Message from the President
“We owe this freedom of choice and action to those men and women in uniform who have served this nation and its interests in time of need. In particular, we are forever indebted to those who have given their lives that we might be free.” Ronald Reagan – Memorial Day 1983
The Memorial Day holiday is for honoring and mourning those brave souls, our friends and family that sacrificed all in service to our nation. Let’s celebrate them with remembrance, being thankful that there are people like them serving today. I’d also like to thank all our members who served, continue to serve, for their service. Now and forever, we remember.
Treasurer’s Report
Club treasurer Phyllis Minert presented the treasurer’s report. There were no outstanding debts or requests for payment.
Club president Mike Trejo brought the May 2023 meeting of the Inland Woodworkers (held on the 9th) to order at 6:00 pm. There were 19 in attendance, including new member Aaron Romero. Aaron comes with experience in cabinetmaking and other projects for his home.
Fontana Foundation of Hope (https://www.fontanahope.org/) a.k.a. the Jack Long Foundation update: we received a check for $2500 along with an eight-page contract. IW needs to show accountability for the use of these funds and must submit a midterm and final report in order to qualify for next year. The Foundation’s fiscal year is April to April. The money must be spent on wheels and axles, as specified in our initial request. Next year’s application should be more general (wheels, axles, and miscellaneous items necessary for building and assembling wooden toys). A recommended was made to request $5K for next year, as the price of parts has increased significantly.
Inventory – Mike T proposed a $1500 lot purchase of wheels and axles, and a $500 purchase toward the end of the year. Club members then discussed the various options for wheel purchases. Kenneth T noted that the larger wheels cost $1 each when purchased in quantities of 100 or more. Kenneth also noted that he still has approximately 400 of the treaded tires in inventory, which can be used for this year’s toys. Some of the members put in their requests, and asked that the club purchase an additional 100 for this year and 500 per year in subsequent years.
Alan Van Zandt made a motion to buy $1500 in wheels and axles; Kenneth T seconded the motion. A vote was held, the results to confirm the motion were unanimous.
Day of the Child – Mike T recognized club members Rick Reimer, Michael Miller, and Ernie Gonzalez for supporting this event. See the event write-up on Inland Woodworkers website at https://inlandwoodworkers.org/day-of-the-child-2023/.
Canopy: a request was raised to purchase a canopy for the club. Mike T noted that canopies are not always available to club members during an event (such as Day of the Child) and suggested the club purchase one. A discussion of different options was held. A plain canopy is about $150 (10 x 10), but these are very light weight. A custom canopy, with the club logo, is approximately $700. Chuck P suggested we buy a quality pop-up, as he has seen many of the lesser quality canopies destroyed by wind. He also recommended against buying a canopy with a center section, as that adds significant weight to the design. Ken T noted that IW currently has a 2-piece sign that clamps to an easy-up. Backdrops in cloth, with club logo, is another option.
Chuck suggested we consider the EZ Up store in Norco (https://www.ezup.com), since they are local and sell replacement parts. Mike T agreed to visit them and view their products. Additional discussion pursued. Kenneth T made a motion to spend up to $400 on a 10 x 10 pop-up canopy for the club. RJ Monsima seconded the motion. A vote was held, the results to confirm the motion were unanimous.
501(c)3 update – Mike T contacted lawyers who advertise free assistance. Unfortunately, they only work on cases in Los Angeles County, and only assist individuals in financial duress. Chuck P has a neighbor in Lake Arrowhead who is a lawyer and might be able to assist. Chuck will follow-up and report back next month. Applying for this tax status requires filing fees and might require legal fees. A proposal was made to spend up to $500 on this. Further discussion ensued, noting that costs in California have gone up in recent years. John Hogancamp made a motion to establish a budget, not to exceed $1K, to be used on filing fees and legal fees to establish 501(c)3 tax status for the club. Rick DuVall seconded the motion. A vote was held, the results to confirm the motion were unanimous.
