The Newsletter of the Minnesota Vikings
Wood Carvers Association
Volume 33 Number 3
Minnesota Vikings Wood Carvers
7425 17th Avenue South
Richfield, Minnesota 55423-4624
Meeting Location - Meeting Time –
Knights of Columbus, 4th Monday of the
Month
1114 West 79th Street, Meetings start
at 7:00 PM
Bloomington, MN 55435
March Meeting: Marquetry - Will
Bondhus
April Meeting: Open carve-in details
to follow
Presidents
Notes
I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to be
with you at the last meeting.
I’d like to thank Neil for taking over in my absence and was pleased to
hear that many of you were able to get some tools sharpened at the
meeting. I also thank our members; John Sailor, Dick Allen and
Bob
Pitts for bringing tools and demonstrating their use. I apologize
for
missing naming others who assisted Neil with the program. So, you
know
who you are and I thank you. Thanks to Woodcraft for providing
equipment and experience from Dick
In order to bring better value to our
members, the club really
needs your feedback. And your response to the recent survey is
very
important. So, as a little inducement to those of you who haven’t
yet
filled out the survey, we have a prize drawing at an upcoming spring
meeting. The prize is a folding handled diamond stone donated to
us
for this purpose. There will be survey forms at the Welcome Table
for
those of you who do not have the January newsletter. For those of
you
who have already submitted a survey, I thank you and you’ll also be
eligible for the drawing. Currently, I have less than 20%
response and
am hopeful for at least 80%. Anyone submitting a survey can
indicate
that they have done so by updating the roster information sheets at the
welcome table.
It also sounds like you like the new
format of the newsletter. One
section that is new and controversial is that of the pattern. We
would
like to provide this section in subsequent newsletters, but we’re
concerned about copy write issues that may result from using a
protected pattern without author approval. Consequently, I’m
asking
our members to submit patterns to any of the officers that are:
1. an
original design by the member, and 2. approved by the member for
publishing in the newsletter. Bob Pitts provided the original
design
in the February newsletter. There will unfortunately be no
pattern in
the March newsletter, so your assistance is most needed in order to
continue this feature.
Neil continues to line up programs for
our enlightenment and
enjoyment. In March, Will Bondhus, world renown artist in
marquetry
and superb carver in his own right, will talk with us and demonstrate
examples of his art in marquetry. Will has been a frequent guest
lecturer at London University, so this will be a very interesting
event.
Now, it’s time to get back to
carving. The April program will be
an open carve-in, so be prepared to bring your tools and a (small)
project to work on. Sorry, no power carving at this event.
Unlike
other carve-ins, we will likely not have member led carving
demonstrations; however, stay tuned for further updates. Also,
mark
your calendars for the open carve-in’s at the Burnsville Senior Center
April 11 and May 9. See the special interest section for
details.
We appreciate any carving related item
donations to the club for
sale to members. We’re looking for more carving kits to
supplement our
dwindling supply. Please see me or any of the other officers for
your
ideas and contributions. We have some donated basswood materials
to be
used in the assembly of kits. We thank those of you who have
already
made donations of your ideas, time and/or materials. Please continue to
help where you can.
Good carving to you all,
Dennis ‘Denny’ Schuster
Things to remember: Are there topics
you would like to see at our
meetings? Pass this information to a board member at the Mar. meeting.
Please stop by the greeter’s table and check to make sure your personal
information is current if you haven’t and pick up a name tag. Do you
have any project/s that you are working on or have questions about? If
so, bring it to the Mar. meeting to share with your fellow V.W.C.
members? Arrive early so you can view member projects and products for
sale.
Calendar of Events
March 26, 2007 Program Preview
Presenter: Will Bondhus
Theme: Marquetry
Note:
Dues were due on Feb 1. If you haven't
paid, please do so at the
March meeting. If you are unable to be there please send them to
Leo
Mielke 10223 Johnson Circle Bloomington MN 55437 Phone: 952 831
6907
Make checks payable to "Viking Woodcarvers".
