Demos for local chapters and get togethers

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Carl Fisher

Carl Fisher

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Joined
Jun 7, 2011
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Location
Cape Coral, FL
I was following a conversation from one of the local chapters about lack of attendance and then for those chapters that do have regular attendance, the difficulty of coming up with new demo material.

I'd love to see some ideas thrown out about demo material for the local meetings. After a few years of the same people in attendance, material gets stale. There is only so many times you can do a demo on finishing, basic turning techniques, segmenting, casting, etc...

Locally we've done some branching off to a kitless demo or two in the past, but that is only of interest to a few.

So what are your thoughts? What types of demos would you continue to return for? How do you keep interest alive for those who have been there, done that and inject some excitement into the local meetings again?
 
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In Richmond we meet 6x per year. These are some of our more successful recent demos. The best seem to be when we can get most to have a hands on experience.

1. Pen stands. We asked everyone to bring at least one to meeting and be prepared to discuss. Had one member perform demo.

2. Polymer clay. Hands on demo. Supplied some carved out blanks. Members filled with poly clay, cured in an oven and sanded smooth. Also showed how to slice canes and apply to blanks.

3. Celtic knots. Anyone interested actually built jigs required to make them. The following meeting many brought their successes and failures for discussion

4. (Upcoming). Making a click pen from scratch. Threading aluminum tube with tap on lathe to accept Schmidt mechanism.

5. Holiday themed pens.

6. Painting tubes to be cast - hands on participation
 
I suggested to our group that we not just demo pens... We all have jigs and tools and other items that help us out when we make our pens, so why not demo on how to make and use them? It could help someone out
 
1. Foil/Steampunk Blanks - Hands On
2. Bird House Ornaments
3. Stamp Blanks - Hands On
4. Gluing/Turning Corian
5. Celtic Knot Jigs
6. Segmenting basics
7. Custom Finials
8. Wolverine Sharpening System
9. Polymer Clay Blanks - Hands On
10. Labels/decals
11. Casting: PR, Alumilite, Epoxy
12. Favorite Finishes
13. Carbide Tools vs HSS
14. Laser Kits
15. Lathe Jigs
16. Peppermills
17. Bottle stoppers
18. Desk Clocks
19. Pyrography/Wood Burning
20. Favorite turning tools
21. Stabilization/Dying
22. Leather Blanks
23. Closed End Pens
24. Custom Center-Bands
25. How to irritate the Moderators (just checking if you are reading all this)
26. Anodizing
27. Clear Casting
28. Potluck Social/cookout - NO Demo
29. Lathe Set-up and Maintenance
30. Dust Collection and Air Filtration
31. Shop Safet
32. Ruined pens, why, how avoided
33. Refills - comparison
34. Light Box Basics
35. Challenging materials: Ebonite; Lucite; etc
36. Sales, internet sites, consignment


Start Over!!!
 
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I wish I was able to attend one of the meetings. I'm unable to sit long enough to make it to even the closest one to me.
Maybe after it warms up next spring/summer, and I'm able to get my workshop cleaned up, I could host a meeting for anyone from anywhere that would care to attend.
We could make a day of it including a cookout. Maybe I would be central enough to attract members from a few states. I think IN, IL, MI, OH, and for some of the more adventurous types, possibly WI.
If there are members that would need to stay over night, we have limitless hotels within a short drive.

I would need to know the requirements to meet and the procedure to follow.
All would be welcome, the more the better.
 
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