# Turning club advice



## DKMD (Jun 13, 2015)

A few of us started a turning club about a year ago, and it's grown to about 25-30 members. As luck would have it, I'm about to serve a one year turn as the club president, and I'm looking for suggestions any of you might have to prevent my tenure from being the worst year in club history. 

We've registered with AAW and purchased insurance. We've done a couple public demos at local events to drum up interest. We've purchased a couple midi lathes and tool sets to allow for travel and demos.

I'm looking for suggestions about demos or features of your meetings that have been particularly popular. I'll be taking your suggestions to our club and passing them off as my own ideas...

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## SENC (Jun 13, 2015)

DKMD said:


> I'm looking for suggestions any of you might have to prevent my tenure from being the worst year in club history.


Resign.

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## Sprung (Jun 13, 2015)

DKMD said:


> As luck would have it, I'm about to serve a one year turn as the club president, and I'm looking for suggestions any of you might have to prevent my tenure from being the worst year in club history.



You do know that if you make it a great year for them, they're most likely going to reelect or reappoint you when the year is up, right?

Reactions: Agree 3


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## DKMD (Jun 13, 2015)

SENC said:


> Resign.


I knew I could count on the Woodbarter family for sage advice. 

I consider myself fortunate that I can count you all as Internet friends(as opposed to actual friends who live nearby )

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## SENC (Jun 13, 2015)

DKMD said:


> I knew I could count on the Woodbarter family for sage advice.
> 
> I consider myself fortunate that I can count you all as Internet friends(as opposed to actual friends who live nearby )


Yep. If I lived nearby you'd have to invite me into the club. I'd have all kinds of sage advice for you then!

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## TimR (Jun 13, 2015)

Depending on programs already in place at local middle and high schools, giving them some intro into woodworking and turning is a good thing. It will give positive PR, attract new members and position you when you're ready to start applying for grants.


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## TimR (Jun 13, 2015)

What I like about our clubs:
Workshops on some topic either by local WT or "pro", about 2-3 x per year
Raffles for wood and other donated stuff like tools you don't need, can drum up cash
Turner of Month can be a fun way to end a raffle with all tics going to a piece by one of the members
Stuff we don't do but are just starting at one club, an open shop night for folks to just get together and help each other
I'll think of more, or someone else will

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## NYWoodturner (Jun 13, 2015)

Not a member of a club, but I promised a guy in NY I would help start a chapter here. I can only be Tim's antithesis and share what I don't like about the club and why I have never gone to a meeting.

Meetings are not held at a central location, they are held at or close to the presidents residence.

More concerned about titles - VP, Tresurers, secretaries, alternates, seconds etc... than turning

All communications are group emails. For general info I can see the value in that.But for back and forth banter over who is going to inventory the current library of videos and which should be bought next that net me 10 to 12 emails a day piss me off.

There is just more discussion about this type of stuff than turning technique, tips, trips, helping new turners etc...

There have been a few pros do demos but then its all about the photo ops...

Not a rant and I hate sounding so negative, but I just don't think thats what its about. So I guess my suggestion would be to have a plan / vision with a destination and get on that path and stay on it.

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## ripjack13 (Jun 13, 2015)

I don't like paying upfront to join. Let me check it out first....not at an open house when it's not convenient for me and everyone is on their best behavior, and theres a ton of looky lou's ....Lemme show up when you have stuff to do and lemme see how you work together.
If I like what I see then I will have no problem shellin out the greenbacks...

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## JR Custom Calls (Jun 13, 2015)

We have a club here. @Gixxerjoe04 goes, I don't. He sends me pics of ginormous wood stashes, tells me of the porches (the kind you drive, not sit in a rocking chair on... And notice the plural), etc. I ain't got time for jealousy, and that's all that would be going on if i went.

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## barry richardson (Jun 13, 2015)

Best advise I can give you is, if at all possible, make sure your secretary/treasurer is on the ball, they do most of the grunt work, you job is mostly to kiss babies and dream up "strategic visions" ..... and avoid sex scandals........... and don't take bribes larger than you can explain away to the IRS....... There,.........I think I covered about everything....

