Chicagoland Chapter - Feb Meeting and Year End Review - What a Year

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

mg_dreyer

Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2006
Messages
839
Location
Aurora, Ill, USA.
In general it has been a lot of fun working with this group to get the Chicago chapter started. I think we had a great year. A lot of great demos and my favorite part is that I think the meetings are very interactive. I enjoy seeing the comments and encouragement from everyone to everyone else. Ask a question – get a real live answer. The comments have been encouraging and to see how far many of the group comes to get to the meetings is incredible. And as JohnU and I can attest to – it is not uncommon to see people at the store until 4 or 4:30 (from 9:30 am). It has been a blast and I thank everyone who has helped out / done a demo / donated to the prizes / ran an activity / and attended. Thanks.

December Meeting Recap (December 16):

Another great meeting and great attendance. We have been averaging over 40 people, but with the line-ups we have had I can see why. This month was a man who needs no introduction when it comes to pen turning - "Father" Dick Sing. As Ed Brown said - "Dick brought a cigar box full of goodies. Because he was a machinist for many years (for GM I found out today), listening to Dick is a study in precision. The line drawing on the whiteboard was to explain that the pen nib is not machined square, there is a slight slope--Dick proceeded to tell us how he adapted his blanks to accommodate that slope. In 20 years of penmaking, I had never thought of this---but Dick is a machinist, measures with micrometers and no detail is too minute to consider." Thanks - Dick.

Year End Recap Of Demos and "Thank You"s:
Ed Brown
Mark James
John Underhill
Don McCloskey
Disk Sing
Rockler (Mark Hubl) – For the facility

Thank you for all the great door prizes this month:
John Underhill (a full bag of feathers / snakeskins / Cardistry)
Dick Sing
Greg Bonier
Terry's Serpentine
Don McCloskey
Mark Dreyer
If I forgot someone – I am so sorry

February Meeting (Feb 17):

Don McCloskey will demo Cholla Cactus with a turquoise inlay.

The List For 2018
We will meet the third Saturday of every even month.

February 17 – Don (Cholla Cactus)
April 21 – Chris (Beal Pen Wizard)
June 23 – Greg (Casting and Stabilization)
August 18 – Terry (Serpentine)
October 20 – TBD
December 15

All meetings are from 10 am - 1 pm
Location:
Rockler Woodworking and Hardware
139 South Weber Road
Bolingbrook, IL 60490

December (2018) Christmas Challenge:
A total of $25 (kit and blank). Make the best pen you can, and the winner gets the glory (and the prizes). I encourge to use some technique you either learned or were inspiried to try. We will vote as a group. This year's winner was a nice watch parts pen.

Demo Challenge (change due to the Christmas challenge):
Each month we will have a new challenge. This month there is a change. Since October was chevron - you need to try it – but not until February. We also had Dick Sing's adding style to a pen. Best pen wins the "big" prize again - which includes at least getting your name mentioned in this email.

Blank Exchange (thanks Sarah for running it):
Is back - so bring a few to trade.

Tips and Tricks:
Please bring your tips and tricks for all of us to share and learn. Last month we had a few but always looking for more. Even if small – it might be something someone else is struggling with.

Show and Tell:
Please bring any pens you either loved making and just want to show off / are having trouble with a techniques and want help / want feedback on / or just want to put on a table. This will be an open forum to help each other. You will find two things out – one helping others is fun and two you know more than you think you do and others will benefit.

Looking for demonstrators and / or topics. If you have any interest in doing a demo email me. Also if you have suggestions for a demo you would like to see email me back.

Thanks,
Mark

We had a few people I need to thank for the last meeting:

Rockler – thanks for donating the facility and the gift cards
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

mark james

IAP Collection, Curator
Joined
Sep 6, 2012
Messages
12,720
Location
Medina, Ohio
Just a quick reminder we are about a month away from the next meeting. Hope everyone is working on their Dick Sing or Mark James inspired pens. Look forward to seeing a few. If you have a preview - post it here or on the Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/367906960337728/

That page is growing - thanks Mike.

I have it on my schedule.

Alas I missed my Dick Sing Tutorial :frown:, but I'll be a "fly on the wall" for the rest - and enjoy every minute of the fellowship!

Go Chicagoland! (I have two sons here!)
 

mark james

IAP Collection, Curator
Joined
Sep 6, 2012
Messages
12,720
Location
Medina, Ohio
Just a reminder, when the IAP Collection was displayed at Chicagoland, it came with the invitation for your chapter to donate a pen to the collection. Your choice of how, who, when, etc... Have FUN!
 
Top Bottom