New Guild Officers

At our September Meeting, the Helena Woodworkers Guild officially recognized our new and continuing officers. Mike Flanagan (left) is now our Secretary and Bill Pratt(below left) takes over from Priscilla Bode as Guild Treasurer.




Thank you to Priscilla and to Lance Seaman, outgoing Secretary, for all of your hard work over the last couple of years.

And thanks for sure, to Tim Carney, for agreeing to continue as Guild President. Tim has really brought the guild in a good direction since he became president a couple of years ago.

The Helena Woodworkers Guild continues to grow and evolve, every year we greet lots of new members and figure out ways to function as a source of woodworking education, networking, and support for all of Helena's woodworkers. If any of our members know of someone who is not already coming to our meetings, or aware of our activities, please invite that person to attend our meetings as your guest. We are also very interested in welcoming young woodworkers and youth who might be interested in woodworking as a career or hobby.


Good Luck to our new officers and again, thanks to our outgoing officers.

October Guild Meeting at Tom Doland's Shop

The October Helena Woodworkers Guild meeting will be held at Tom Doland's shop at 140 Fairway Dr. on October 13th at 5:30. Tom will provide a main dish so bring a side dish or something to drink.

Tom has some projects he is working on to show us, and we will be talking about the final details of our upcoming show.

The show will be just the night of the Art Walk (Nov 14th)and will be in the Placer Building on the walking mall. Please bring your entry form to the meeting.

Directions to Tom's

Heading north on Benton take a left on to Meadow. Take the 1st right which is Fairway. Tom's house is 140 Fairway Drive. Phone: 443-2387

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Hands-on Timber Framing Opportunity: Learn More and be of Service

Guild member, Bill Pratt sent a link and a Missoulian article about a special opportunity for woodworkers to participate in a hands-on timber framing project in Missoula later this month -- on September 22 and 26th.

Please consider volunteering for the Silver Park Small Shelter Project. The Timber Framers Guild will host a workshop to build one of the three winning timber and log designs in the Silver Park Design Competition.

"The Bonin design, shown below, will give participants an excellent oppor-tunity for honing their skills in compound joinery. This shelter, plus the other two winning designs that are being cut at local shops, will be raised in their eventual home in Silver Park, which is adjacent to Osprey Stadium where the workshop will be held. There is no fee but you do need to register."

The Timber Framer's Guild is offering this project as a free workshop to registered participants. The public is also invited to visit Ogren Ballpark to watch and learn by observation, something about timber framing. So if you are interested, please contact:

http://www.tfguild.org/SilverParkDesigns/

Phone: (888) 453-0879 (toll-free)

Email: maureen@tfguild.org

Links:

• Free Timber Framing Design Standards
• Timber Framers Guild
• Missoula's Home Resource: a Building Materials Re-Use Center
• Habitat's Re-Stores, another re-use resource - we have one in Helena
• Registration Form/Online Survery for free workshop
  

New Feature: The Dump Pile

Guild members, we now have an experimental new feature on our website: The Dump Pile.

At our September meeting, Dave Ashley suggested starting a barter/sell/dump system for unburdening ourselves and our shops of woodworking-related stuff and tools we no longer need or want. Maureen agreed to try to find some way to allow our members to post articles for give-away or sale online, as well as to see what other woodworkers have posted. Dave is also going to have a place at Helena Hardwoods to post The Dump Pile.

I have set up a "wiki" that will hopefully eventually become an interactive Dump Pile. Below is the button I made to put on Sawdust & Shavings to make it easy for our members to find the Dump Pile. I have also put the button at the bottom of the sidebar (scroll way down) where it will always be.



When you click the button, you will end up on a start page. On the left of that page, click where it says "Sawdust & Shavings Dump Pile." Anyone can view the "ads" in our dump pile. In order to post your own ad on The Dump Pile, you must "join." If you are having trouble figuring out how to do that, please email Maureen: maureenshaughnessy(at)gmail(dot)com.

I hope we get some participants in this new feature. Let me know if you are confused or can't make it work. :-D --Maureen

Links:

• Our Dump Pile Public Profile
• Our Sawdust & Shavings Wiki Start Page
• The Actual Dump Pile with Ads and All
• Dump Pile Discussion Forum

Sweetgrass Joinery Timber Framing

Guild members visit with Scott Carlson (right) and his wife, Nancy, after Carlson's Timber Framing presentationin Helena, Montana on June 30th.

Thank you, Scott, for a wonderful, enlightening and thoroughly enjoyable evening learning about traditional timber frame construction. I'm sure all who attended gained valuable insights not only into the techniques of timber framing and the difference between what many builders call "timber framing" and traditional timber framing .... but we also saw how connected you are with the spirit of the trees and forests. You're one of those rare souls, Scott, who follows your heart in your career and consequently connects with the hearts of your clients. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and artistry with the Helena community.


Left, Nancy talking with her father-in-law, Dave Carlson. Right, Jonathan, Joshua and John Klesch visit with Scott Carlson

Timber Frame Construction Presentation

Come Join the Helena Woodworkers Guild for an opportunity to learn about timber framing from a master!

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How many of our woodworkers have woodworking "genes" running in their families? Judging from the photos in this article, it's obvious guild member Dave Carlson's woodworking talents have been passed on. Dave's son, Scott Carlson, an accomplished timber framer from Ohio, will give a Power Point program on timber frame construction, history and techniques while he is in Helena visiting his family.

Scott's presentation will be June 30, 2008 at 7:00 pm in the large meeting room of the Lewis & Clark Library (left.)

Please join us -- looks like it will be fun, inspiring and educational.

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Scott, a professional timber framer from Ohio, owns his own timber framing business which specializes in traditionally hand crafted timber frames for homes, public buildings, barns and out buildings. Scott's business website is Sweetgrass Joinery.

Here are a few more examples of Scott Carlson's work to get you excited about attending his timber frame presentation on June 30:

Add this event to your own Google Calendar (an online, free calendar with optional reminders) Click the button below:

Helena Woodworkers Last Meeting til Fall

Hey, everyone -- that was a great meeting to wrap up the season! Here are just a sampling of the photos I took at the Barbagello's shop on the 19th -- please check our flickr Meetings Album for more photos and for updated photos. I will be adding more pics as I get them processed. One thing I have to say is you are all so photogenic, it's easy taking good shots at our meetings!

Parks 12"x14" Stationary Planer for Sale

Hello Woodworkers: I am considering getting a larger planer and thought I would check to see if anyone might be interested in buying my current machine.

It is a heavy duty Parks 12" x 4" stationary planer. I purchased it brand new in 1981.

Here are the specs:

• All cast iron construction
• 2hp, 220v, single phase motor
• 3.25" x 12" 3 knife head
• 12" wide x 4" thick max work piece
• 1/16" min. thickness
• 1/8" max cut
• 16' per minute feed rate
• 12,000 cuts per minute
• It is all set up & running and cuts great with very little end snipe.
• Optional helical carbide insert head is available from Byrd tool.

Price $ 1250

As a historical aside, the Parks Company was originally established as makers of tools and machines for wagon shops. Evolution took over and made them what they were today.

Let me know if you are interested or have any questions.
Thanks,
Chris Yahvah
406-443-5244
yahvah6@juno.com

We will add photos of Chris Yavah's Parks Planer, soon. If you are interested in seeing the planer, call or email Chris (contact info above)