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## Schroedc (Jun 13, 2015)

For demos, do stuff everyone can do without buying ten grand worth of stuff. I went to a meeting early on in my turning career and everyone was all gaga over these huge hollow forms the guy was doing but with the level of skill and my equipment at the time all it did was make me feel really inferior and I never went back to that group.

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## Graybeard (Jun 14, 2015)

Keep the meeting length reasonable. Beware of the yappers, they'll dominate. Structure the meetings to keep it moving.

Have two areas for members to bring their work, one for critique and one for show and tell. Make sure the person doing the critique know what they're talking about. Don't critique work unless it's asked for.

As soon as possible have video equipment so people can sit in chairs to see demos.

It's hard to find demos that everyone likes - ask the members what they'd like to see and go set it up as best you can. Tap into other clubs for demos, trade demos if possible.

Don't have the same person do all the demos - avoid the "what would you like me to show you next". I am the best yada yada. Some people are real sleepers, pull them out. Some of our best demos have been from people that were reluctant to do it.

Again, we're a democracy - run the club as such. I've left clubs because one or two people dominate. I mean when you have a member that labels his work as "Master Turner" I'm out the door. We're all learning and all on a wide continuum of ability and understanding.

My nickle ninety eight.

Graybeard

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## Kevin (Jun 14, 2015)

The best thing a President can do is stock tons of FBE. It always impresses everyone when the president is clearly connected within the industry and can procure such coveted wood. :knocking:

I have never been to a turning or woodworking club and probably never would have because I'm just not the "joiner" type. But some of these posts just reinforced why I wouldn't go to one. I never thought about the politics invoolved in it and the types of personalities there but it makes sense. I don't fit into that type of atmosphere at all because I am not tactful at all when someone is trying to dominate a meeting etc. I would be 'voted off the island' right out of the chute.

Best of luck though David if anyone can tame the wolves I figure it's you.

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## DKMD (Jun 14, 2015)

Kevin said:


> The best thing a President can do is stock tons of FBE. It always impresses everyone when the president is clearly connected within the industry and can procure such coveted wood. :kocking:
> 
> I have never been to a turning or woodworking club and probably never would have because I'm just not the "joiner" type. But some of these posts just reinforced why I wouldn't go to one. I never thought about the politics invoolved in it and the types of personalities there but it makes sense. I don't fit into that type of atmosphere at all because I am not tactful at all when someone is trying to dominate a meeting etc. I would be 'voted off the island' right out of the chute.
> 
> Best of luck though David if anyone can tame the wolves I figure it's you.



It's not so bad... I'm not the joining type either, but so far, this club is a pretty painless bunch. They say there's an asshat in every group, and I figure it must be me since the others seem pretty reasonable.

So far, the meetings have mostly been one of several of us doing a project demo or teaching some kind of technique. I actually liked it better before we joined the AAW, but I suppose it was inevitable. I appreciate the diversity of folks who are there after spending all day with a bunch of docs and hospital admins.

I'm all about the turning, so if it morphs into something else, I'll make myself scarce... Based on the responses, it seems like that's a decent possibility.

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## woodintyuuu (Jun 14, 2015)

Kevin said:


> The best thing a President can do is stock tons of FBE. It always impresses everyone when the president is clearly connected within the industry and can procure such coveted wood. :kocking:
> 
> I have never been to a turning or woodworking club and probably never would have because I'm just not the "joiner" type. But some of these posts just reinforced why I wouldn't go to one. I never thought about the politics invoolved in it and the types of personalities there but it makes sense. I don't fit into that type of atmosphere at all because I am not tactful at all when someone is trying to dominate a meeting etc. I would be 'voted off the island' right out of the chute.
> 
> Best of luck though David if anyone can tame the wolves I figure it's you.


