Slightly Skewed Newsletter

President's Message - June 2024

Greetings, Woodturners!

We had a small gathering at this month's meeting.  Many of you are gearing up for the big event in Portland—the AAW Symposium starts Thursday! Safe travels to all attending, and bring back lots of inspiration and stories to share.  Hope to see you there. 

Welcome, Jeanette!

Let's give a warm welcome to Jeanette, our newest member!  She discovered us at the Art Exhibit booth in Pasadena over the weekend.  A big thanks to Scott and everyone else who volunteered to spread the word about our club. 

The Fall of Rockler

In some not-so-great news, the Torrance Rockler store is closing.  Rockler has been a significant source of new members for us.  Moving forward, our presence on social media and the internet will be crucial for growing our membership.  Cody, Scott, and I will be reviewing our current website.  Your input is vital—this is YOUR club. If you have any ideas or feedback, please let us know.

Save the Date: June 2 – Eli Avisera Demo

Do not forget June 2!  The renowned turner Eli Avisera will be giving a demo, you don't want to miss it.  So far, only about 10 people have signed up.  We need at least 30 of you to sign up.  The cost is just $35 for an excellent demo from 9 am to 4 pm, including breakfast (okay, several donuts), Carey’s famous coffee, and an all-you-can-eat pizza lunch.  Please email me directly to confirm your attendance.

Shout Out to Scott Johnston

Another huge shout-out to Scott Johnston for setting up our booth at the art show in Pasadena.  Thanks to Scott & the rest of the Guild members, we’re reaching more people and growing our community.  This is how our Guild flourishes!

Next Month’s Challenge: Beads of Courage

The challenge for next month is BEADS OF COURAGE!  At the April meeting, our fine turners committed to making 30 lidded boxes.  Cody, a new turner, pledged to make five with the help of Mr. Loitz. I’ll be helping him too. Who else will step up?  Making a difference in a child's life is a key focus for our club.  Put a smile on a child’s face. 

Calling All Turners

Alright, I'm calling out a few members to make at least ONE lidded box for a child:

• Steve Smith - mahogany peg leg material?  
• Jim Schopper
• John Fisher
• Carey Cares – please make it larger than a thimble!
• Carl Haney
• Craig Rovello
• Thomas Cassidy
• Henry Koch
• Scott Johnston
• Mark Marion
• Cathy! (Yep – you)

Who else will join the challenge?  A significant fine awaits you if you don’t participate... jus’ sayin’!

See You in June

Looking forward to seeing you all in June with a lidded box (or three) in your arms.

Yours in turning,

Thomas

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM THE AAW

(Excerpt) AAW policy initiative on fractal burning (also known as "Lichtenberg Burning"), which advocates safety and helps to protect lives.

AAW POLICY ON FRACTAL BURNING

The AAW has always been a faithful advocate for woodturning safety.  Recently, the subject of fractal burning has been in the news because of another tragic death.  The AAW Safety Committee has studied the issue and concluded there may be a distinct influencing benefit in adopting a policy against the use of Fractal Burning and publicizing it immediately to chapters and members.  As a result, it was recommended that the AAW Board adopt a new policy against the practice, which was unanimously approved on May 17, 2017.  The new policy is as follows:

It is the policy of the American Association of Woodturners (AAW) that the process known as Fractal Burning is prohibited from being used in any AAW-sponsored events, including regional and national symposia, and that AAW-chartered chapters are strongly urged to refrain from demonstrating or featuring the process in chapter events. Further, the process of Fractal Burning shall not be featured in any written or online AAW publication, except for within articles that warn against its use. AAW publications will not accept advertisements for any products or supplies directly related to the process.

Additionally, the Safety Committee recommended that an article be published in the August 2017 issue of American Woodturner to highlight the dangers of the practice and publicize the new AAW policy.

AAW Membership

•  To join AAW you can visit:  Join AAW

• Information on AAW Member Benifits can be found at:  Member Benefits