March 2025 Meeting

Stones River Woodworkers Club Monthly Meeting Minutes – March 25, 2025 Attendance: 49, (including the guest speakers) Guest Speakers: Glen Collins, Ethan Leavitte Subjects: Knife Making and Building Caskets 1. Meeting called to order by club President, Sam Clark, at 6:32 pm. 2. Sam mentioned that everyone should pick up their name-tag from Robert Woolfolk. a. Anyone who does not have a name-tag should see Club Treasurer, Larry Counts, to have one made prior to the next meeting. 3. We had two visitors at the February meeting: a. Mike Fondren b. Todd O’Neil 1. Mary has experienced issues when trying to use the membership discount at Klingspor. a. Sam recommended that you should call in your order and speak to a sales representative, in order to take advantage of The Club discount. 2. Sam officially went through the 2nd reading of the proposed change to The Club constitution as required by our bylaws. a. The 1st reading was completed during our February, 2025 meeting. b. The new text of ARTICLE 9 shall read: i. The President and Treasurer will have signature authorization to issue disbursements. The Treasurer will maintain possession of the Club’s checkbook, deposit slips, bank statements, and any other bank related material. Expenditure on budgeted expenses requires only the approval of the Treasurer. Any request for payment on expenses outside budgeted expenses will require approval of a majority vote of the Executive Committee. In no case shall any expenditure result in an overdraft of the Club’s Bank account. Following officer elections, the newly elected President and Treasurer along with the current President and Treasurer will meet with bank officials prior to the January Club meeting to arrange new signature authorization. c. Sam asked if there was to be any discussion of the change, prior to The Club taking a vote. i. No one offered any discussion of the change. d. The measure was approved and passed by a voice vote. 3. Sam passed around a Club roster and asked members to check that their data is complete and accurate. a. This is required in order to be on The Club mailing list, and to receive Newsletters, and other Club information. b. Some membership sign-up options, such as Paypal, do not collect or forward all of the data required. 4. Jeanne Altstatt Spoke about scroll-saw classes that The Club is offering and that she will be teaching. a. There will be 3 classes offered for Beginners, Intermediate, and Advanced members. b. The classes will be scheduled for late April and Early May, and will be at Jeannie’s shop. c. Jeanne sent around a signup sheet for folks to add their names to, if they are interested in taking the classes. d. Jeannie also has a friend who is selling some power tools and sent a list of those items for sale around the room. 4. Larry Counts mentioned a friend who also is trying to sell some woodworking tools. a. This person is Helen Gipson and her phone number is 615-394-3937. b. The list of items for sale will be listed in the newsletter that Lou Ferraro will publish. 5. Show and Tell: a. Myra Orton b. Max Lastfogel c. Alex Marshall d. Sam Clark e. Marve Miller f. Mary Nichols 6. Vice President Jason Moore scheduled 2 separate speakers for the evening. a. Glen Collins i. Glen is a knife maker from Athens, GA, who forges his own blades and then makes handles for them, mostly from exotic woods or from more common woods with exotic grain patterns. b. Ethan Leavitte i. Ethan, originally from Washington State, was previously a missionary in Ukraine, but got into woodworking after a life-changing auto accident. He made a personal goal to start building caskets and a friend asked him to build 2 for him and his wife. Ethan has completed the first one and brought it for discussion. 7. Sam adjourned the meeting at 7:55 pm.

February 2025 Meeting

 Stones River Woodworkers Club

Monthly Meeting Minutes – February 25, 2025

Attendance: 39, (including the guest speaker)

Guest Speaker: Chris Barton

Subject: Virtual Shop Tour, Various Planes and Other Tools

1. Meeting called to order by club President, Sam Clark, at 6:25 pm.

2. Sam mentioned that everyone should pick up their name-tag from Robert Woolfolk.

a. Anyone who does not have a name-tag should see Club Treasurer, Larry Counts, to have one made prior to the next meeting.

3. We had two visitors at the February meeting:

a. Cindy Keith

b. Myra Orton

4. Pass-around sign-up sheets that were distributed at the last meeting for Club class offerings, only made it to half the room.

a. Sam sent those around again, with a separate sheet for each side of the room.

b. Sam asked for anyone available to teach a class to please make their availability known.

c. One of the requests from the February meeting was for CNC training.

i. Sam noted that there are non-club resources available:

1. Nashville CNC Users Group

a. Meets the 1st Wednesday of every month at the Woodcraft store in Franklin.

2. CNC Facebook Page

a. Facebook.com/Groups/Nashvillecncusers

5. Sam introduced new club member, Myra Orton.

a. Myra is teaching a couple of Box and Inlay classes at the Appalachian Center for Crafts in Cookeville, Tennessee

i. The fees for the classes do not include Room and Board.

6. Dues for 2025 are due now and need to be paid.

a. Only paid members are covered by our insurance provider and are a requirement for taking or teaching a class on behalf of the Club.

b. Paid members receive a discount from Rockler and from Klingspor.

i. Sam has to submit a list of members to those retailers, and will do so after this meeting.