@DKMD I should be real careful here: The cub scout mentality pervades the woodturning infastructure of the AAW from most clubs up to and espcially the national organization, complete with cubmasters and super cubmasters. I agree with kevin. joiner I am not,especially when The cubmasters opinions and ways of doing things is the only way. I still do demos at clubs around the country,
and at symposia , But i shut down with the first sniff of A>>holeism. A bit on critique "everybodys got one" A personal story Myself and a famous woman turner with initials AW who has collaberated with every person possible to expose here career more were the featured turners at the GAW symposium in St Helens GA, we seriously disagreed about a finish treatment. It was glossy, her contention was the only correct finish was oil and satin or less. I will let you guess my position. The poor aussie turner had to be the referee. My only thoughts are the work should be done well. Who am i to say
gloss or not, or the form is not right. we all can see and know the difference. I will always encourage someone to experiment and learn, challenge to think about design, not to dictate design, If the world always saw the way i do we would all be lost like me. Hope you turn out not to enjoy being a cubscout but an innovative leader good luck cl

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## NYWoodturner (Jun 14, 2015)

Ah-F'ing-men  "I will always encourage someone to experiment and learn" - Man thats what its all about Cliff. Thats how we learn and grow.

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## Gixxerjoe04 (Jun 14, 2015)

I've been a member of ours like a year now. Our meetings are once a month, different demo each meeting done by someone in the group. They've done hollowing technique, turning off center, using dyes and paints on turnings, basically any random thing involved with turning. Our meetings are held at Woodcraft, but 3 months during the summer people host it at their homes/shops and we have a cookout with is fun. People usually bring wood to give away they don't want. To raise money they get wood that is cut down at a local arboretum, turn it into stuff that is then auctioned off by the arboretum and they split the proceeds.

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## Treecycle Hardwoods (Jun 14, 2015)

I am just seeing this and it is bed time for the little ones so I am more posting now just to remind myself to come back and share my .o2. I am a current board member for a club in the Milwaukee area and would be happy to share some of the things we do. I'll be back later tonight or tomorrow with some info for ya.

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## Graybeard (Jun 15, 2015)

Turning clubs are no different than any other club with the people issues. Guess I was trying to say if you keep the focus on the purpose like Joseph reported it'll be great. I've gotten tremendous help from the mentor system and willingness of members to share. Actually almost any member is willing to have people come to their shop and learn.
Graybeard

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## duncsuss (Jun 15, 2015)

Things about our club meetings that I particularly like:

(1) Show-and-tell/ask. I enjoy seeing pieces made by the more experienced members, and hearing them talk a little about how they overcame challenges or adapted a technique they saw someplace. I also use the opportunity to take in some of my not-quite-successes and ask for recommendations on how to avoid (e.g.) blowing up the bowl when all I wanted to do was take out a little from the rim.

(2) Wood swap. Any members who have lumps of wood "surplus" bring them along; anyone who'd like to leave with a piece of wood writes their name on a dollar bill and hands it to the club president, who draws the bills out of a box/hat and folks choose a piece in the order their names are drawn. The money goes into the club funds.

(3) Safety stuff. Most meetings, one or another member will mention a safety related issue -- whether it's an incident they heard about online, a special deal on face masks or respirators, or whatever. I like getting reminders that it can be a dangerous sport.

(4) Theoretical demonstrations. I feel I learn as much from a discussion of (e.g.) what causes a catch, how to avoid, etc., as seeing chips fly. It requires the presenter to know their stuff and be able to illustrate it with slides/handouts and maybe even oversized demonstration gear. Oh, and jigs they use to help achieve certain goals.

(5) Supplies. We have a member (I'd say elected, but it's more like didn't say "hell no!!!" fast enough) who bulk orders a couple different types of CA glue, activator, and Anchorseal. It's much cheaper than any other source I know of.

I used to not enjoy certain aspects of it -- but rather than quit, I thought about how much I have gained from club meetings and members and decided I could learn to tolerate the occasional jerk. I feel if I learn one new thing about turning at each meeting, it's been worthwhile.

