Ames Woodworkers Club Newsletter
October 2014
Ames, Iowa
The Ames Woodworkers Club meets at various places in Ames and in other locations in Central Iowa.
Unless otherwise announced, meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month. Membership is open
to all interested in woodworking, arts and crafts involving wood, and related activities. Annual dues for
2014 are $10.00 for e-mail delivery of the Newsletter, or $ 15.00 for Postal Mail Newsletter delivery.
NEXT ACTIVITY: SHOP TOUR SATURDAY!! -- OCTOBER 18th -- Road-Trip!!
The Ames Woodworkers Club will hold its "Shop Tour Saturday" on October 18 th in two
sessions at member’s shops noted below. Complete instructions are found at the end of this
newsletter, which includes brief descriptions of the shops, addresses, and directions on how to get
to them. The weather looks like it will be fine on Saturday, so enjoy the tours and the great
discussions at our hosts' shops!
Morning Session – 9:00 am to 12:00 noon:
John Colle – 221 South Boone Street, Boone
Jim Gunning – 4623 Dover Drive, Ames
Mike Gilger – 4024 Phoenix Street, Ames
[Note: Jim’s and Mike’s shops are very close to one another, about a 2 minute drive.]
Afternoon Session – 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm:
John Anderson – 121 Elm Avenue, Story City
Rob Zerr – 1613 Johnson Street, Ames
Rob Wallace – 2841 Torrey Pines Road, Ames
Directions to each of the shops are included on pages 5 & 6 of this newsletter.
UPCOMING 2014 MEETING DATES….mark these dates on your calendars: Nov. 18 – Review of
Shop Safety; Dec. 16 - End-of-Year Meeting. WE NEED MEETING TOPICS FOR 2015!!!
LAST MEETING NOTES: The September AWC meeting was held on Tuesday, September 16th at the
Fire Service Training Bureau Building on the ISU campus. President Tom Oxley opened the meeting at
7:00 pm, and visitors and new members were recognized. The meeting began with a brief presentation by
Gene Pedersen who spoke about “Tools for Opportunity”, anon-profit group supporting the development of
woodworking in El Salvador and Honduras by forwarding donated used tools and supplies to local
woodworkers in underdeveloped countries. Following his presentation, a motion was made, seconded and
approved to donate $100 from the AWC to support the efforts of this group. They continue to take
donations of used or new woodworking tools which are periodically shipped to a distribution location in
Central America. Reports were received from the Cabinetmakers and Turners Groups regarding the recent
and upcoming activities. Upcoming meetings in October and November were discussed, and a reminder
was given about the End-of-Year Meeting/Potluck dinner scheduled for December 16th. Shop tours on
October 18th were finalized, and a woodworking tool sale by member Dennis Frette was announced for Oct.
3 & 4. The Program was presented by AWC member Jim Mulvihill, who gave an overview of woodcarving,
including some of the different kinds of carving done, the tools and techniques used in carving, and showed
simple and advanced carvings that can be used to embellish furniture or cabinetry, as well as sculptural
carvings as artwork. He reviewed preferred carving woods, basic sets of tools needed, and gave some
hints for new carvers who might want to get started in woodcarving. Following a brief question and answer
session, the group saw Show and Tell projects from Will Zitterich, Roger Nass, and John Anderson. The
meeting ended at 8:33 – thanks to all who attended this meeting and to Jim Mulvihill for his presentation.
I  WOOD! - I  WOOD! - I  WOOD! - I  WOOD! - I  WOOD! - I  WOOD! - I  WOOD! - I  WOOD!
Ames Woodworkers Club Newsletter - Page 2
MEMBERSHIP in the Ames Woodworkers Club not only enables members to attend meetings and receive the monthly
newsletter, but members are also entitled to make use of discounts at some local businesses. When your 2014 dues
are paid you will receive an AWC Membership Card that can be presented at the time of sale at participating
woodworking businesses to make use of in-store discounts for club members.
VIDEO TAPE LIBRARY: The Club has a fairly diverse collection of video tapes on various woodworking techniques
and projects that may be borrowed for free. Tapes may be borrowed by club members at each meeting. Please return
borrowed tapes promptly at the next meeting so that others may have access to them. Call Charles Smith (515-4503257) to arrange pickup or drop-off if you can’t attend a meeting when the tape is due.
