Message from the President:
We have a few events coming up which members are encouraged to get involved with: The CNC chapter is conducting a “Teach-the-Teachers” CNC Training event February 24, 2023, in conjunction with the Society of Wood Manufacturing and Cerritos College. We will be teaching high school, middle school, and possibly college woodworking teachers about CNC machines and machining. The Inland Woodworker’s Association will be manning a booth to encourage new member sign-ups and inform the public about what we do.
Skills USA State Competition is April 15th; if you would like to volunteer, judges, safety observers, and other assistance is still needed. Please read below for more details. Also, if any member would like to host a club meeting in their shop, please let me know. It’s not too early to get started on toy making. We made 3,551 Toys for charity last year, the largest amount ever. With your help we want to top that number this year.
Our club is filled with so many talented and creative woodworkers and I look forward to seeing you at all our club events. See you at the next meeting.
The February 2023 meeting of the Inland Woodworkers was held on February 14th (Valentine’s Day), at Sundowner’s restaurant in Fontana. Mike Trejo called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm. There were 18 members in attendance.
The first order of business was the treasurer’s report, and was presented by Phyllis Minert, who recapped the account balance. There were no outstanding debts or requests for payment.
The next order of business was to select a name for the club. Last month, the group identified five possible club names. Mike Trejo reminded everyone that the club already had a website and banners in the name of Inland Woodworkers; changing this name would require the purchase of new banners and a new web URL.
Mike conducted the vote and the name Inland Woodworkers was selected unanimously.
It was noted that some of the existing logos show the name “Inland Woodworkers Association”. Everyone agreed to keep the items for now; over time, those banners and plaques will be updated to remove the word “association”. The old name is now officially retired:
Next on the agenda was a discussion about the Toy Drive Committee. Mike Sullivan volunteered to chair the event. The committee will include Ray Gonzales, Ernie Gonzalez, Mike Trejo, and Kenneth Thomas. Other volunteers will be needed to make toys, arrange for distribution, and work with the local charities. Last year, more than 3500 toys were distributed. Kenneth noted that the club currently has some lumber and parts in stock (car lights, wheels, barrels, etc.,). He will send out a list of items in inventory.
Michael Miller shared his observations judging the interview portion of the Skills USA regional cabinet making event. The interviews were conducted on Saturday, February 11. The event coordinator was Adria Salvatore, who is an associate director for AWFS. The interviews were conducted by Saul Martin, whose enthusiasm and inspiration made the event rewarding for each of the 28 student participants. The students were allocated 3 minutes to discuss their experiences in building the project (a 2-door mini cabinet) and show off the outcome of their labor.
Show & Tell
Ray Van Zant showed off his toy truck:
Tom Householder brought in reindeer and a scroll saw silhouette cut from a basswood oval:
Mike Sullivan brought in some new projects consisting of a cutting board on one side and a serving tray on the other:
The group discussed food grade finishes and recommended a mixture of mineral oil and filtered beeswax. The bees wax can be heated using a crock pot (check your local Goodwill store).
Ernie Gonzalez brought in a Valentine’s Day scroll saw project:
Upcoming Events
The Old Tool Swap Meet will be held at Anderson Plywood in Culver City on February 18th. 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 event will be held on May 20th.
The Corona Vintage Tool Show will be held on March 11 at the Corona Heritage Park and Museum in Corona. Additional information can be found at https://www.coronaheritage.org/toolshow.html. As with the Old Tool Swap Meet, buyers should plan on arriving at 6:00 am to find the best bargains. Anyone interested in supporting an Inland Woodworkers booth, contact Mike Trejo to coordinate.
The Skills USA Regional Cabinet Making competition will be held at Chaffey High School in April. They are looking for volunteers to judge the competition and to proctor the event (with emphasis on safety enforcement). Students will be building projects on Saturday, April 15th. Contact Mike Trejo for additional information.
CNC Teach the Teachers Training Event – this will be held on Friday, February 24th at Cerritos College. Inland Woodworkers will be teaching CNC classes to local teachers so that they can better instruct students on using CNC equipment. The Basic Training class will be taught by Chris Thomas and Mike Trejo; they will be making a sign. The Advanced Training class will be taught by Kenneth Thomas, TJ, and Jordan; they will be making a mallet. This is an all-day event; volunteers should arrive by 8:00 am. Remember to bring your safety glasses. More information about the Cerritos College cabinetmaking, furniture making, and CNC woodworking classes can be found at https://www.cerritos.edu/woodworking/default.htm.
Day of the Child will be held on April 12 at 3924 Riverview Dr., in Jurupa Valley. Volunteers are asked to arrive at 11:30 am. The event will start at 1:00 pm. Contact Mike Trejo for details. He is looking for volunteers to assist with the Inland Woodworkers booth.
This year’s Club Fund Raiser will be held on Mother’s Day 2023 (May 14). Volunteers are asked to make special crafts (for example, cutting boards, trivets, trinkets, scroll saw silhouettes, etc.) that can be sold to generate money for the Inland Woodworkers. Mark the date – more details forthcoming.
The Oak Glen Retreat Farmer’s Market 2023 season will begin on the weekend of March 4/5th. 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. Members can rent a booth and sell their wood crafts there. Each member must submit a registration application separately at HTTPS://form.jotform.com/230116576952155. A 10 X 10 booths will cost $50 for 1 day or $80 for Sat/Sun. The Farmer’s Market is located at 38955 Oak Glen Rd., Yucaipa, CA. More information is available on the form.
AWFS – the bi-annual woodworking show will be held this year in Las Vegas July 24-28. Additional details can be found at https://www.awfsfair.org/.
Next Month
Next month’s meeting will be held on
Tuesday, March 14, 2023.
Dinner at 5pm, meeting at 6pm.
Location: Sundowner’s Family Restaurant, 8983 Sierra Ave, Fontana, CA, 92335