"Take a piece of wood — plane, sand and oil it and you will find it is a beautiful thing. The more you do to it from then on, the more chance that you will make it worse."
What better way to celebrate the arrival of spring than to build that icon of American furniture – the Adirondack Chair. While the construction is simple, the design opportunities are many. Jerry Couchman and Andrew Pellar will share their design processes to help you make your own. We will explore how to find design ideas and put them on paper. Learn how prototyping can guide the design process. Translate that information into Templates. Templates will be discussed in detail. And what kind of project couldn’t be helped by a jig or two?
Who among us has made a handy shop jig over the past year or discovered a new woodworker’s handy gadget? Well, now is the time to take 1 to 5 minutes to show the rest of us what you spent your hard earned money on (or, even better, made). We’ve done this kind of meeting almost every year in the past, and there are always new tools, jigs & gadgets to see – anything that you think might be useful to other woodworkers! We like to see them all. If you bring one of your jigs, please bring a few copies of the plan that you used to make it. Remember – this is ‘participative’ – your opportunity to share your own ‘woodworking valuables’ with your other woodworking members.
Drop Dave Strauss a note at if you think you might participate so that he knows how hard he has to ‘beat the bushes’ for presenters.
One of the speakers at the February meeting may be you! The topic is WHAT I GOT FOR CHRISTMAS. For the record, we aren’t interested in your socks, ties, or underwear. However, we would LOVE to see any new tools, jigs, or other woodworking-related items. In addition, we would like to hear what you hope to make with your new item(s). Why did you need it? Who gave it to you? etc.
And if you didn’t get any woodworking items but you decided to treat yourself to something because, after all, you clearly deserve it, we would like to hear about that, too!
Jim Bucknell has agreed to host this part of the meeting and he needs to know who will be speaking during the program. Please notify Jim prior to the meeting and let him know that you will participate, what items you will discuss, and how you have used it or hope to use it.
Please email and let him know that you will help make the February program a success. Remember, the main reason the NCWA is the most prestigious woodworking club in this quadrant of the Milky Way is because of volunteers. And now it’s your turn! As of January 24, only 9 members have volunteered to participate. Jim Bucknell is asking members to contact him via e-mail if you are willing to help make this program a success.
Please send Jim an e-mail. Thanks in advance for your help!
The United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, more commonly known as the Shakers, is a millenarian restorationist Christian sect founded in the 18th century in England. They were initially known as “Shaking Quakers” because of their ecstatic behavior during worship services. In 1747, women assumed leadership roles within the sect, notably Jane Wardley, and Mother Ann Lee. Shakers settled in colonial America, with initial settlements in New Lebanon, New York (called Mount Lebanon after 1861). They practice a celibate and communal lifestyle, pacifism, and their model of equality of the sexes, which they institutionalized in their society in the 1780s. They are also known for their simple living, architecture, and FURNITURE.
Presented by Mike Chaplin, THE SHAKERS AND THEIR FURNITURE will include a short film by Ken Burns (PBS) on the Shakers, photo tours of three Shaker villages from his travels – Hancock Shaker Village, Hancock, Mass; Canterbury Shaker Village, Canterbury, NH; and Pleasant Hill Shaker Village, Pleasant Hill, KY, an academic presentation of Shaker furniture design principles, and finally many photos of iconic and beautiful (works of art) furniture creations.
