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

February 2025 notes

Stones River Woodworkers Club Members,

This is a reminder that our meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, 25 February 2025. 

We will meet at St. Marks United Methodist Church in our usual room; 1267 N. Rutherford Blvd. Murfreesboro, TN.  The doors open at 6 PM. 

If you are bringing a woodworking item to Show & Tell, be sure to fill out a 3”X5” card with your name, item description, and email address. 

From 6 to 6:30 PM is set aside for members to check out the Show & Tell projects and ask questions of our members' Show & Tell projects. 

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

From the President Sam Clark:

Good day fellow Woodies,

At our January meeting I passed around two wish lists for classes and meeting presentations, and I was informed the lists did not make it to the other side of the room.  At the February meeting we will resend the lists.  Requests on the January lists included help setting up and running CNC equipment.  This may be of interest to our CNC members.  There is a FREE CNC users group meeting at the Franklin Woodcraft the 1^st Wednesday of each month.  The next CNC meeting is March 5^th at 6pm – 8pm.  You can also keep up with the Nashville CNC User’s Group at facebook.com/groups/nashvillecncusers

Currently, approximately 60% of our members have paid their 2025 dues.  If you are unsure about your dues status, please check with Club Treasurer Larry Counts at the meeting.  I will be submitting our current membership list to Rockler and Klingspour for our 10% discount after our next meeting.  

I hope to see you at our Feb 25^th meeting.  Until then continue making sawdust!

Sam Clark, President SRWC

From the Vice President Jason Moore:

Dr. Chris Barton is our presenter at this meeting. He is a retired medical researcher with 30+ years in pharmaceutical development. His future in woodworking started 58 years ago by making a bird feeder. He will be sharing a tour of his shop and some examples of past work. He will be discussing hybrid woodworking (hand and power tools combined) as well as tips and tricks learned over decades of learning the hard way.

Pictures of some of Dr. Barton’s woodwork and projects are attached below.