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MAY/JUNE 2021
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President's Chatter
It is with a great deal of sadness that we farewell one of our original members. John Johnson who passed away on 20th May and was interred in the Tewantin cemetery. Charlie Cobb reflects on Johnno’s contribution to the club.
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Our AGM is less than 2 weeks away – on Sat. 12th June. As usual, all positions on the Management Committee have been declared vacant and nominations have been called. Please consider as there will positions to be filled with current roleholders not returning. Secretary Jim has penned some scribblings on this matter. Worthwhile reading!
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The 2021 Show Committee has had its initial meeting and will meet monthly until September when the action heats up.
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Within the next fortnight, the reorganization of the Kilns workspaces will occur. This will make the workflow a little more efficient when we take on the next Noosa Open Studios deckchair project.
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As for the internal club refurbishment, plans have been put on standby as we receive advice from our landlord as well as waiting for a grant application period to open.
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Check out Mike Mitchell’s Laughter activity coming soon!
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The June school holiday parking at the Noosa Heads Lions Park will be the next focus for fundraising. We get underway on Saturday, 26th June through until the 11th July.
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To all those who have completed Easter parking shifts, your timber vouchers are available from the Clubhouse DO – my sincere thanks for your generosity.
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We had a very social morning recently with a visit from the Sunshine Butterflies “Chippies”. They visited our mill, checked out the Lucas Mills and had a very sociable smoko and ‘billy tea’. But, it didn’t finish there, we then went on and had a tour – led by Howard – of our Kilns and clubhouse. Many thanks to Jim, Leesa and the 2 Johns. We look forward to a visit to their own “Chippies Corner” where their next major project is a wooden wheelbarrow.
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Please keep in mind the health and wellbeing of some of our members and their families.
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Be kind to one another and smile!
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Who's Who...
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- President - Steve Chapman
- Vice President - Lew Macleod
- Secretary - Jim Stevenson
- Treasurer - Alan Richard-Preston
- Membership Officer - Jeff Fraser
- Health & Safety Officer - Lew Macleod
- Workshop Supervisor - Howard Croft
- Milling Supervisor - Andrew Barnsley
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What's Inside
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- CCDO, WDO, Hrs, New members
- Notices
- Maker’s Forum
- Date reminders
- Activity Calendar
- AGM
- Workshop Report
- Treasurer Report
- Milling Report
- Show Report
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Clubhouse Duty Officer Roster
Monday -
John Sturtz / Charlie Cobb
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Wednesday -
Billi Jan Campbell / Maureen Bowden
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Thursday -
Damon Gore / Steve Chapman
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Workshop Duty Office Roster
Monday -
Jeff Fraser (0458 331 286)
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Tuesday -
Lew MacLeod (0409 000 210)
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Wednesday -
Howard Croft (0429 872 833)
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Thursday -
Ron Otte (0414 225 897)
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Friday -
Alan Bartley (07 5442 6491)
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Saturday -
Alan Warner (07 5447 7761)
(0407 132 892)
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Workshop Hours
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The workshop kilns hours are Monday to Saturday 9am to 12 noon.
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Remember to book your place prior with the Daily workshop duty officer.
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New Members
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Dan Trask
Ann Dulley
Joanna Dalton
Steve & Kath McCaul
Mike King
Bill Armstrong Guy
Chris Ward
Paul Nijhof
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NOTICE:
The John that I knew after I joined the Cooroora Woodworkers Club. He became a very good friend as well as a loyal and dedicated member of our club. His thoughts and ideas were very sincere.
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John was a foundation member (Number 6) of our club having joined on 4th December, 1988. The work that John did for the club was nothing short of outstanding – he held numerous positions in office from 1988 to 2007. He was the foundation Treasurer from ;’88 to ’95;. He was continually in office from ’97 until 2007- filling the roles of Treasurer, Secretary and Vice President. The club honoured John with Life Membership in 1996.
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John was also responsible for being one of the main members to gain possession of our current clubhouse from the Council in 1988/89.
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John was always involved in the yearly Wood and Craft Show. He entered the Intra Club competition in General Woodwork section and won some prizes for his work.
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When the club was involved with the students from Noosa District State High School teaching them woodwork one day a week – John was always there to help one on one with the students.
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He was always ready to help new members and give advice about the club to them.
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John’s love of the club and advice he offered will be sorely missed by our members.
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Our sincere condolences to his wife Margaret and members of his family.
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Dear John, God bless you and may you Rest in Peace.
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Makers’ Forum Update
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After the unbridled success of our initial Makers Forum in March, No 2 was held on Sat., 8th May. We had 22 members present at the May Forum with 10 Makers presenting. These have all been posted to our club’s Facebook page. This gives the club and its members more widespread exposure both locally and further afield.
