Last Call

The Watergap Woodturners met as usual on the first Wednesday of the month at the wood studio at Peters Valley. This months meeting was my last meeting as President of the chapter. I have stepped down and will be moving on. The group gave me an incredible, generous send off. I thank each member very much. The meeting started with a brief talk about the future of the chapter and a unofficial election of officers. We then shared in cutting the cake and a show and tell. Thank you again to all of the members who have supported me in my endeavors over the last year and a half. I am very gratefull for your dedication and comittment in keeping the group alive and prosperous.

Thank you'

Walnut Tables

I made the legs for these tables. I cut the mortises and now I have to cut the tenons. I cut tenons using stack dado blades on the table saw. I prefer this method because I only have one adjustment too make, which iliminates room for error. I set my blade height. I then set my fence.The distance from the outside blade to the fence equals the length of my tenon. I make a test cut and then proceed to cut all of my tenons. If the tenon is centered on your apron you need only to flip the aprons over and repeat the same process. If the tenon is off set then you need only to raise the blade the apropriate height and then repeat the process.

I then flip the aprons onto their side, adjust blade height and cut the ears.

Tables Again

I have been comissioned too make two more tables like the ones I did for the auction. The tables are made out of walnut with curly maple drawer fronts. I have made enough legs for four tables. The legs were tapered using the jointer, this can be time consumming but exacting, you can also use the bandsaw and tablesaw. I cut the mortises using a small bench top delta mortiser.

Angie

Yesterday we had to put down a dear friend, our dog Angie. I adopted Angie from the Pert Jervis, NY humane society, she was the best dog. Angie would spend days with me up in the wood studio, chasing the mice inside and the squirrels outside.

Sad News

Last week Peters Valley Craft Center received the bad news that the State of New Jersey put a freeze on all funding to arts and crafts organizations. Peters Valley relies heavilly on these grants, the news has crippled and nearly closed the center. Peters Valley has had to restructure itself and has had to let a lot of staff go. I, unfortunately am one of those who has been let go.
My partner Liesl and I and our son are moving to the Berkshires in Massachusetts. We will be setting up our studios where we will continue to make work and teach workshops.
If you are interested in taking a workshop please email me at sherwood_design@hotmail.com

I will be teaching two workshops this summer at Peters Valley and one at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts,

Dates are: "Open Topics in Wood" Peters Valley May21-23 Contact (973)948-5200
" Table Manners" Peters Valley Aug 20-24 " Contact (973) 948-5200

" Table Manners" Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts June 20-26

Watergap Woodturners Dan Moore

The December meeting of the Watergap Wooodturners took place at the wood studio at Peters Valley Craft Center. Dan Moore of the group talked about his work and demonstrated how he turns an Australian Burl Cap.

The grouip meets the first Wednesday of each month ( except January ) at the Peters Valley wood studio. Meetings start at 7 PM.

Watergap Woodturners

The November meeting of the Watergap Woodturners was held at the wood studio at Peters Valley Craft Center. Tony Whalen of the group demonstrated his turning techniques and how he incorporates the router into his work.

Tony shows the crowed some of his work.

Wyatt

My friend Wyatt Severs came up from Kentucky for a couple of weeks. Wyattt had a commission to create some custom flooring on a house in the area.

Wyatt creates unique patterns by resawing and laminating hardwood strips and then making veneer out of it. He then laminates the veneer to a plywood substrate.

Finally

It's been a while since I posted something new. My apologies, our computer got a virus and we are only now able to use it.

The last time I posted I was working on a pair of walnut tables with curly maple drawer fronts.

The table were donated to Peters Valley Craft Center to be auctioned off at their annual benefit auction. I've since been commissioned to create two more. I also finished all of the tea lights and have sold a couple of pairs in the Peters valley gift shop and gallery.

This Octobers meeting of the Watergap Woodturners wsa held as usual at the Wood Studio at Peters Valley Craft Center. Dan Moore was going to demonstrate how he turns an edged burl but the meeting conversation ended up being a talk about pricing our work and design. It was a very interesting meeting. Dan passed around some of his collected pieces of wood and burls and asked what we would make out of them.

The end product

Here is the end product. I sell these at galleries and gift stores. It's good practice to have a smaller wares you can put into production and sell at gift stores. It helps compensate your income.

Tea Lights

I

make these tea lights as a production porduct. The body is made out out mahogany, some are made out of Juniper and some cherry. The base is made out of Aluminum and the top is perforated steel. Here is a batch in production. They measure 4 inches square and are mitred on the corners. They are rabetted top and bottom to fit the screens and bases. I use 3 different jigs to make them.

Hand Plane

Each October the Blacksmith Department at Peters Valley Host a Pig Roast and Iron Fest.
There is an Auction of tools, etc where all the proceeds go the Blacksmith studio. This year I made a wooden hand plane and donated to the blacksmith studio for this event. The plane body is made out od hard maple.

Home sweet home

Sometimes during the winter it can be impossible to get up to the wood studio at Peters Valley due to the ice on Thunder Mountain road. This year I'm a little better prepared, I finally set up the garage and turned it into a small wood studio. Dick, the blacksmith Department Head at Peters Valley made me a small wood stove. It works very well and is a good way to get rid of small scraps.

Auction Tables

Each year in November Peters Valley host its annual Auction and dinner. Department Heads like myself usually submit some work. This benefits Peters Valley and ourselves as we get a percentage of the price. This year I am submitting some small teal lights I make as well as two shaker style end tables.
The tables are made out of walnut, have tapered legs and a curly maple drawer front. I tapered the legs on the jointer. I hope to finish the tables later this week.

Peters Vallley Craft Fair

Steve Antunucci of the Watergap Woodturners demonstrates some of his turning techniques for the crowd at the annual Peters Valley Craft Fair at the State fair grounds. This annual event is hosted by Peters Valley Craft Center and is one of their most important fundraisers. More than a hundred vendors participate in the two day event.
This years event went well, it only rained one day.
Steve is teaching a two day workshop in woodturning at Peters Valley in the summer of 2010. Full details will be available on line in December at www.petersvalley.org. Thanks for
the great demo Steve

End of the season.

Well- The summer workshop season came to a close on September 15th. All in all it wasn't a bad season. We were affected by the bad economy but it wasn't too bad. It is always good to see old friends and make new. Here is the wood studio cleaned up and ready for the next season. I always enjoy the view looking out from the wood studio.
Now the wood studio is available for me to make my work during the off season. My first project is to make a couple of traditional shaker style end tables for our annual benefit auction. Most of the proceed go to Peters Valley. We get a percentage of the sale so it is a good way to kick start the off season and make ends meat.
The tables are made out of walnut with curly maple drawer fronts. The table have tapered legs that I tapered on the jointer.