Shows
Mar 24-25 Rochester Carving
Show -- 4-H Bldg at the Fairgrounds –
http://webpages.charter.net/rochcarve
April
14
Menomonie,
WI Carvers Show Contact 715-235-9039;
e-mail moatsj@uwstout.edu
or dahlkeb@uwstout.edu
Apr 13-15 Red River Valley
Show/Sale/Classes -- Doublewood Inn -- Fargo, ND
Apr 14-15 Waterloo
Show/Sale/Competition -- NEIWCarve@aol.com
Apr
21 Central MN Woodcarving Display
Show -- Whitney Sr. Center
May 4-6
Winnipeg Woodcarving Workshop – St. John’s College (U of
Manitoba) -- beaverbaywoodcarving@shaw.ca
Jun 21-24 Davenport IA --
Int’l Woodcarvers Congress -- www.awcltd.org
Jun 28-30 Wahpeton ND -- Carving
Weekend -- Seminar -- NDSSC
Jul
Harmony MN -- Minowa Show/Sale -- Slim’s Woodshed
Jul 15-17 Waldorf
Workshop – Seminar –North Iowa Woodcarvers Guild – Waldorf College –
Forest City, IA
Jul 22-27 Doane
Experience – Crete NB Mid-America Woodcarvers -- Doane Collete
Jul 28
Blackduck MN -- Woodcarving Show/Sale – Wayside Park
Carving Classes
April 7, Intarsia by Swede Bengtson --
WoodCraft
Wood Working Events
April 11, Viking Open Carve-in –
Burnsville Senior Center
May 9, Viking Open Carve-in –
Burnsville Senior Center
Minnesota
Vikings Wood Carvers
Officers & Contributing Members
President
Dennis Schuster
952-250-0326
dasSchu@gmail.com
Vise President /
Program Chair
Neil Gillis
952-402-0203
nwgillis@comcast.net
Secretary
Swede Bengtson
952-884-4136
SwedishGeppetto@aol.com
Treasurer
Leo Mielke
952-831-6907
landdmielke@usfamily.net
Newsletter Editor
Michael Kabes
612-869-5443
michaelkabes@msn.com
Coffee Chair
Leonard Kampa
952-854-1149
lkampasr@msn.com
Show Chair
Russell Scott
651-917-2125
rscott56@netzero.com
Meeting
Minutes
February 26, 2007……by Swede
Bengtson
SPECIAL NOTE: We will continue to have
the WELCOME TABLE staffed
with current officers as you enter the meeting room. We encourage
everyone to stop at the table as they enter the meeting room, sign in
and place 25cents in the box. We will continue to purify our membership
roster with correct spelling of name, current mailing address,
telephone number and if available, email address. Annual membership
dues were due on February 1 so if you have not paid, see Treasurer, Leo
Mielke. Are you wearing your name tag? Maybe you don’t have one, better
see Treasurer, Leo Mielke. Otherwise, look forward to having a sticky
one pasted to your outer garments at every meeting. And, don’t forget
to purchase various woodcarving items of which proceeds go to the
Viking Club. We look forward to seeing you at the welcome table each
meeting!
The meeting was called to order by
Vice President, Neil Gillis.
There were 47 members present plus new members, Tom Pressler, and Vic
Schauer and visitor Marlene Brister. The Treasurer’s and Secretary’s
reports were approved and seconded as printed in the January, 2007
newsletter. As of this meeting, there are 123 paid memberships.
NEW
BUSINESS
Vice President Neil Gillis suggested
that members who require
mailed newsletters rather than e-mail pay an increased membership fee.
Response from the floor was that people who do not have computers
and/or expertise of computers should not be penalized. Subject was
dropped from discussion.
TREASURER REPORT
Balance from last Meeting: $ 3,132.44
Income: $ 771.60
Expenditures: $ 160.96
End Balance: $ 3,743.08
Monthly Program
February 26, 2007 …… by Neil Gillis
Presenter: Various
Theme: Sharpening
Presentation: The theme for
February was "tool sharpening". Following is a list of systems
demonstrated.
* Woodcraft sent a "Tormek Sharpener"
along with demonstrator Dick
Simonsen. Thanks to Timothy Roseth, the “Woodcraft Store Manager,” for
making Dick and the Tormek available to us.
* Dick Allen from the Lake Area
Woodcarvers (of Forest Lake, MN) demonstrated the “Burke Sharpening
System”.
* John Sailor from Viking Carvers
demonstrated a home made version
of the "Dampf Tool Grinder". This tool grinder was made by John
Mitchell, another Viking. Plans are available for this. Contact me if
you are interested in constructing one of these.
* Bob Pitts, also a Viking Carver,
demonstrated "Diamond Hone" sharpening.
* I got involved trying to demonstrate
some common, less expensive
techniques for sharpening knives and small tools using oil-stones,
small diamond hones, sand paper, Aluminum Oxide and sharpening compound
on a home made strop-board.