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The Stick of Wood Challenge - as noted in the previous club newsletter – was instigated.
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Those who are interested in participating will be given a stick of wood from the same species and have 2 months to create a masterpiece. There are some basic rules and the finished pieces will adjucated using simple criteria.
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This month the species of wood was Blue Quandong – as pictured.
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There are a couple of sticks left. Currently, 4 brave souls have taken up the Challenge!
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SoW Challenge 2 will be held on the 10th July!
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DATE REMINDERS
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Going On Outside the Club:
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Maryborough Woodturners and Woodcraftsmen Guild Inc will hold their annual Wood & Craft Expo on Saturday 31st July from 9am to 2 pm, at the Maryborough Showgrounds off the Bruce Highway north of Maryborough Qld. Len Mengel will be demonstrating, David Drescher and his bus full of woodworking tools will be in attendance, along with timber sales and local crafts. Contact President Trevor 0487 714 160
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Secretary’s sagacious scribblings
AGM and the election of the 2021-22 Management Committee
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AGM
The Club’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) is on Saturday, 12 June 2021 at the Clubhouse in Lower Mill Road, Cooroy following the Club’s June General Meeting. If you don’t want to come to the GM but you want to attend the AGM, aim to be at the Clubhouse at 10am.
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Election of 2021-22 Committee
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As already pointed out in an email to members, all Management Committee positions are declared vacant at the AGM and elections held to select next year’s Committee.
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Positions to be filled are:
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Several current Committee members are not standing so there are vacancies.
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Please consider stepping forward to fill a position on the Committee. NO qualifications or experience are required. New members, long serving members, novice woodworkers, experienced woodworkers, young, old (errr make that mature), short or tall, left handers, red heads, with hair, without hair – it does not matter. Sorry, I think I may have misled you. There is one characteristic you MUST have – a pulse. As far as I can ascertain that means EVERYONE in the Club is qualified to be on the Committee.
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If you have not been nominated or have not nominated yourself before the commencement of the AGM and there are no nominations for a position, then nominations will be sought ‘from the floor’.
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I am resisting trotting out the old cliques and adages about ‘many hands….’ and ‘without a committee there can be no club’. You know the situation. It happens in every voluntary organisation at every AGM. The Club MUST have a committee.
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If you are unsure of the job descriptions for committee positions, then contact me. I can send you a document that describes all positions. If you want to get a feel for the commitment, talk to any member of the current Committee. Yes, there is a time commitment, but it is manageable, if all committee positions are filled.
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Please consider putting your hand up.
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Non-Committee positions that keep the Club running
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There are several jobs that people do on an on-going basis to help run the Club. Some of these positions need filling for 2021-22. These positions are (in no particular order):
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· Newsletter editor (vacant)
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· Eumundi Markets Parking Coordinator
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· Club fashion advisor (vacant)
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These are non-Committee positions so you can organise your own time commitments to meet your obligation. No nomination/election process involved. You are appointed by the Management Committee. Interested?? Speak to Steve Chapman or myself.
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WORKSHOP REPORT
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The workshop has been busy with club members working on projects, 101 courses running at night, new fittings and racks, new emergency stop buttons fitted to many machines and of course as always new machines.
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The night 101 course has highlighted not only how pleasant the kilns are in the cool of the evening, but the many shadows provided by the kiln lighting. The drill press is in a dark corner but use of the magnetic lights from the lathes have overcame the shadows. Ann, Kerry and Judy with their first finished projects. More 101 courses details soon with the new Education Officer position to be enacted after the AGM.
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The new wood rack behind the slab master is for short term (30 day) storage for larger items. Check to see if any timber is yours as the rack will be cleared of any un-named timber in early June. Only 4 people have named timber in the rack.
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The emergency stops are now fitted to all machines as per the Gregory’s machinery audit recommedatiions. The stand alone emergency stop is cancelled by rotating the black collar at the back of the switch, not the red switch itself (attemting to turn the red switch will break the switch) and the combination on/off and emergency stop buttons are cancelled by rotating the red switch. Next time in the kilns take a minute to note the difference or ask the Workshop Duty Officer for a demonstration.
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Do you have timber that needs to be taken from work-station to work-station? Stored under the slab master is a handy cart. Please observe the 5 km/hr speed limit at all times, to prevent roll-over hazards
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When in the workshop, take a moment to see how you can make our club a better workspace by emptying the 20 liter bins into the wheelie bins, use one of the vacuum cleaners including the new industrial Spitwater vacuum to clean up a dusty area. The concept of paying forward, not just cleaning your area but an area that could do with some extra attention would be beneficial to all of us by reducing the wood dust in the kilns. If you see a 20 liter bin that is full, or you fill it yourself, take a minute to walk it over to the wheelie bin and empty it. Recently the recycling bin has been used for timber and wood shavings. The recycling bin is not for any wood products, only approved recyclables. When bins are incorrectly used another club member’s time is required to empty the recycling bin into the green bin and clean the recycling bin.