AWC TOOL LOAN PROGRAM - Club-owned tools are available for loan; contact Jim Gunning (Phone: 515-2928412, e-mail: bearfan63@mchsi.com) to arrangements. Tools available for loan:
• Table saw alignment system: Master Plate, A-Line-It dial gauge and miter track mount, alignment video
• Jointer blade setting jig
• Pen Disassembly Tools
• Blum 35mm Hinge Hole-boring jig
• Delmhorst J-Lite Wood Moisture meter • Wizard Wand-style metal detector • Spline Jig
MISCELLANEOUS CLUB BUSINESS:
• NEW MEMBERS – The AWC welcomes new members Gene Pedersen from Waukee and George Shey
from Webster City – we hope that you will enjoy participating in Club activities with your fellow
woodworkers. New member forms are available for download & printing from the AWC web site at
http://www.ameswoodworkers.com.
• AWC WEB SITE – (www.ameswoodworkers.com) - Webmaster Jim Gunning is always looking for
additional items to put up on the web site, including images of members projects, announcements, etc.
Contact Jim Gunning (Phone: 515-292-8412, e-mail: bearfan63@mchsi.com) for information.
• SWAP AND SHOP: This section is YOUR free advertising to put out the word for previously-owned tools
or materials you are looking to buy, or if you would like to sell similar items. Are you looking for a tool??
Have something to sell?? Let the Editor know what it is you have to sell or want to buy.
ITEMS FOR SALE: (Please alert the Editor if your items have sold – we normally list items for up to 3 months.)
LIST YOUR ‘FOR SALE’ OR ‘WANTED’ ITEM HERE TO REACH 120+ WOODWORKERS
• MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNTS:
The following local woodworking-related businesses that have extended AWC members a 10%
discount on purchases (excluding power tools):
Ace Hardware – 615 24th St., Ames; 515-232-1791.
Acme Tools – 629 SW 9th St., Des Moines; 515-244-4189.
Hokel Machine Supply – 224 Duff Avenue, Ames; 515-232-6505. (10% discount on machinery)
Hutcheson Lumber & Millwork - 2169 180th St, Marshalltown; 641-753-4144 or 641-751-8125
Sherwin-Williams, Co. - 1624 South Duff Ave, Ames - 515-232-2124 (20% discount on non-sale items; 5% sale)
The Woodsmith Store - 10320 Hickman Road, Clive, 515-254-9494.
Wolfe Machinery – 6300 NW Beaver Drive, Johnston, 515-270-2766 (10% equipment, 25% tooling)
Woodhaven - 501 W. 1st Ave., Durant, IA 52747, 1-800-344-6657 (10% disc. on items they make)
Also a reminder that AWC members receive a 10% discount on catalog purchases at Klingspor’s “Sanding Catalog” at
1-800-228-0000 for industrial quality abrasives and other woodworking supplies.
Dedicate some time to going around your shop and sharpening any “edge” tool you lay eyes
on, and practice your sharpening skills. There is no better enjoyment than reaching for a
needed tool while working and finding it is already sharp!! It makes you work more
efficiently, with more pleasure, and with better quality results!!
SEE YOU AT SHOP TOURS ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18TH ! ! !
Ames Woodworkers Club Newsletter - Page 3
• NOVEMBER 2014 MEETING – The November 2014 AWC activity is scheduled for Tuesday,
November 18th which will be a review of shop safety, personal protection equipment, and other aspects of
maintaining a good work environment for your shop. The presenter will be presented by Jim Gunning, who
worked at ISU as an Industrial Hygienist in the Environmental Health and Safety Dept, until his recent
retirement. The meeting will be held at the Fire Service Training Bureau Building on the ISU campus.
Further details will be included in the November 2014 AWC Newsletter.