* George Effrem displayed books on
sharpening along with various articles usable in a sharpening process.
This program was kind of an
experiment. If you have any comments
(pro or con) on this program please send them to me via e-mail
(nwgillis@comcast.net)
March
26, Program event: Marquetry by Will Bondhus
Willard “Will” Bondhus is a
world-renown marquetarian, wood carver,
author, editor, teacher and original founder and first president of the
Minnesota Woodcarvers Association (MWCA). Will will share his thoughts
on carving and marquetry, as well as showing us samples of his art.
Please look forward to an enlightening and entertaining evening.
Did you know?
SUNSHINE
* George Effrem’s father (Kris) is in
Merridian Manor Care Center,
Wayzata, after being attack by hoodlums and breaking his hip. The good
news is that Kris is walking with a walker and will continue to stay at
the Center for another month.
Viking Carving Classes
Intarsia by Swede Bengtson Location:
WoodCraft Sat. April 7, 9:00 to 5:00. Cost $50.00, plus $15.00
materials fee.
Register at Viking meeting, NOT at
WoodCraft.
Burnsville Senior Center: Open
Carve-in 6:00 – 9:00PM. $2 Donation to defray facility cost.
* Wednesday April 11
* Wednesday May 9
If we have a mini-class, there will
also be a modest fee for materials and/or instructor.
Magnum
Opus
Show
& Tell items from Feb. 26, 2007
NAME
CARVING
WOOD/MATERIAL FINISH
Russ
Scott
Student of the
Month
Basswood
Acrylic/Linseed Oil
Civil War Soldier
Bust Basswood
Acrylic/Linseed Oil
Lee
Olson
Down a
Quart
Basswood
Acrylic/MinWax Oil
Bob
Pitts
Angel
Butternut
Bartley Gel Varnish
Norm
Busta
Jesus
Southern White
Pine Linseed
Oil/Wax
Jim
Kueppers
Duck
Basswood
Acrylics
Don
Groen
Clown
Basswood
Acrylic Sealer & Paint
Charles
Eiler Min.
Fish
Basswood
Wire, Acrylic Paint
Wood Putty
Jupe
Houman Mini
Mallard
Butternut
Acrylic Lacquer
Pereot Ear
Rings
Basswood
Acrylic
Duane
Heng Fish
Carving
Basswood
Wax
Vase
Spalted
Maple
Wax
Erik
Meade
Hunter &
Dog
Basswood
Pecan MinWax
Tom
Coleman
Angel
Pine
Acrylic Sealer
Leo
Mielke Bust
Basswood
Water Base Varnish
Marv Kaiserstat
Swede Bengtson
Intarsia,
Girl
Misc.
Wood
Wipe-on Gel Varnish
Special Interest
1. Club Classes
We have made arrangements with
Woodcraft to hold our first class
(Intarsia by Swede) on Saturday April 7. The maximum class size
is six
(6) and Vikings have three (3) guaranteed seats at special
pricing. If
the three public seats are NOT filled by the Monday before class, we’ll
be able to fill them from our standby list.
Rules:
* Special Viking Member Price:
$50.00, plus $15 materials fee (This is about half of the public class)
* Viking members sign-up at the
Welcome Table. Payment is due at the February meeting.
* We have three (3) guaranteed seats,
which we must fill. The class is guaranteed to be held.
* DO NOT sign-up at Woodcraft unless
you want to pay their public class price. We’ll handle your
registration there.
* 10% discount (except power tools)
for student purchases in-store during class day.
* Additional classes can be quickly
scheduled for additional members, if necessary.
* Contact Swede or Denny if you have
any questions.
2. Carve-In/Classes at
Burnsville Sr. Center:
We have two evenings reserved,
Wednesday April 11, and Wednesday
May 9, 6:00-9:00 PM. Our intention is to hold these as open
carve-ins
and/or offer a small mini-class for those who might be
interested. To
defray cost of the facility, members will be asked to donate $2 for the
open carve-in and $5 plus materials for participating in a specific
mini class. There will be no business meeting at these sessions.
Special Interest (Cont.)
Carve-Fest
2007
August 11 & 12
Alexander Park / Ice Arena
Faribault, MN
* $15 mini-workshops
* Hourly Demos
* Carving Displays
* Vendors
Registration & Information
Email: marn@marniewhillock.com
Info: www.marniewhillock.com
New Members / Guests
Thomas Pressler– New member
Vic Schauer– New member
Marlene Brister - Guest