Ames Woodworkers Club Newsletter
February 2016
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 2016
are $10.00.
NEXT MEETING: TUESDAY, February 16th, 2016
Program: “Woodworking Blind”
Presenter: Clay Gurganus
Time: Gathering begins at 6:30 pm – Meeting begins at 7:00
Location: Environmental Health and Safety Building, ISU Campus, Ames, Iowa
This month’s AWC meeting presentation will be given by Clay Gurganus, and will be on making a
wooden chess board. The board will be constructed from walnut and silver maple. Clay will show
a video produced by he and his son, which shows Clay using many different tools, including a 12”
miter saw, table saw, 20” planer, 37” drum sander, and router table. He will show the techniques
of how he glues the board together to accurately line up the checkered pattern. Clay plans on
posting the video to YouTube. He will also show how he makes a frame to go around the chess
board. After the video has been shown, Clay will then entertain questions about woodworking as a
blind individual, and asks all to come prepared with questions and comments pertaining to
blindness and how he functions as a blind person. You can also look at Clay’s “Blind Guy
Woodworking“ web site by directing your browser to: www.blindguywoodworking.com Members
are also encouraged to bring items for ‘Show and Tell’
Directions to the EH & S Safety Services Building (EHSSSB), 2809 Daley Road, Ames (ISU campus)
- From the intersection of 13th Street and Stange Road (south of Veenker Golf Course), proceed one block
south on Stange Rd. to the next stop light, and turn right (west) onto Daley Drive. (Many will remember this
area as west Pammel Court.) The EHSSSB is a grey, metal-sided building at the far west end of Daley
Drive, just north of the railroad tracks. Plenty of parking is available in the lot immediately south of the
building. Enter through the main entrance near the sculpture on the east side of the building. The training
room we will meet in is immediately inside the front entry to the right.
UPCOMING 2016 MEETING DATES….mark these dates on your calendars: February 16th –
Woodworking “Blind”; March 15th – Designing and building a home Wine Cellar; April 19th – TBA May
17th – Metal Inlay by John Twedt June 25th(?) – TBA July – Story County Fair August 16th – TBA
September 20th – TBA October 15th– Shop Tours November 15th – TBA December 13th – End-ofYear Meeting/Potuck
LAST MEETING NOTES: The January AWC meeting was held on Tuesday, January 19th at the Fire
Safety Institute Building on the ISU campus; approximately 37 members were in attendance. Reports
were received from the Cabinetmakers and Woodturners special interest groups. Show and Tell items
were brought by AWC members Rob Wallace, Paul Larson, Roger Nass, Jim Merideth, and Al
Johnson. The program was a presentation by AWC member Cy Hornberg on making a trestle table out
of walnut. Cy explained how the table was designed and built, including the construction of its
component sub-assembly parts. Cy also brought samples of different joints of the lower table support
legs and stretcher. He reviewed the assembly procedure and how the joinery of the table top was done
to accommodate wood movement in the glued up pieces of the table top, which had breadboard ends.
The group concluded the discussion with a question and answer period about details of how the design
and construction of the table was performed, how it was finished, and how several different problems
Cy discovered in building the table were resolved.
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 2015 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 – We welcome new member Michele Morgan from Story City to the AWC. 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.
Build a dado jig for your router:
Ames Woodworkers Club Newsletter - Page 3
• MARCH 2016 MEETING – The March 2016 AWC meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 15th and
will be a presentation by AWC member Dan Divine on designing and building a home wine cellar. Dan will
explain the process he used to design and build a multi-wall wine cellar and the construction techniques
used to assemble a variety of different style racks and storage areas. Further details about the meeting will
be included in the March 2016 AWC Newsletter.