• CABINET AND FURNITUREMAKING GROUP - We last met at Jim Merideth’ s shop on September
23rd. The program consisted of discussion and demonstration of design and cutting out of very intricate
modern table legs using the band saw and carving chisels on 8/4 lumber. Show and tell included Clint
Hertz's small boxes made from short pieces of tree limbs hollowed and closed with a short piece of the end
sliced off and reattached with a wooden pin to swivel. Also, Jim Merideth showed the combination of a new
pleated dust filter from Winn Environmental and a shop made Thien Baffle used to upgrade the air
movement volume and efficiency of his 2 hp Grizzly dust collector and also a new, shop-made, lumber
storage cart. The next group meeting will be on Tuesday, October 21st (note non-standard third
Tuesday) at Clint Hertz's shop, which is located at 1041 X Avenue in Boone County. You can reach it by
traveling west on Ontario from Ames going 1 mile west on the gravel road after you cross County Line
Road, and then turning right (North) and going another mile and one half to his acreage on the left (West)
side of the road. There is a tan house and large garage/shop. Gathering begins at 6:30with the meeting
beginning at 7 pm. Meeting topics will include use and demonstration of the Club's jig for making spline
joints, such as for a flag case, and also use of bow tie joints for reinforcing slabs and table tops across
joints or splits. If you would like to join this group, contact Will Zitterich at wzitterich@mchsi.com.
• TURNERS GROUP – The September 2014 meeting of the Ames Area Wood Turners was held
Sunday, September 21st at the shop of Roger Nass in Ames. Approximately 30 members attended the
meeting. The demonstration was on Segmented Woodturning, presented by AAWT member Jim Gunning.
Jim discussed the basics of designing bowls and other vessels using constructed rings made-up of
segments that are glued together and turned to make a completed form. He also reviewed how to cut the
rings, glue, and process them so they fit together correctly, as well as discussing turning and finishing the
pieces. Chapter business was briefly discussed including the following: Forthcoming group orders to
Craft Supplies (deadline Oct. 20th) and for cyanoacrylate (CA) glue were announced. Brief discussion was
also held about aspects of the developing AAWT logo. The group was reminded about making ornaments
for the Octagon Festival of Trees, which will be due by November 10th. The next Turners Meeting will be
held on Sunday, October 19th at the shop of Roger Nass in Ames –The demonstration this month will be a
continuation of the August meeting on surface embellishment, this time concentrating on the use of infill
techniques to repair or disguise cracks or voids, to add inlay features to turnings, or to otherwide enhance
the appearance of the piece using added materials. The demonstration will be presented by Roger Nass
(and perhaps others). Further information about the next Turners Group meeting will be sent to members
by e-mail in the October 2014 issue of the AAWT Turners Update. Contact Rob Wallace
(rwallace@iastate.edu; 292-5785) if you are interested in joining the Turners Group.
• AWC CHRISTMAS TREE PROJECT – The AWC will once again participate in the Octagon Center
for the Arts “Festival of Trees” by donating a tree and hand made wooden ornaments to this fundraising
activity. Members are encouraged to make a variety of Christmas ornaments by scroll sawing or turning to
be included on the Club’s tree which will be on display from November 14th through November 30th at the
Octagon Center for the Arts on Douglass Ave. in Ames. Members should plan on the date of November
10th for completing ornaments to be donated. More information about the project,and when and how to
submit ornaments will be included in the a separate message and in the November newsletter.
• THANK-YOU LETTER RECEIVED - The AWC received a thank-you letter from ‘Tools for
Opportunity” for our club’s donation to this organization that was approved at the September meeting. Gene
Pedersen wrote “…thank you for your for your contribution. Your generosity is making a difference in our
world, one life at a time.” For more information, see: www.toolsforopportunity.org
UPCOMING REGIONAL WOODWORKING EVENTS:
WOODSMITH STORE THURSDAY EVENING SEMINARS – Held at the Woodsmith Store, Clive - Seminars are
held Thursday evenings and begin at 6:30 pm and run to 7:30 pm – Cost it $ 8.00 per seminar (includes $5 Woodsmith
Store coupon); no pre-registration required. For updated scheduling see:
http://www.woodsmithstorespecials.com/events/
Oct 16 – Table Saw Basics; Oct 23 – Restoring Old Hand Tools; Oct 30 – Box Joints; Nov 6 – Leigh FMT Jig; Nov 13
– Choosing & Installing Hardware; Nov 20 – Finishing.
