Belonging To The Club

    As I have stated earlier, I belong to a local wood workers club named "Chips".    The past few months I have had a chance to visit several of the member's wood working shops and I have to say that in some cases, I have walked back out feeling a little jealous.    Some members have a spacious area and have some very high price tools that do some fancy wood work  - with ease.   I noticed that there seems to be this tendency for some to boast about their elaborate table saw and the price tag that came with it.  (I'm not sure why, but I suddenly am reminded of my high school days when driving my dad's 59 six cylinder ford to town while all my fellow classmates drove in with their polished cars having a hard top, V8 engine, a pair of dice hanging from the mirror, and a noisy mean-sounding muffler or lack of a muffler.)    I try to buddy into the club picture by boasting on the fact that I have a cat that cost me a lot to maintain, but it doesn't seem to have the clout that spending $2300.00 on a table saw does.    Well, I'll just have to live with that scenario because short of winning the lottery,  I don't think that shop scene will ever change for me.  I have to admit that I have received a lot of good advice from fellow club members - so belonging to a club does have its perks -It is a good thing.

  

A while back I had blogged about helping to build little wooden trucks that come as a puzzle.   Also I have blogged about making some blocks.  The picture to the left shows a bunch of these trucks (25 in all) and several blocks (over 2,000) in which the Chips club this week had presented to the Care Team here in our local town.   The care team will package these up into individual bundles and give them to young boys of  families that come to the local care center for help.   We have done the blocks in the past and were told that these blocks have been a big hit.     I have a feeling that later on, there will be a request for more. 

     Last week I had talked about putting the wine rack that I had built on the club's silent auction.   This is where the proceeds from this auction are used to support youth programs in our local schools and community.   Of course one always concerns themselves as to whether your project will get a bid on it.   I can relax now.   The rack started out with a bid of $100.00 and now has a bid of $110.00.  I am starting to feel for those mothers that have to bring a cake to a raffle or a bake sale.  What pressure that must be for those women that have to do that.  (In the future I vow to do my share and  bid on every possible cake or cookie plate at every bake sale I cross in my path.   You know - it's for the good of the cause.   Really. )   This auction will come to a close on December 14th so I will probably give you a little update after the bids have closed.    

  There are over 30 projects for sale.    The club does have a Facebook page where several of the items are listed.    For those that are interested, it would be "Chips Woodworking Club" in your Facebook search box.    (You just have to remember that we are wood workers - not high tech Facebook guru's.)    

   Well, I need to get back into the shop and play with my low budget wood working tools.   I have to come up with a few more projects before Christmas arrives. 

   In the mean time ---  I'm thankful for family, friends, health, faith, and a wife who puts up with me - even when I create a lot of  saw dust in the house.     (Notice:   no mention of the cat!)