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## kweinert (Jun 15, 2015)

I'm no longer attending the local club - a case of being overly familiar with how the sausage was being made and some of the folks involved in making it. Might return after a year off, we'll see.

However, stuff that we did:

Every month a turning challenge, usually related to the demo of the previous month. Divided into Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, members voted on favorites in each category, winner received a $15 gift card to Rockler/Woodcraft.

A library. Some donated stuff, but usually stuff purchased from the budget and videos of the demos.

Wood Raffle. Some/most was wood brought in by club members, but we also dealt with local sources (a couple of local hardwood places, etc). $1/ticket, your number gets called, you get to go grab a piece. It wasn't always wood

Show and Tell. We had to put up signs for Touch/Don't Touch. We had some well known members and they preferred that their stuff that would sell for high dollar not get casually handled.

Critique. That was on a voluntary basis - if you wanted a critique you noted that.

Demonstrators. A mix of local people and some well known folks. I *think* some of that was due to our members and their contacts, but it should be possible to check on well known turners and if they're going to be in the neighborhood you might be able to schedule them in. I will note that you'll need to collect dues and have some cash on hand for reimbursing folks like this.

Outreach. We did local shows (Wood show, etc - not talking about craft show types of things here), Youth Mentor, Ladies of the Lathe (some of the females were intimidated by the usual instruction and wanted a more one-on-one experience. Or one-on-five-or-size)

Bulk sales. Every quarter an order would go in to a couple of companies that gave group discounts on stuff like sandpaper, super glue, etc.

At the beginning of the meeting the president would always ask for new members/visitors to introduce themselves, get welcomed.

You can take a look at http://FrontRangeWoodturners.org for more info on how the club is set up, the latest newsletter, etc.

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## duncsuss (Jun 15, 2015)

kweinert said:


> Outreach. We did local shows (Wood show, etc - not talking about craft show types of things here), Youth Mentor, Ladies of the Lathe (some of the females were intimidated by the usual instruction and wanted a more one-on-one experience. Or one-on-five-or-size)



Thanks Ken -- I'd forgotten to include Outreach.

Our club has a regular gig at the Topsfield Fair, and used to do the Marshfield Fair too but that's been intermittent the last couple of years. The fairground has given us a shed with an extended roof, we put members' turnings on shelves inside the shed and a couple of mini-lathes out front (behind large polycarbonate shields). We take turns on the lathes, talking with people who stop to watch, make spinning tops for the kids, etc. Usually get a couple of new members each year this way.

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## The PenSmith (Jun 18, 2015)

Get a VP and assign him/her the job of finding monthly demonstrators ! After that the presidents jobs is the easiest job in a club. Find someone to create a club website, our club uses GoDaddy, with images from each demo/meeting. Create a email list of the members but do it on a host server such as gmail. I used my own email account and over time my local cable provider flagged my email as spam and blocked me from sending emails. Send out emails to each member about what the upcoming meeting's demo will be. If you want to grow the club put a ad in the local newspaper about the club and meeting night.

BTW-If you don't have a shield between the audience and the lathe you will really need to have one for insurance purposes.

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## Horatio (Jun 24, 2015)

I would say that its important to stay focused on what is important, namely, the craft, and not parliamentary procedure and committee reports. That said, delegate and empower other members. All of us are smarter than one of us. Be aware, however, the reverse is true, all of us are dumber than one of us. I don't know, though, some folks really enjoy that stuff - where belonging is a big deal but I can't say as I would prefer that.

Lots of actual turning - don't make it that wood turning is what you're meeting about because its what you do in your shop then get together and talk about it for the club.

If you had enough participation, it might be fun to have the membership pitch in and create some turnings to auction off for charity. Good pub will attract members and create opportunities. 

And perhaps reach out to other clubs of similar inclinations. You might not think it but the little old ladies from the local church sewing circle might have some insight about group dynamics among craftsmen/women that could be helpful, for example.

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