HANDWORKS: Woodworking Tools and Traditions – May 15th and 16th, 2015 - Second Annual event
emphasizing hand tools and traditional woodworking techniques. Festhalle Barn, Main Amana, Iowa For more information see: http://handworks.co/
See you at the October AWC activity during the
Shop Tours at member’s shops on Saturday, October 18th
Ames Woodworkers Club Newsletter
Rob Wallace
2841 Torrey Pines Road
Ames, Iowa 50010-8946
FIRST CLASS MAIL
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GET NEW MEMBERS! Ask an interested friend to attend a meeting with you!!!
Club Officers:
President: Tom Oxley, 4015 Phoenix St., Ames, IA 50014-3917, Phone: 1-515-231-1528, e-mail:
TomOxley@live.com
Vice-President: Jim Merideth, 1231 Idaho Ct.., Ames, IA 50014, Phone: 1-515-292-8257, e-mail:
James.Merideth@gmail.com (replacement for Steve Saxton)
Secretary/Treasurer & Newsletter Editor: Rob Wallace, 2841 Torrey Pines Road, Ames, IA 500108946 Phone 515-292-5785 Information to be included in November 2014 newsletter should be sent
to Rob Wallace by mail, phone, or e-mail (rwallace@iastate.edu) by Friday, November 7th.
AMES WOODWORKERS CLUB – SHOP TOUR SATURDAY 2014
October 18th, 2014
General Information: This month’s shop tour event will be similar to ones held previously since 2002.
Members can take part in all or a few of the tours as their schedule permits.
Visiting Times: Please be aware of the available times scheduled for each tour either in the morning (9
am to noon) or afternoon (1-4 pm). Hosts will be available and shops open for visitation during these times
only.
Morning Tours - 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
► John Colle – Boone (221 South Boone Street) – Basement Shop - Tel: 515-290-7755
John's workshop is a very large workshop shrunk to a basement operation. Six stationary machines are on wheels
and pulled into position as needed. It is a bit of a repair shop as well as a woodworking shop. Space is shared with
spare computers, a lab-sized vacuum pump and an older welder. Come see the wall of cabinets made 10 years ago
and compare them with the new sewing cabinets (also in the basement). Come see his 18 year old cedar strip canoe
(still in great shape). Check out the gardens to see the 12 x 14 shed with doors on the corner rather than the sides
along with the reclaimed redwood siding. There will be a raffle for something to win for the closest guess to the
number of clamps visible in the shop area. (Clue: Can you count beyond 75?)
DIRECTIONS: Coming into Boone from the South, turn west (left) onto Union Street. There is a clinic on
the NE corner of the intersection. Drive one block West and turn South (left) onto South Boone St. and
drive 1/2 block south to arrive at number 221. It is a tan ranch house with a two stall garage. Parking is on
the street.
► Jim Gunning – West Ames (4623 Dover Dr.) – Detached Garage Shop – Tel: 515-292-8412
Jim's shop is what he believes is an old horse stable detached from the house that served the pasture to the north
(since developed into Spring Valley) when the house was built in 1964. Overall the shop building is 16 feet X 32 feet.
The front of the ten feet of the shop is cold storage and houses a radial arm saw, storage and winter snow blowing
equipment. The shop has a full 100 amp electrical service. The remainder of the shop is heated with electrical
baseboard heat and cooled with window air conditioning. The conditioned space (16' X 21') houses a table saw, Jet
1642 lathe, Delta midi lathe, Delta 14" band saw, benchtop drill press, DeWalt 12" sliding miter saw, and 12" disc
sander. Workbench spans the north wall in additional to a movable work bench. Wall mounted cabinets and shelving
are devoted mostly to finishing supplies and drying turning pieces. Jim hopes a permanent dust collection system is
fully installed by the time of the tour.
DIRECTIONS: From Lincoln Way in Ames, head to the west side of town and go north on North Dakota
(or south on North Dakota from Ontario St.), and turn WEST onto Delaware Ave. Driving north on
Delaware, take the second left onto Dover Dr., - Jim’s home (#4623) is the second house on the right on
Dover. The shop is located at the end of the driveway in the detached garage. Parking is on the street.