1. Members not paid up, will not receive the discounts.

7. The Club recently moved our financial accounts From Regions Bank to Wilson Bank and Trust.

a. WB&T reviewed our Club Constitution and recommended some changes in order to be in line with modern banking regulations.

i. As a result, the proposed new language of ARTICLE 9 shall read:

1. The President and Treasurer will have signature authorization to issue disbursements. The Treasurer will maintain possession of the Club’s checkbook, deposit slips, bank statements, and any other bank related material. Expenditure on budgeted expenses requires only the approval of the Treasurer. Any request for payment on expenses outside budgeted expenses will require approval of a majority vote of the Executive Committee. In no case shall any expenditure result in an overdraft of the Club’s Bank account. Following officer elections, the newly elected President and Treasurer along with

the current President and Treasurer will meet with bank officials prior to the January Club meeting to arrange new signature authorization.

ii. The change to Article 9 was approved at the last Executive Committee meeting and must be read at the February and March regular Club meetings.

1. The measure will be open to discussion and a vote to approve the change will be taken at the March meeting.

8. Show and Tell:

a. Robert Woolfolk - Texas-sized cutting board

b. Larry James - Stylized, carved crow

c. Jeannie Alstatt - Live edge table/bench

d. Myra Orton - Inlaid boxes

e. Max Lastfogel - Chalice, Plate, Hollow-form Bowl

f. Jason Moore - Turned boxes

g. Sam Clark - Hollow-form vase, Lathe chuck stand

9. Vice President Jason Moore introduced our speaker, Chris Barton

a. Chris is a retired doctor from Granville, Tennessee.

i. Chris’s presentation consisted of a virtual tour of his shop, along with various projects.

1. Tables, chests, workbenches, pencil boxes, etc.

2. Chris shared his preference for various brands and styles of tools, including planes, chisels and backsaws.

10. Meeting adjourned at 8:50 pm.

January 2025 meeting

Meeting Minutes from the Secretary Gregg Peay:

Stones River Woodworkers Club

Monthly Meeting Minutes – January 28, 2025

Attendance: 43, (including the guest speaker)

Guest Speaker: Gabriel McKeagney

Subject: His career as an accomplished artist and craftsman

·         Meeting called to order at 6:33 PM by club president, Sam Clark

·         Welcome to everyone, Pledge of Allegiance

·         Recognition of visitors:

o   Steve Hickok

o   DJ Rosebaugh

o   Anthony Watts

o   Jamie McGill

·         Treasurer Larry Counts reports that there are several new members present, including some of the visitors.

·         Dues for 2025 are due and payable to Club Treasurer, Larry Counts, via check, cash or Paypal.

o   Paid members are eligible for a discount at Rockler and Klingspor

o   Dues are still only $25 per year, and cover the member and his immediate family.

·         Sam passed around a sign-up sheet and asked members to create a wish list of classes that they would like to see offered outside of our normal meeting schedule.

·         A second sign-up sheet was passed around to list requests for monthly meeting topics.

·         The club has had SRWC business cards printed.  The box was passed around and each member was encouraged to take a few and hand them out to fellow woodworkers that they meet or know, and encourage them to join us at our next meeting.

·         Mike Warren leads the Boy Scout Troop at St Marks Methodist Church.  

o   They are selling BBQ as a fundraiser for Super Bowl parties.  The Super Bowl is on Sunday, February 9^th.  

o   The BBQ includes Ribs, Butts, Pulled Pork, and Smoked Hams.  

o   It can be picked up on the Saturday before the game at 9:30 am, at the church.

o    Order forms are available.

·         There are free catalogues on the table in front.

·         Sam brought a case of Delta Machinery hats and distributed them free to any member that wanted one.

·         Sam asked for all Show and Tell to come forward and present their creations.

·         After Show and Tell, Sam asked our VP, Jason Moore, to introduce the speaker for the meeting, Gabriel McKeagney.

·         Presentation notes:

o   Gabriel currently lives in Robertson County, but is originally from Northern Ireland.

o   He grew up in a craftsman family, originally building carriages.

o   Gabriel began helping in the family business since he was 4 years old.

o   He spent 3 years in London reproducing architectural doors and windows

o   He spent 6 months in New York then moved back to Ireland where he designed modern kitchens and furniture for three years.

o   He then moved to California and spent the next 30 years there doing architectural design, reproductions, and period furniture.

o   Gabriel moved to Tennessee three years ago because he fell in love with the countryside, and it’s similarity to his home in Ireland.

o   He has won numerous awards and has been recognized in several periodicals as a distinguished artist and craftsman.

o   He won the national award for best piece of furniture designed and built in 2006.

o   After moving to Tennessee, Gabriel fell in love with the rustic beauty of tobacco barns and has been designing many of his creations around the oak lumber and burned surface of that material.

o   Gabriel’s message to woodworkers is to search for and find the artistic creativity that lives in each of us individually, and to let that drive our work with passion and originality.

o   Gerald concluded his presentation with a question and answer session.

·         The meeting concluded at 7:45 PM.

Lou Ferraro - Newsletter Editor

“Woodworking is a dance between creativity and precision, where the woodworker becomes the conductor.” – unknown