Capital City Carvers

Club Library

The club has accummulated a number of woodcarving books, videotapes on woodcarving and sharpening techniques, and instructional videos on making particular carvings such as walking sticks, ducks, birds, and chip carving. We also have catalogs from suppliers, back issues of carving magazines, and files of resource materials. All of this is available for club members to use and to check out for a month. These items have been purchased, beginning with our founding in 1994, using club dues.

These items are located in the storage cabinent on the right. Just sign the materials out when you borrow them and sign them back in when you return them. If you need assistance, ask one of the officers.

Something New for Those Who
Want to Do Woodburning

Several members have mentioned they would like to do woodburning on Monday nights, and others have said they want to learn. So, starting Monday, April 17th, a table will be set up in a an area of the room just for people wanting to do woodburning. Barbara will bring a heavy duty, multiple outlet extension cord. You can bring your woodburner, a lamp if you think you need one, your pattern, transfer paper, color pens, and wood. You will be able to work with each other and with the assistance of club members with woodburning experience.

Some members have taken classes with Orchid Davis and Cheryl Dow and have learned some more advanced techniques for burning and finishing. They will be glad to get newcomers started. If you want to purchase a woodburner and pens, we will help you identify sources where they can be ordered.

This is a trial effort. The woodburning table will be maintained as long as there is interest. It's a nice alternative to carving if your have a sore elbow or shoulder or just want to kick back for a while. And it's fun!

Show and Tell

The first meeting of each month is a short business meeting followed by Show & Tell and door prizes. Everyone is expected and encouraged to enter their new carvings in Show & Tell. The only rules are that the carvings must have been completed in the last two years, never shown before, and must be finished. You fill out a slip of paper each month you display a new carving, and we hold a drawing in December. The first name drawn receives a check for $50 to purchase woodcarving equipment, the next person drawn gets $25, and the third person $15. Try to finish a new carving each month and you may win a prize come December and can buy the item you didn't get as a gift.

Florida Woodcarving Roundup

Captial City Carvers heartedly supported the Second Annual Suwannee River Woodcarvers Roundup in Florida. One-third, or 13, of the club members were there at least one day of the Roundup, and took advantage of the wide range of instruction and types of carving available.

We had a tent with two tables and a hanging display crowded with carvings by club members. Our club friendship staff was prominently featured on its new stand built by Bob Whitworth and Bob Hatch. Craig Kittendorf's book of pictures of show & tell carvings, club workshops, and members' award winning carvings from several shows was well-thumbed by visitors to the display. We had handouts inviting other carvers to join us when they were in Tallahassee and even information on what else there is to do here. A picture of the judges inside our display tent has even appeared on a blog of one of the attendees. Go to http://iJud.blogspot.com to see the picture and read what Jud has to say about the Roundup (go to the third entry in the blog.) We will have our own pictures at the first May meeting.

The judges awarded three individual woodcarving ribbons and a ribbon for the best display. One of our members, Tonya Toole, won the third place ribbon for an intricate and delicate chip carving. The first and second place ribbons were awarded to relief carvings by members of the Nature Coast Carving Club, which also won the best club display ribbon.

A Carvin' Jack contest sponsored by the Flexcut Tool Company was one feature of the Roundup. Contestants were given a 2 X 2 X 6 piece of basswood, a Carvin' Jack, and 2.5 hours to complete a carving using nothing but the tool. One of our members, Aubrey Graves, won the contest and was awarded a new Carvin' Jack tool (worth $125!)

Our congratulations go to Tonya and Aubrey. Look for a number of new carvings at upcoming show & tell nights as a result of classes taken by our members. And plan to attend the Roundup next year-- March 28 to April 1, 2007.

Club Display at Senior Center

Tana has arranged for our club to have the display cabinents in the Senior Center for the month of May. We usually do this once or twice a year so the public has a chance to view our work. Each member is asked to provide one or two carvings for the month. Each will be display with information identifying the carver, the name of the piece, the wood, and whether or not the carving is for sale. Bring your display carvings to the April 24th club meeting. Be sure they are signed. Tana will be looking for volunteers to help set up and take down the display. All carvings will be returned the Monday after they are removed from the cabinents. Stop by the Senior Center and look at our display during May.