► Mike Gilger – West Ames (4024 Phoenix Street.) – Outbuilding Shop – Tel: 515-292-2918
Mike’s shop is a separate building in the back yard. It has always been a working shop. It is used now for artwork,
jewelry casting, stretching canvases, painting with oil paints, and doing airbrush paintings. (I also use it as my man
cave!) I have an electrical digital burnout oven, a centrifugal casting machine, a vacuum pump, a Gast air compressor,
an air nailer, an air stapler, a Porter Cable planer, a Porter Cable belt/disc sander, a natural gas/oxygen torch, a
DeWalt miter saw, a Bosch table saw, a Jet dust collector and an overhead vent for noxious fumes. There are 40
electrical outlets and 14 fluorescent lights. The shop also has a urinal and a sink with a water faucet.
DIRECTIONS: From Lincoln Way in Ames, turn north on North Dakota (or head south on North Dakota
from Ontario St.; Phoenix will also be the second street you come to.), and turn EAST onto Phoenix Street.
Phoenix runs east/west and is about halfway between Lincoln Way and Ontario. Continue heading east on
Phoenix - 4024 is 3 blocks from N. Dakota and is on the south side of the road. From north/east Ames,
take 13th St./Ontario to Garfield and turn south. Garfield runs for two blocks south and the turns west into
Phoenix. Parking is on the street. Enter the shop building by going around the west side of the garage
and then into the back yard.
Afternoon Tours - 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
► John Anderson – Story City (121 Elm Ave.) – Outbuilding/GarageShop – Tel: 515-733-4737
John has interests in making cabinetry, furniture, and other woodworking projects. He also
enjoys turning on his lathes. John has many different tools to complete his projects and has
an effective dust collection system. It’s a shop not to miss!
Directions to John Anderson’s Shop - Go north from Ames on Highway 69 or I-35. Turn onto
Broad Street from 69 or take exit 124 from I-35. If coming into Story City on Broad Street from the
west (from Highway 69), cross the railroad tracks and then turn right (heading south) at the
5th intersection which is Elm Street. John’s home is about 4-1/2 blocks south, at 121 Elm Street on
the west side of the street. His shop is located behind the house in the alley. If coming from the
east (I-35) on Broad St., Elm is the fourth intersection once you pass the football field on the south
and the pool on the north. It is a grey ranch house. Parking is in front of the house on Elm St., with
some additional parking near the alley garage area.
► Rob Zerr – North Ames – (1613 Johnson Street) – Garage Shop – Tel: 515-231-5099
Rob's shop is in a single-car garage with an attached carport. It was recently wired for both
110 and 220. The table saw, bandsaw, planer, and dust collector are on mobile bases.
The shop has steel shelving for lumber and tool storage.
Directions to Rob Zerr’s Shop – From 24th Street in Ames, travel to Hoover Ave.; head north on
Hoover and make the first available left turn (heading west) onto Johnson Street. Rob’s house is
located at number 1613 Johnson, on the right (north) side of the street, and is bright yellow with blue
doors and garage door. (Note that Johnson St. changes into Jackson Drive in this neighborhood.)
Parking is on the street. Please enter the shop via the driveway/garage door.
► Rob Wallace – North Ames – (2841 Torrey Pines Rd.) – Basement Shop – Tel: 292-5785
Rob’s basement shop is about 600 square feet in size, with built in-metal ductwork and
cyclone dust collection, task lighting, air filtration, wall-mounted storage cabinetry, and a
carving area. Although most recent work emphasizes woodturning, additional shop tools
include a table saw, 6” jointer, band saw, compound miter saw, sharpening station, 13"
planer, router table, drill press, scroll saw, spindle sander, and 18” drum sander. Turning
capabilities include a main lathe which is a Robust American Beauty 25” bowl lathe, along
with two other Jet lathes (16” and 12”), plus vacuum chucking, hollowing and other
specialty turning tools. You will be able to see actual wood dust and woodturning shavings,
as well as piles of unfinished bowls, turning blanks, and other important woodworking junk.
Directions to Rob Wallace’s Shop - Location is just north of the ISU Veenker Memorial Golf
Course. From either 13th Street or 24th Street , travel north or south (respectively) on Stange Road
to Greensboro Road (this is opposite Schilleter Village). Go west on Greensboro Road for about
130 feet and make a left turn onto Torrey Pines Road. Continue around the curve to 2841, which is
the large brick house on the right, with a tall spruce and basketball hoop in front. Parking is on the
street. Please enter at the front door and follow directions to basement shop.
THANK-YOU!!! To all of the hosts and shop tour participants for making
this year's tours a success!