Jeff Miller, author of Foundations of Better Woodworking, will be teaching at the Port Townsend School of Woodworking the week of August 24th, and has accepted our invitation to do a special session for NCWA. It will be at the Anacortes Yacht Club on Saturday, August 22, at 10 am. Jeff plans to discuss how he built a curvy table (featured in the Dec 2011 issue of Popular Woodworking) and also do demonstrations of techniques featured in his Foundations book. After the presentation, Jeff will be available to autograph any of his books that you may own. To help cover Jeff’s speaking fee, there will be a $10 charge for admission to this presentation, but well worth it! PLEASE RSVP TO JERRY COUCHMAN if you plan to attend. sofa01@hotmail.com or (360)255-1984. To learn more about Jeff, see his web site: http://www.furnituremaking.com

Bring your best work using contrasting woods to our July 7th meeting at the Hillcrest Lodge. This meeting will focus on member projects that use contrasting woods to enhance the piece. It could be a nice box or anything you have built that you would like to bring that demonstrates contrast. Contrast is a design element that can be subtle or bold. Remember, this is not a competition, just a fun bring and brag session with a theme. Take Garrett Hack’s advice: “Using different woods, grain and color to add contrast is a great way to make your furniture stand out from the crowd. The trick is to do it effectively, understanding what type of contrast to use and where to use it. Overdo it and the effect will be garish; do it right, and you will take your work to another level.”

Do you use hand tools in your shop? Do you wish you had more skill at using hand tools? Our June presentation might help you decide if you want to combine hand tool work with your machines. Many successful woodworkers have found that using hand tools along with power can actually save time and increase the quality of their work. Sharp, well-tuned hand tools are a joy to use and you don’t need ear protection! You might be surprised how easy it is to develop the skills to make good use of these tools. Jerry Couchman will discuss planes and show some operations that many power tools can’t do. Andrew Peller will focus on card scrappers for smoothing surfaces without all that dusty sanding and also give an overview on using scratch stocks for cutting interesting profiles and inlay grooves. David Shull will be our hand saw expert for the night. After each discussion and demonstration there will be an opportunity for members to try their hand at using the tools.

This is our fifth year at the Cascade Mall, and we still have room for more exhibits. Help show our local community what we’re all about by participating! People love to see handmade woodworking and this great venue has provided us an excellent opportunity to show your work and to sell items to the public if you wish. If you need help bringing any items to the show, let us know. You can also bring items to the June 2nd membership meeting. This year, we will do our set up on Saturday morning at 8 am. Show times coincide with the Mall’s Father Day hours: 10-6 Saturday and 11-6 Sunday. Even if you decide not to show an item, come to the Mall to see the show. If you can spare a few hours, help us staff our exhibit and we’ll let you wear an official NCWA shop apron! Contact Jerry Couchman for more information: (360)255-1984 or sofa01@hotmail.com.