
www.northernvirginiacarvers.org
[email protected]
703-425-8703
Eagle Cane Coordi- Hank Cloutier
nator
Coordinates the Wounded Warrior Eagle Cane Project
[email protected]
703-430-1222
Patches & Pins
Sells patches & pins
[email protected]
703-768-1087
Hap O’Brien
Bob Simoniz
NORTHERN VIRGINIA CARVERS
6819 Rock Creek Court
Alexandria, VA 22306
Address Correction Requested