New AAW journal

[hockenbery]

Our American Woodturner arrived today filled with great articles.
Several on Tops. These vividly express a concept common to most objects we make on the lathe.
A person who has never turned can succeed in making a top. And then there are tops that sold for $10,000 and more in the EOG auction
I marvel at how this small simple object connects woodturners.

Tops are our choice for first kids project in classes.
We always have a mini competition seeing which kid's top will spin the longest.
My wife Sherry often turns tops at public places with a crowd of kids helping her design them. She gives the tops to the kids.
On several occasions there have been nice ladies watching who ask her if she might make one for a grandchild.

Thanks Betty. The cover sort of snuck up on me. I did not like it much at first. But It keep popping up in my mind.
So so subtle.........

Also featured are the board candidates. This is an outstanding slate.

Turn a top and think about you vote
Al

 

[Richard Coers]

I too loved the tops, and many of the other articles, but wasn't too impressed with a 2 page article on turning tapered plugs. I haven't read it yet, so maybe something in the article that tells more. Hope so. One thing I noticed was that the article change is really subtle. If you flip through, it may be difficult to see where an article starts. I used to work for Woodworkers Journal, so I notice those types of things.

 

[Betty Scarpino]

Richard, the article on tapered plugs was written by a high school student, and it's as much about her connection to woodturning as it is anything else. Of course pretty much every woodturner could figure out how to make a tapered plug, but not every 16-year-old girl has a story like hers. When you read the article, don't look for "how to" as much as just enjoy that we have young folks interested in turning. She won a lathe at a symposium, and she turns DC plugs to raise money to help fund her expenses at a summer music camp.

I agree with you about the difficulty of figuring out where an article begins. We'll be looking into how to do that differently in the future. It is nice to see a variety in the layout, but when doing so, we'll take more care to announce the beginning of an article. Also, part of what I was attempting was not to take up so much room with the article title so that more content could be included.

The cover? I love it (of course), retro 60s! 😎 But I'm sure not everyone will respond similarly. Thanks Al, for keeping an open mind. I could make a poster of it for one of your walls ....

The article on tops was originally 12 pages long. I got carried away with all the wonderful tops I came across. Who would have known there are that many woodturners out there creating such wonderful tops?!

I enjoyed putting together this mix of articles. A huge thank-you to the many authors who share their expertise!

Betty Scarpino, editor, AW

 

[john lucas]

Well I'm still reading. I really did like the cover. Can't wait to read Ed Kelle's article on photography. Just looking at the photos tells me he's done a great job.
The tapered plug article is interesting. I turn tapered plugs to fix loose axe handles. I'll have to send you a tip on that one. I use one of the cheap tapered reamers you by at the hardware and then match the tapered dowel to that. Drill a hole in the axe handle add glue and then drive the tapered dowel in a reamed hole. it will take out all the slop.
Loved the article on the sit down lathe and wheel chair bound people. I worked with a wheel chair student many years ago and we found about a 15 degree tilt of a mini lathe worked well for him. I was really excited to hear about the Robust lathe when I was at the Southern States Symposium.

 

[Bill Boehme]

I also loved the article on the sit down lathe. I was talking to Brent English today (ordering some of a woodturner's life essentials, you know) and thanked him for getting involved in this project. Along with everything else that he does, he is a first class guy. Of course, so are all of the others who were involved in this great effort. I hope that I get the opportunity to personally express my support and appreciation to each of them.

Regarding the cover, at first I figured that hard times has meant cutting a few corners, but then I saw that the back cover was in full color. Then I decided that perhaps I needed to recalibrate my concept of artistic expression to venture a bit outside the limits of visual realism.

While white space consumes ... uh ... "space", it does serve the useful purpose of preventing the format from looking like a long legal document and also provides resting places for our eyes.

 

[Mark Mandell]

Terrific . . . ?

So when do those of us who opted to save the AAW's postage budget, not to mention printing costs and trees, get to see the "on-line" Journal?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?

😉

 

[Betty Scarpino]

So when do those of us who opted to save the AAW's postage budget, not to mention printing costs and trees, get to see the "on-line" Journal?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?

😉

It'll be available for your viewing pleasure August 1. When we began the "green" membership, we thought it would be best to post the online journal the first of the month of publication.

So, is that fair? Does it matter? Arguments for or against this policy?

Betty Scarpino, editor, AW

 

[ihmserv]

betty
some of us havn't got our print version yet. so those telling us about articles or the other post about an add mean nothing ( except a little frustration) to us.
having the online verison available to at least scan would be nice.

IAN

 

[Bill Boehme]

.... those telling us about articles or the other post about an add mean nothing ( except a little frustration) ...

We do to torment you, Ian.

 

[hockenbery]

betty
some of us havn't got our print version yet. so those telling us about articles or the other post about an add mean nothing ( except a little frustration) to us.
having the online verison available to at least scan would be nice.

