Beginning a carving club

[squbrigg]

On Wednesday evening we held our first carving club/group meeting. I had run adds in the local paper for a week and wrote it up in my column in the paper as well, and had posted flyers in all the usual community bulletin boards, stores, malls, etc.

We had 15 folks show up and three more called before hand to ask for information as they had other commitments. A very enthuistic bunch; a couple have carved a little, a couple a lot and the rest not at all, but want to learn. We have made plans for our next meeting, and made some basic decisions on frequency, locations, etc.

Luckly I had some book catalogues and flyers from Fox Chapel, and a handfull of tool catalogues from K.V. Woodcarving Supply in the Southern part of the province (they sent them up when they heard we were forming a group). Also had a bunch of books and magazines left over from the display I had last summer, along with my own catalogues, so we had lots to show them.

I'd brought in one of Rick's beginners kits, just for the meeting and recommended them to the beginners, and now poor Rick has to stay up late and sharpen 10 more sets, they were so impressed with the kits! (Maybe I'm just a good salesman!!! ) They are a good deal and Rick does a super job of the sharpening and contain everything a beginner needs to get started, except the wood and we have plenty of that here.

The little bride even came along and enjoyed the evening, and we hauled a few home to pour coffee and tea into them. In short, we had a ball!!! Ice Cream

Next meeting is on Monday and we talk/do sharpening.

Bob

[Thomp]

Bob, its great you got it all togather, im glad for you,,,,

I will be at the next meeting if i can figure out how to wiggle my nose and blink in from southern us. La, gulf/swamp region.. HAW!

I may be doing something the same thinking of the micheals class posted in this column, branch fourm?
but lots to think of for a possible 4 hour total 2 class instructional basic course, not quite the same as getting a club togather with all the bylaws and tax free exemptions but you may not have to deal with those silly laws. as we do here in the us.


Good luck, have you decided on a name or a web address or anything that far in advance.....

thomas

[squbrigg]

Haven't decieded anything yet......except to meet again on Monday night, it seems more convienient to some, a majority. We talked about the set up, formal club, with rules, secretary, president, treasurer, minutes and such. Time will tell which direction we go, I'll let the group deciede once we get established.

Still looking for a home for it. Have temporary place(s) to have meetings, week to week, but none where we can make dust, as there will be power carving, and even though we (I) havea portable dust collector, that's only good for one station. We just need to do some homework to locate a place we can call home for the group.

Bob

[Thomp]

funny you mention dust collectors,
i seen one of the box fans with a furnace filter in action the other day,
if the filter is as big as the fan box they seam to be something worth looking into.

my uncle's club he belongs to carve in a church's party room/kitchen they have been there for years free of charge, i know they do volenteer some work,
they are non profit, anf it was a full time job for someone to achieve that status, they have insurance and all the extras, and hold at least one meeting per month, bandsaw blanks are for sale, and some items like gloves, thumbguards, and veltrap.
they set up a coffee pot, punch and one of the members, or a family member sells baked goods donated by a members wife, one or the other, all funds are put into the kitty, for books and prizes for contests. they have been established for manyyears and i think there is about 75 members

sounds like a great place to join up but the drive to colorado from louisiana would be murder every month....