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The dust extraction system is only designed for wood dust and airborne shavings, it should not be used as a vacuum cleaner. All waste passes the extraction fan, larger items are damaging the fans blades and rags and longer items are wrapping around the fan unit causing vibration and bearing damage which may pose a serious fire hazard. If the dust extraction system is unable to be operated, the kilns will need to be closed until serviceable. Thank you, Lew as Workshop Duty Officer for being diligent and reporting the vibration via the communication book. Inspection revealed 2 rags wrapped around the fan unit. The inspection port is at the top of dust extraction unit and requires a long ladder and 2 people to complete any work. Thank you to Richard R and Alan B for their assistance, an exceedingly difficult job without extra hands.
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All this work because a club member was too lazy to pick up the rag and place it in the bin.
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Please take extra care when packing up. The club bought 4 new quick release Dewalt cramps for use with the Gifkins dovetailing machines and general club use. Only one of the four cramps is still in the clubhouse, if you find one in your tool bag the club would appreciate them back
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Waste timber in the recycling bin
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All lathes now have magnetic lights (thank you Richard R for helping put them together as some assembly was required) and are available for use. The new vacuum cleaner and lathe lights ready to unpack and for club members use.
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The best is last, the pantorouter is here. The pantorouter has been test driven by John E and he is extremely impressed with the machine’s capabilities. Super tight mortice and tenons and he has not started on the box making capabilities. Due to the advanced skill required to operate the pantorouter, a pantorouter operators’ course will be developed and offered to club members. Until then, sorry but paws off until the course has been developed and you are accredited. That’s right PAWS OFF.
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And that is where some of our parking money is being spent. Thank you to all our hard-working club volunteers, think you can help the club be even better, have a chat with our President or Secretary.
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PERSONAL SAFETY RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE WORKPLACE
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THE DANGERS OF WOOD DUST EXPOSURE
Wood dust is now considered a Group 1 carcinogen, ie; a substance known to cause cancer in humans. Wood dust is made up of a conglomeration of different substances derived from hardwood or softwood trees.
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The build-up of dust in the lungs can cause lung inflammation and eventually scar tissue (fibrosis). This could lead to breathing impairment. These conditions usually develop slowly over many years and symptoms may not appear until severe, irreversible changes have taken place.
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The importance of particle size in dust exposure
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Dust (created or released by woodworking processes or activities) is made up of particles that range in size from relatively large to very small. Large particles fall to the ground quickly and are generally too large to be breathed in.
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Smaller dust particles can stay airborne for a significant amount of time and can be classified into two groups:
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- Inhalable dust (smaller than 100 micrometres (µm)) - visible dust which can affect your upper respiratory system (the nose, mouth, throat or upper respiratory tract).
- Respirable dust (smaller than 10 µm) - these dust particles are so small that they are invisible under normal lighting conditions. Their extremely small size also means they can be breathed deep into your lungs and lead to lung damage and are present in the air long after the process has ceased.
Reported health effects associated with exposure to dust from wood products include:
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- Skin disorders such as allergic dermatitis – certain timbers which are known to produce adverse health effects and sensitisation and include; Black Bean, Merbau, Maranti, Red Cedar, Silky Oak, Spotted Gum, Cypress Pin and Camphor Laurel.
- Asthma and impaired lung function
- Nose irritation, rhinitis (runny nose), violent sneezing, blocked nose and nose bleeds
- Throat irritation, and sore and watering eyes
- Nasal Carcinoma. A rare type of nasal cancer has also been reported in people who have worked with hard woods in very dusty wood-working environments with little or no dust control in place.
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Basic Preventative Safety Measures
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Simple changes to work practices can minimise the level of wood dust in the workplace, for example:
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- Control dust at the source. Ensure the use of vacuum and direct dust extraction during the cutting or grinding processes or during clean up.
- Regularly cleaning or emptying of dust collection equipment, do not leave it for the next user of the machine, and use PPE when doing so.
- Using methods for cleaning up such as damping down before sweeping,
- Always use Australian Standard dust masks, respirators and eye protection when cutting into or grinding wood products.
- DO NOT use compressed air or blowers to clear work benches or the to blow dust off wood products except for inaccessible areas of workshop that cannot be accessed by a vacuum.
- DO NOT use compressed air to remove dust from skin or clothing, use a vacuum.
