November Newsletter

 Stones River Woodworkers Club Members,

Don’t forget that our meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday, 25 November 2025. We will meet at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in our usual room; 1267 N. Rutherford Blvd. Murfreesboro, TN.  The doors open at 6 PM. From 6 to 6:30 is a good time for checking out the Show & Tell projects and asking questions from our Show & Tell members about their woodworking project.  There will be place cards available on the Show & Tell table for members with projects to display to Print their Name and a few words to describe their project. This will help to provide better information for everyone when the Show & Tell pictures are sent out.

The meeting’s briefing will start at 6:30 PM.

The November Meeting Presenter

This month we are going to be able to get a course on all you want to know about woodworking dust collection from our SRWC President Sam Clark. His knowledge and experience in woodworking sales and as an experienced woodworker will make this a briefing you will want to take notes about.

From our Treasurer – Larry Counts

I want to thank all members that have renewed their membership during the October meeting.  It was a nice effort and greatly appreciated.  We want to encourage all remaining members to renew their yearly $25 membership dues at the November meeting. This will help to provide the SRWC Executive Committee with the information they need to produce budgets and make plans for the upcoming year.

Again, thank you so much for your commitment to the SRWC.

From Mike Warren: SMOKED THANKSGIVING TURKEY

Boy Scout Troop 398 is smoking turkeys again for Thanksgiving to help fund our sailing high adventure trip to Seabase in the Florida Keys this coming summer.

We will take orders for boneless cherry wood smoked turkey breasts or whole turkeys to be picked up (still warm out of the smoker) Wednesday, Nov. 26 (or Tuesday for woodworkers) in time for Thanksgiving Day on Thursday, Nov. 27. 

For your Thanksgiving celebration: Our boneless turkey breasts are actually three breast filets (it often called the “filet mignon” of poultry). We sell half or whole boneless breasts. There will be no sliced pounds, sides or sauce offered. Our smoked turkey will keep well if frozen for 6 months or more, so order extra.  

You can place your order by emailing Scoutmaster Mike Warren at mike11345@aol.com

All orders need to be turned in by Thursday, November 20.

Options:

a.     A boneless (half) breast (averages 3-4 pounds and yields ten 4-ounce servings) sells for $45.00.

b.    A whole breast or 2 half breasts (averages 5-6 pounds and yields twenty 4-ounce servings) sells for $85.00.

c.     A whole turkey (legs & all) averages 7-9 lbs. after smoking and sells for $50.00.

Orders will be ready for pick-up at the Eagle’s Nest behind St. Mark’s UMC after the club meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 25 or from 4 to 7 PM on Wednesday, November 26.

Pay when you pick up your order. Cash or check to “BSA Troop 398”.

____________________________________________________

See you next Tuesday.

Lou Ferraro, Newsletter Editor

"I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual." – Henry David Thoreau

Webpage change

 Due to accounting issues we have removed Paypal payment option from the webpage.  Membership dues for 2026 may be paid by cash or check at the next meeting or mailed to Larry Counts at 3115 Field Rd, Murfreesboro, TN 37130. 2026 dues must be paid by Feb.28, 2026 to be included in club discount programs.

August Meeting

 

Stones River Woodworkers Club

Monthly Meeting Minutes – August 26, 2025

Attendance: 40, (including the speaker)

Speaker: Matthew Vick

Subject: Chair Making

 

1.    President Sam Clark called the meeting to order at 6:36 and led the members in the Pledge of Allegiance.

2.    Visitors:  Bob Miller – Enjoys wood carving

3.    Nashville Fair:

a.    We have a booth for the upcoming fair starting on September 5^th and continuing through September 14^th.

b.    Mike and Ginger Fondren are in attendance and available to answer any questions about the fair and the process for volunteers.

c.     A signup sheet for volunteers was passed around.

d.    You get a parking pass and free admission to the fair for volunteering.

e.    Tables and chairs are available in our booth.

f.      Robert Woolfolk and Sam Clark will be there to set up on Friday night.

g.    Jeanne Altstatt will set up and do scroll-saw demonstrations.

4.    Classes:

a.    Volunteers are needed to teach classes and share our knowledge and skills.

b.    Teach others how to create a project that you have previously completed.

c.     It can be something from a past Show-and-Tell, or something that you have personally gained skills and knowledge in.

d.    The club will assist in any way possible.

 

5.    Show-and-Tell:

a.    Alex Marshall               Shaving Brush with sentimental value for the veteran recipient.

b.    Gregg Peay                   Segmented Bowl from the class taught by Gene Casto.

c.     Glenn Littlepage          Wooden Jars.

d.    Ken Hodges                  Domino set made from Costa Rican Ironwood.

e.    Marvin Miller              Fluted irrigation handle

f.      Mike Hargrove            Komiko Japanese art and scroll saw, dinosaur skeleton/puzzle also made on the scroll saw.

g.     Terri Goodrich             Bowl turned by Doug Pelren that was made from Mulberry tree in her yard

h.    Max Lastfogel              Segmented bowl, also from Gene’s class

i.       Barry Maier                 Scroll saw figures, a miniature porch swing, Cell phone stands all made on his scroll saw

j.       John Bell                       Turned Salt and Pepper mills, scroll saw ornaments

k.     Bob Miller                    (Visitor) Wood carving of a tree that he is working on

l.       Sam Clark                     Maple tissue box holder with walnut splines

6.    Gregg Peay talked about an email scam that has been plaguing the club over the past few weeks.

a.    Apparently someone found our newsletter or meeting minutes online and sent emails to all of the club officers other than the president, Sam Clark, and the treasurer, Larry Counts.

b.    The email appeared to be from Sam Clark, and it asked each of us individually if we could use a personal Venmo or Paypal account to pay an outstanding invoice for about $1,000.00.  The email stated that the club did not have those types of accounts, and if we would pay the bill, Larry would write us a check to compensate us for the expenditure.

c.     Mary soon discovered that it was a phishing scam and warned the rest of us before any damage was done.

d.    I, (Gregg Peay), have personally received 3 more similar emails, all showing that they are from “Sam Clark”, and each with a different email address, (that is not Sam’s actual email address), and with a different domain name.

e.    Be aware that the Club will never ask anyone to pay any bills in this manner or over email.

7.    Jason Moore introduced our guest speaker for the evening: Matthew Vick who spoke to us about his journey in learning chair-making and building and creating custom chairs and famous reproductions of chair-makers.

a.    Matthew learned wood-turning in high school and fell in love with the art and creativity that it brought out in him.

b.    Matthew is fond of recreating stylish chairs from the 1940’s through the 1960’s, often originally produced by renowned artists and craftsmen.

c.     Matthew stressed two essential rules that he always follows:

                                                             i.      Joinery first, always.  A strong, beautiful joint is essential.

                                                          ii.      Short Grain will get you Keep all joints at least 2 inches from the end of the member in order to keep the joint from failing.

d.    Wedged tenons provide the strongest joints.

8. The next regular meeting will be on September 24^th.

9.    The informal monthly breakfast meeting at Hardees on Old Fort Parkway will be next Tuesday, September 2^nd, at 9:00 am.

10.  Meeting was adjourned at 8:20 pm.