SkillsUSA – Mike T recognized eight club members who supported the state woodworking competition in April (read more about this on the IW website at: https://inlandwoodworkers.org/skillsusa-2023-state-competition/ ). The students provided their comments on the event and expressed their gratitude for the club members providing assistance and expertise in making the event a very positive experience. RJ shared his thoughts on the competition, noting that the winner was well deserving, citing her knowledge of the table saw and miter fence. John H also shared his experience, noting the discipline of the students, especially with respect to the school bells! And how each student placed their tool boxes under the workstation to avoid interfering with other students.
The State Championship will be in Ontario for the next 3 years, so plan your calendar accordingly. In addition to supporting the competitors, IW is looking to host a booth at next year’s event to engage parents and teachers. The goal is to have them sand and assemble toys for the annual toy drive. Mike T will provide the dates for next year’s event at an upcoming meeting.
Checking account – the club requires a vote to add and remove members as bank signatories. The bank allows for a maximum of 3 signatories. Any one individual can sign a check; the bank no longer mandates 2 signatures on the check. The current signers are Kenneth, Phyllis, and Tom, who agreed to be removed from the checking account. Mike Sullivan made a motion to remove Tom and add Mike T as a bank signatory. Kenneth T seconded the motion. A vote was held, the results to confirm the motion were unanimous.
Show & Tell
Rick DuVall is working on a shot glass case, which will hold 16 shot glasses. The shelves are made of plexiglass, and will be covered with felt. The shelf grooves were cut using a router.
John Hogancamp finished a napkin holder that has been under construction for a few years. This was a Wood Magazine plan. It is made from beech and red canary wood. Chuck P noted that this design is popular for sales at craft fairs, but requires a lot of time hand sanding. John uses an artist’s paint brush and small pudding cups to assist with the glue-up.
Chuck Petrovich made some C-clips to hold the table cloths on his craft fair tables.
Chuck also used intarsia to create a peregrine falcon. This project took 96 hours to complete and uses multiple types of wood.
RJ Monsima made a wedding present. He laser cut the map of Michigan and chiseled a heart over the location where the recipients live. He used 3 planks of cedar wood. The letters were cut with a router.
RJ also shared his design for mustache and beard combs. These are cut with a scroll saw. They are made from maple, walnut, and sandal wood, and are finished with a blend of mineral oil, vanilla, and lilac. The mineral oil protects the wood, and the vanilla and lilac offer a very nice scent. He makes other combs in different sizes.
Upcoming Events
This year’s Club Fund Raiser was held on Mother’s Day 2023 (May 14) at the Blue Jay craft fair. Rick Reimer volunteered to man the booth. Results will be reported at the June meeting.
The Old Tool Swap Meet will be held at Anderson Plywood in Culver City on May 20th. Buyers should plan on arriving at 6:00 am to find the best bargains. More details can be found at: https://www.andersonplywood.com/old-tool-swap-meet/. The next swap meet will be on August 19.
The next Festool Road Show event will be held on Wednesday, 5/24/2023 from 10:00a – 2:00pm, at Austin Hardwoods & Hardware, 610 N Santiago St, Santa Ana, CA 92701. Find details here: https://www.festoolusa.com/company/festool-experience#West
The Oak Glen Retreat Farmer’s Market 2023 season began in March. This is a craft fair held on Saturday and Sunday at the Farmers Market. It will continue every 1st and 3rd weekend throughout the spring and summer. IW club members can rent a booth and sell their wood crafts. Each person must submit a registration application at https://form.jotform.com/230116576952155. A 10 X 10 booth will cost $50 for 1 day or $80 for the weekend. The Farmer’s Market is located at 38955 Oak Glen Rd., Yucaipa, CA. More information is available on the form.
AWFS Fair – the bi-annual woodworking show will be held this year in Las Vegas July 25-28 at the Los Vegas Convention Center West Hall. Additional details can be found at https://www.awfsfair.org/. AWFS is offering a code for IW members to receive admittance to the show. Volunteers to man the Society of Wood Manufacturing (SWM) booth are still needed.
Miscellaneous
Tom Householder fell and broke his right femur and left ulna. He is not in pain, and should be back in about 6 weeks. The cause – he went to step and found the cat was in the way. Fair warning to the cat.
Kenneth T is making name badges for club members. If you want a name badge, send him an email or text with the name that you want printed on your badge.
