July 12, 2025 Club Meeting
Today’s Program: The owner of Penny’s Hardware in West Fork had been scheduled to make a presentation but had backed out. Regardless, Penny’s will provide any club members with a 10% discount on any purchase – just mention that you are a member. In place of that presentation, John Adams will demonstrate how members can use the club website to customize their presence there.
Treasurer’s Report: Paul Moore and Joe Fernandez reported that the beginning checking account balance for June was $3,224, income for the month was $1,215, and expenses were $412 (rent and website fees). The CD balance is $5,341 and will be up for renewal in a few days. With dues coming in for the new fiscal year (October 1) there should be no reason not to rollover the CD for another 6 months.
Club Insurance: David Morris and Joe Fernandez provided further updates regarding our insurance. Regarding the AAW liability insurance, it only covers events at the club house and remaining questions are being raised on their forum, but no answers had been provided there. Sticking with AMJ Hartford Ins for our liability insurance seems the way to go since they will cover us for any club sanctioned event anywhere even if we charge a fee, and should include an approved (sanctioned) mentorship program. However, a guest presenter would not be covered and should have their own insurance. Hartford also offers a $250 rider for liability insurance for the board, which David highly recommends. He made a motion that we renew our policy with Hartford when it comes up in January, which was passed with unanimous consent.
Survey Results: Tom Anderson reviewed the suggestions on the recent club survey.
- More time should be allowed for ticket sales,
- Higher quality for the bring back raffle,
- More member demonstrations,
- Bring the President’s Challenge back (Randy said the challenge for August is Salt Boxes),
- Ask members for what demonstrations they would like to see,
- Have a mentor program for every member,
- Improve communication of member needs,
- Connect the 4th Saturday event to the club meeting program/demo (like Randy’s president challenge for salt boxes following Paul Moore’s June demonstration),
- Improve Show and Tell by getting members to use the mic and turntable and provide them a checklist of the information they should be providing, and
- Offer a mentor/mentee signup process perhaps on the web.
Mentor/Mentee: Since these will likely involve the mentor visiting and working with the mentee in his/her own shop, David Morris felt It important that they be considered official club events. He made a motion that these be officially club sponsored, which passed unanimously.
Demonstrations: Ben Johnson suggested a class or training on how to make a demonstration. Ron East noted that there was specific information in that area on the AAW website. Others wanted to ensure that all demonstrations were recorded for viewing by those that could not make a meeting. John Adams pointed out that making a video is easy but editing it for succinct presentation can be very time consuming.
Beginner Class: Thurman Hatch reviewed how successful the beginner class had been. It started with 6 students being taught 7-9 one night a week, and ended up with 10 students being taught separately over two evenings a week. In the finial class, he pointed out how a 12 year old was able to make his own finial. He encouraged those in the class to bring their work back for Show and Tell.
Rogers Historical Museum Display: Debe Krogman announced that she would be changing out the clubs display this coming week and still needs more contributions. She collects them at the entrance to the club house.
Elvis Wood Pens: Ron East, while visiting the Little Rock Veteran’s Home, had been given some Elvis Wood—wood in the form of pen blanks from an old fence that had been taken down from behind Graceland. He used it to make a single pen, and a pen and pencil set. They came in boxes with certificates stating they could not be sold for a profit. Separate raffle tickets were sold for these in order to raise funds for the club.
New Veteran Home in Fayetteville: Construction has begun, and Ron East and Ray Bradford would like to a see a turning facility provided there for the veterans like what Little Rock has. They need help. Anyone interested in assisting in getting this started from the ground up, please contact either of these members.
Nomad Shrine Club: John Adams mentioned they were having their 8th Annual 50-Clay Challenge at the Benton County Quail Barn on August 23rd. He stated that he had great success selling items there last year and thought it might be a good venue for a club demonstration.
Kaden’s Cause: John reported that they are short of medium size urns. It is a great cause, so if you can make one or more, John will collect them and sends them on to Kaden’s Cause.
Giant Oak Burl: Ray Taylor has been contacted by someone with a 10’ oak burl that wraps around the entire tree. He is not sure of the quality but has pictures if anyone is interested in pursuing this potential.
Show and Tell, Novice: Melissa Hutchens won best in this category for her tiered basket weave platters (base and three levels) in maple finished with ultra fine steel wool and Deff Satin spray. (If it had not been raining, she would have been at the farmer’s market trying to sell this and other items she makes.) Other entrants were:
- Buzz Peine with a large Elm bowl finished with walnut oil,
- Pauline Stutsman with two turned bowls (pots in this case) with stained glass flowers -- combining here two favorite art mediums wood and glass,
- Bill Cliff with a large cherry bowl finished with tung oil (first two coats diluted requiring 2 and half weeks to cure) made from a blank provided by Ben Johnson,
- Hayden Hendrix (new turner) with a round Noah’s Ark replica (he’s done much research on this) made from some black wood from the Penny’s Hardwoods dumpster (he also displayed a larger multi-layer ark turned by Randy Wright who he watched doing the turning and learned patience),
- Teresa Hatch brought a zig zag bowl woven with cording material including some colors tying into Thurman’s basket weave illusion bowls (which she also helps with), and
- David Wimberly with a small silver maple bowl made with a blank provided by Thurman as part of the beginner’s class and that suffered a catch when attempting to remove the tenon.
Show and Tell, Advanced: Larry Copas won best in this category with a walnut shaker table (1830s design) with a turned top. His personal photo gallery includes an album with pictures he took while making this piece. Larry also showed a red maple hollow form with a flat on one side so that it sits two ways and a ring holder built from scraps. Other entrants were:
- Paul Moore showed a pepper mill made from alternating luminants of maple and walnut, a large spalted hackberry bowl finished in Watco Danish Oil, and several salt boxes pointing out that the one that he built at the last meeting he had to re-drill the hinge using his drill press and that magnets needed to be used in the top and bottom to get the snap close;
- John Adams showed a large platter from material provided by Ray Taylor at an ESSA class which was painted with low pressure and textured with a Sorby tool, a square cherry platter decorated with colored pencils and a leather working tool, and a walnut platter with lots of design detail;
- Thurman Hatch brought a Kaden’s Cause urn with a finial, an open segment turning made as a demo for the beginner’s class without special equipment using a 9” band saw with a solid top and bottom, a large silver maple bowl (not recommended due to lots of tare out), and a basket illusion platter;
- Frank Emeterio showed two large cherry burl live edge bowls built from different ends of the burl – one where he spent lots of time filling worm holes and voids and the other not, both finished with Waterlux (two coats while on the lathe and one later);
- Tom Anderson brought a boxelder bowl from a piece of wood obtained from the bring back raffle finished with a polyurethane spray; and
- Deb Ness showed a cherry cake plate with sides where she added a ring of bling and did some piercing with a drill bit.
Bring Back Raffle: There were 47 tickets sold for the regular Bring Back raffle, 21 for the Elvis Wood Pen and Pencil set, and 19 for the Elvis Wood Pen. Jim Hill was the first winner and picked Thurman’s basket weave illusion, so he gets a free ticket next meeting. Hayden Hendrix won the single pen and Randy Wright the set. The estimated club contribution from the raffles was $565!
Website Personalization: John Adams used Thurman’s profile as an example demonstrating how to add your picture, your biography (using ChatGpt if so inclined), a banner picture for your profile, and separate individual photo albums with pictures. This information is only available to other club members, and all members are encouraged to share personal information and projects to help enrich our club community.
July 4th Saturday: This event will be dedicated to recruitment, so bring an interested friend to see demonstrations and experience turning.
Attendance: Approximately 38.