IAN

It is sort of interesting to watch the pseudo random delivery in progress. Often the online version is up before I get my hard copy.

I got lucky this month and got mine early.
One perk of being a board member is getting one of the first mailings.
When I went off the board I just got mine whenever the post office decided to send out my zip code.

Maybe you'll get one of the early mailing next time out.

Betty,
I think maybe the online version should go up a week after the mailing.
Let a few hard copy folks win the post office lottery then let the rest of us see what folks are talking about.

Al

 

[Brian McInturff]

I think it should go up the day of the mailings. Only paying members get access so this would be "fair" to everyone.

 

[Betty Scarpino]

I think it should go up the day of the mailings. Only paying members get access so this would be "fair" to everyone.

Brian, please explain what you mean by "paying members." I want to make sure I understand. Do you mean "green" members?

A member is a member (you gotta pay to be a member 🙂 ) and all members get access. Would it, in any way, be detrimental to members who receive paper copies to have the e-journal available before the publication date? Or, maybe it would be a bonus?

This policy has been in effect for years and no one has suggested a change, but maybe there's been a desire for earlier access, but no one has spoken up? Or, maybe no one realized that the e-version could be posted earlier?

Betty Scarpino, editor, AW

 

[Brian McInturff]

What I meant was this would allow all members the chance the see the magazine at the same time. Some members receive their mag weeks before other members. And that's not because of the AAW but the post office. The E-version just gives everyone the same opportunity to participate in the conversations generated by the members who typically get theirs first. I've always been lucky and have gotten mine quickly but over the years I've seen comments of people not getting theirs until a week or 2 later.

 

[Brian McInturff]

Oh, one other point- What I meant about "paying" member is that you can be a forum member without being a dues paying member. And only Dues" paying members have access to the mag. so it's not like anyone would be getting a different privelage.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Oh, one other point- What I meant about "paying" member is that you can be a forum member without being a dues paying member. And only Dues" paying members have access to the mag. so it's not like anyone would be getting a different privelage.

? 😕

I think that I missed your "point". Non members can't go to the "Members Only" area of the website.

The publication date depends on how you may choose to define it. The shipment from the from the printer to the USPS doesn't necessarily happen in a single day. When the web version is completed may be no sooner than it is currently available. Development of animated web documents can take more time than a print run. Delivery to the USPS may be over a period of several days.

 

[Brian McInturff]

That was my point Bill. Sorry for the confusion.

As for the shipping, the postal service quality has been slipping over the past several years. Delivery times are slipping especially in a lot of rural areas due to cutbacks. Personally it doesn't matter to me. I was just speaking up for those who go weeks without getting theirs and those overseas subscribers. I like both versions but am beginning to prefer the electronic version since I use my iPad so much too.

 

[Mark Mandell]

It'll be available for your viewing pleasure August 1. When we began the "green" membership, we thought it would be best to post the online journal the first of the month of publication.

So, is that fair? Does it matter? Arguments for or against this policy?

Betty Scarpino, editor, AW

Betty,

You weren't around (as Ed.) for the Last Man Standing Contest. 😉

First of the month will be just fine. 🙂

m

 

[Betty Scarpino]

Anyone interested in a sneak peek at the article on finger-snap tops can follow the link below. First, you'll be taken to a forum that discusses tops in general. Scroll down the posts in that thread, and you'll find a link to a PDF of the articles on tops in the August journal.

And, you will also have another forum to occupy your time when you aren't turning.

http://www.ta0.com/forum/index.php/topic,2385.0.html

Betty Scarpino, editor, AW

 

[Bill Boehme]

... And, you will also have another forum to occupy your time when you aren't turning. .....

I followed a thread from the top forum to an article in the New Straits Times in Malaysia about gassing uri which is a spinning top competition using a special competition top weighing about four kilograms. After the top is started spinning, it is scooped up with a special spoon shaped object and lifted to a post where the top that spins the longest is the winner. According to the story, the tops can spin for as long as two hours. I don't know if the game includes something equivalent to a seventh inning stretch or drinking coffee to stay awake. Those who ae involved in this sport were lamenting the declining interest among younger people.

 

[John Lawson]

I followed a thread from the top forum to an article in the New Straits Times in Malaysia about gassing uri which is a spinning top competition using a special competition top weighing about four kilograms. After the top is started spinning, it is scooped up with a special spoon shaped object and lifted to a post where the top that spins the longest is the winner. According to the story, the tops can spin for as long as two hours. I don't know if the game includes something equivalent to a seventh inning stretch or drinking coffee to stay awake. Those who ae involved in this sport were lamenting the declining interest among younger people.

I read the New Straits Times every day when I was in Malaysia on business a few years ago. The big article was on a local official who required the women employed in his office to wear socks because bare feet were too exciting.

 

[Bill Boehme]

.... The big article was on a local official who required the women employed in his office to wear socks because bare feet were too exciting.

I think that might just possibly be TMI. 😀