• CABINET AND FURNITUREMAKING GROUP - The January meeting of the Cabinet Makers
group was held in Jim Merideth's shop on January 26th. The meeting topic was the construction and
use of a box joint jig. The jig was a design found on the ‘I Build It’ web site called "The Ultimate Box
Joint Jig". Plans are available for purchase on the site along with building instructions and videos. Jim
and Paul Larson partnered to build two of the jigs. And both were displayed at the meeting. They
explained the issues encountered with construction of the jigs, methods of dealing with those issues,
and overall pros and cons of the jig design and use. The jig was demonstrated, during which several
error techniques were displayed, purely for the benefit of the group members. Paul and Jim concluded
that while the jig was not perfect, it did overcome a couple of the main problems with the use of other
box joint jigs they had built and used in the past. The main advantage of the jig was the precision and
repeatability of the jig in making joints. It also allows a wide variety of joint designs to be used as to
size and even allows for variable finger size in jointing, however, it also requires an attention to detail
during operation in order to avoid unintentional variable finger sizing. The next meeting is scheduled
for February 23rd at the shop of Will Zitterich at 905 Top-O-Hollow Road in Ames. The topic of the
meeting is to be mortise and tenon joints. Techniques for the use of jigs, machines, and hand tools will
be discussed and demonstrated. Gathering begins at 6:30 pm; the meeting starts at 7:00. If you would
like to join this group, contact Will Zitterich at wzitterich@mchsi.com.
• TURNERS GROUP – The January meeting of the Ames Area Wood Turners was held on Sunday,
January 24th at the shop of Roger Nass in Ames, with 26 members attending. The demonstration was
presented by Roger Nass and was on use of the Joyner Offset Turning jig, to make pendants, multisided boxes, and other small projects. Show and Tell items were brought by: Nass, Ellyson, Beattie,
Carris, Turbett, Stough, Kramersmeier, Meuler, Stremick, and Christianson. Discussion at the
business meeting included ideas for future demonstrations including inlay techniques, tool making,
natural edged bowls, and finials. It was recommended that the AAWT participate again in donating
bowls to the Empty Bowls Project for the 2016 AAW Symposium in Atlanta. The next Turners
Meeting will be held on Sunday, February 21st at the shop of Roger Nass in Ames from 1:00 to 4:00
pm. The demonstration this month will be a presentation on threading woodworking projects using the
Baxter Threading Jig, along with a general discussion of threading wood. Members are encouraged
to bring show and tell projects, new tools, etc.. Additional information about the next Turners
Group meeting will be sent to group members by e-mail in the February 2016 issue of the AAWT
Turners Update. Contact Rob Wallace (rwallace@iastate.edu; 292-5785) if you are interested in
joining the Turners Group.
• AWC MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS FOR 2016 – If you have not already renewed your
membership for 2016, please print the MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL FORM that accompanies this
newsletter, complete the requested information, confirm your correct e-mail address (printing legibly),
and submit your 2016 dues at a future meeting or by mailing it to Rob Wallace, 2041 Torrey Pines
Road, Ames Iowa 50010-8946. Dues for 2016 are $10 per year. (Make checks payable to 'Ames
Woodworkers Club'.). Please renew your membership as soon as possible, but no later than March 1st.
Members will be sent a new membership card upon receipt.
• UPCOMING WOODWORKING SHOWS – More info: http://www.thewoodworkingshows.com/
ST. PAUL, MN – March 4-6, 2016 Hours: Friday 12-6; Saturday 10-6; Sunday 10-3 Location:
Minnesota State Fair
KANSAS CITY – April 8-10, 2016 – Hours: Friday 12-6; Saturday 10-6; Sunday 10-3 Location:
KCI Expo Center, Kansas City, Missouri
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/
Feb 18 – Using Planers & Jointers; Feb 25 – Best Shop Tips; Mar 3 – Sharpening Chisels & Plane Irons 10 – Scroll
Saw Basics; Mar 17 – Dust Collection.
See you at the February AWC meeting at the Environmental Health and
Safety building on the ISU campus on Tuesday, February 16th
==========================================================
GET NEW MEMBERS! Ask an interested friend to attend a meeting with you!!!
Club Officers:
President: Clay Gurganus, 2620 Somerset Dr., Ames, IA 50010, Phone: 1-515-292-7788, e-mail:
blindguywoodworking@gmail.com
Vice-President: Alan Johnson, 3912 Squaw Road, Ames, IA 50014, Phone: 1-515-233-4831, e-mail:
awindj@aol.com
Secretary/Treasurer & Newsletter Editor: Rob Wallace, 2841 Torrey Pines Road, Ames, IA 50010-8946
Phone 515-292-5785 Information to be included in March 2016 newsletter should be sent to Rob
Wallace by mail, phone, or e-mail (rwallace@iastate.edu) by Friday, March 4th.