- Wash your face and hands after work and before eating.
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Member CPR Training – Sat., 22 May, 2021
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Seven club members recently completed a two and a half hour comprehensive CPR / Defibrillation course at our Clubhouse. The nationally accredited course was sponsored by the club for the members and training was implemented by Adrian better known as AJ from the National First Aid Training Institute.
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AJ presented an informative and skilled presentation coupled with excellent hands on training.
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This course and the First Aid / CPR Course completed by Duty Officers, Supervisors and members last year, adds to the growing number of nationally certified and skilled First Aiders available to respond to any emergency situation.
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First Aid and CPR refresher training is vital for First Aiders to keep up with current trends and treatments and will be an ongoing focus within the club.
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TREASURER REPORT
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The Club’s financial year ended on 31 March 2021 and our end of year results are in.
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Our revenue for the year was $78,516.03. After the deduction of expenses we were left with a nett profit of $41,336.58.
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Major sources of income for the club for the year included timber sales of $30,010.40 and a total of $25,538.24 from Noosa Lions Park parking duty.
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As at 30 April our trading account had a balance of $11,002.87, our savings account had a balance of $52,087.73 and together with $300.00 petty cash our cash at hand was $63,390.60.
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All indications are that the Noosa Lions Park parking duty will continue into the future and together with timber sales and our other regular sources of income, our finances should to remain in a strong position.
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MILLING REPORT
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- Both mills have been operating over the last month with fair numbers of club members on site.
- A large log which has finally been identified as brushbox has been slabbed and placed in the middle storage area. This is fine looking timber with good sized slabs and should make attractive finished items when cured.
- The swing mill has been busy milling blue gum for Rollie and Des Lennox to be used to construct a porch on their property. The milling team see this gesture as fair exchange for their generosity in us continuing to use the location as a milling site.
- The logs for St. Andrews Anglican school at Peregian Springs should all be milled by next Wednesday (one only remains to be milled). Two sections have been slabbed and two have been cut into sawn timber. Kristen, the school photographer visited the mill on May 19 to take a photographic record of the milling process.
- Last Wednesday saw a successful and much appreciated visit by the “chippies” from Sunshine Butterflies who were able to see both mills in operation, followed by billy tea and cake before heading to the kilns with Steve Chapman to continue their outing.
- Logs collected this month included a bloodwood from Doonan and the Brushbox from Eumundi. Hardwood, hoop pine and white cedar will be collected in the next week.
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Please note I will be away touring north Queensland during June, any milling enquires can be directed to Ian Robertson.
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Smoko time – lining up for their mug of ‘Billy Tea”
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Kirsten from St Andrews observing sawn timber from their tree
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Valued mill staff inspecting their handiwork, slabs from the school tree.
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Club secretary expounding on procedural matters
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Sunshine Butterflies “Chippies” out at the mill.
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CWC Solar Kiln
We will soon be building a prototype solar kiln for the club. The purpose of this kiln is to speed up the drying time for freshly milled timber. At present the wood we cut at Ringtail is air-dried and as a rule of thumb it takes 12 months per 25mm of thickness to dry before the wood can be used (to about 12% moisture, which is about the lowest for air drying). For interior furniture making, the wood needs to be about 8% or lower. A kiln is needed to get to this level.
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The advantage compared to air drying, solar drying is quicker (4 to 6 weeks compared to at least a year), destroys most fungus and pests, the wood is stronger, easier to glue, machines better, finishes better and will shrink and re-swell in its final application.
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To get some ideas from nearby woodworking communities; a group of us took the trip up the Blackall Range. Firstly, we visited David Linton’s setup. David runs Furniture and Timberworks in the Maleny CBD but his main workshop and storage area is situated at Ressville just to the west of Maleny. He exports large amounts of timber mainly for guitar and musical instrument building.
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We then headed back through Maleny, along the range to the Blackall Range Woodcrafters Guild in Montville. We were made to feel very welcome and were given a tour of their facilities. Yes, they too have a solar kiln – in a container. Totally different to David Linton’s kiln.
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Show Report
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The 2021 Show committee has been formed and conducted its initial monthly meeting.
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The ShowCom comprises of Bec Jackson, Aileen McPhee, Alan Richard Preston, Richard Roe, Jim Pound , Scott Douglas(new member) and myself. We will meet initially monthly and ramp it up as the show gets closer.
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New Date: 5th & 6th November, 2021 at the Cooroy Memorial Hall – Cooroora Woodcraft Show 2021
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As we get closer to showtime – I look forward to being inundated with members requests – How can I help? Please spread the word and start your own prep by setting yourself a project to enter into our Intra Club Comp.
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Many more details to follow!!
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