AAW: musing about the relevance of belonging. (long)

Tis the season for hurricanes and politics and I'm trying to design and turn a Windbag. Any ideas? I know, I know, look at a mirror, Arch! Meanwhile I'll act the part and muse a little about AAW. zzzzzz!

I just got my AAW dues notice, $45.00 per year and a ballot with 'brag sheets' of the six candidates for the Board. I don't know any of the candidates, but their reasons for being on the board actually raises questions of why I should continue to belong.

The dues include seasonal issues of "American Woodturner", a very readable and informative magazine. Being an AAW member adds my personal support in advancing and perpetuating organized woodturning as a hobby, art and/or business. Also there is the camaraderie and friendships (and occasional turn-offs) engendered by turning clubs sponsored by AAW plus their sponsored regional symposia and the grand, but getting too expensive to attend, annual national conventions.

I can comfortably afford the dues and expenses, but in my particular situation I am questioning why I should. I wonder if others here have reasons of their own for speculating about beginning or continuing their membership. Of course, I realize that whether I continue as a member or not is unimportant in the scale of things. That said, here's some of my personal considerations for you to shoot down, agree with or add your own.

For me, as to pure woodturning there's not much new under the sun. I have made most all of the mistakes, enjoyed many minor successes and made a lot of good friends. Now days I mostly enjoy turning whenever and whatever I please, alone in my shop.

I am NOT antisocial, just that woodturning is not my whole life and at my age, (nearly 88, which means 'love and kisses' in Morse code, but not for me! 'G') groaning back and squeaky knees, I don't care to get out much anymore and I have no interest in the organized business of clubs. Been there, done that and I lost my 'hero worship & adulation' a long time ago. The internet supplies my limited needs for personal relationships and for 'keeping up' as much as I want to. The magazine is briefly scanned and continues to pile up. There is a whole lot of repetition in woodturning circles, using warmed over words and pictures. Some all too recognizable.

There are many reasons for organized woodturning to grow and advance, but why should it matter to me if there are many, few or no woodturners in the future and whether they are young or old or middle age or what they choose to design and turn, demonstrate and write about. If the endeavor is relevant on any level won't there be people who turn wood with or without AAW? I reckon less is less and more is more or is it the other way round? So what?

I'm often wrong. So what's your take on why you belong to AAW or not ...or don't you care? Anyway, this musing sure took care of the few (only 70) posts for today. :)

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

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Arch
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Arch,

In today's world where shop classes are gone, trade apprenticeships a thing of the past, and a lot of our manufacturing over seas, where does a young person or an old newbie get exposed to woodturning as a hobby or a profession? AAW and clubs provide the learning opportunity for others just like clubs, jobs, classes or friends provided that to you. Do I owe something to the next generation? Yes, I do. Do you?

Joe Fleming San Diego

              Fortiter
Reply to
Joe Fleming

              Fortiter
Reply to
l.vanderloo

Where does this notion come from? I never took shop classes, never had a trade apprenticeship, never worked in wood manufacturing, never had a mentor or teacher of any kind. I learned everything on my own, from trying things and messing up, reading books, and reading on the internet. I paid money for the books and I contribute when I can on the internet. There is absolutely no reason I should feel compelled to contribute money to AAW so that they can promote woodturning? So my answer is a resounding NO! I don't.

  1. get some tools and just do it - it's not rocket science.
  2. buy some books, read, then just do it.
  3. search the internet, read, then just do it.
  4. find an interested local and have them show you how to do it.
  5. Join a club and learn how to do it.

If you want to learn how to do anything (anything, not just woodturning) the information is widely available, it just takes persistance and work. All you have to do is to get off your duff and dig in.

Reply to
ebd

I guess I'm just in the habit of being in the AAW, Arch...

When I joined my first turning club, membership in the AAW was part of the joining price and I went with it..

I enjoy the articles in the magazine, but feel more and more that it's leaning more toward carving, painting and becoming a modern art gallery that what I consider a "wood turning" source.. I've often wondered what percentage of members/subscribers even attempt the kind of pieces that are featured..

OTOH, I do have the AAW logo on my business card and mention being an International member on my web site.. From clients comments, they seem impressed by it, so I'll keep renewing my membership..

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Reply to
mac davis

             Fortiter
Reply to
robo hippy

In message , robo hippy writes

Not being that side of the pond, it really doesn't affect me but I am still fairly new at wood turning, soon be a year.

I have joined no clubs, do not come from a woodworking or even metalworking background. I come from Quality Engineering, but with the ability to turn my hand at most things once I have a basic understanding. My initial source for wood turning was a person in the shop I bought my first lathe. I would tell him what I wanted to achieve and how I thought I would go about it, he would then offer solutions based on the tools and jigs I had, or new equipment if needed. The only issue I had was turning bowl, and even though I had voiced my suspicions to the suppliers, it wasn't until I got my second lathe the issue was solved. It wasn't me it was the tools. The Banjo and Tool rest that were supplied though the correct parts for the machine, were not suitable for the machine. My assembly was too high, and although suitable for spindle turning, at 5mm below centre line it was impossible to place a tool on the rest and be at centreline for bowl turning, even my scraper was 7mm thick, New banjo, Tool rest and the cuts were near perfect ( just need lots and lots of practice now)

My other source has primarily been here. Asking pointed questions, which may have been answerable in a local club, but almost certainly not via a yearly subscription to a magazine that covered the subject 20 years ago. My other source has been pictures of turned objects on websites mentioned here, or just by googling, these have provided inspiration and ideas. Admittedly the magazine may provide similar, but probably in less abundance, and without the ability to question, which you often can if its a website. I would rather learn from an amateur on here rather than one of these top of his field types in a magazine, as it ends up like a car magazine with the "I wish", but now back to reality.

Now using an analogy I used to be a member of the Radio Society of Great Britain, our version of the ARRL, the Magazines were great for the first year as they provided points of contact, but this was in the early 90's before the Internet found its place. After that first year , they remained in the wrapping they were received in, my interests were narrow field, but the magazine was broad spectrum, the only reason I remained a member was that to take part in competition you had to be a member.

There are many societies out there these days trying to justify their existence, but unfortunately for many of them , their day has come and gone.

Reply to
John

              Fortiter

You make some good points for not belonging to the AAW, but there are some things that neither you or the other posters have touched upon.

No. 1--In the newest issue of the AAW Journal, the President noted that they were going to be changing the magazine somewhat, saying they have decided to listen to the membership comments. There will be a new editor and supposedly the magazine will be attempting to provide information for the general woodturner and not just for the artists. I'll have to wait and see on that line. I have also been somewhat disgusted with the amount of carving and painting that has been featured and called woodturning. They implied that this is going to change. Let's give the administration a chance. They are also asking for members to write articles for the magazine. This is another way that we can help the AAW and the magazine improve.

No. 2--For people who sell their work, the AAW has set up a way for us to get insurance on our shop, insurance to teach, libiality insurance all at a reasonable rate. I didn't say cheap. But the AAW was able to use their influence to get an insurance agency to provide insurance to members. Before 9-11-2001, I had my own insurance that only cost me $500 per year. After 9-11-2001, the agency raised my rates to $1800 per year and I dropped it. I choose to quit teaching and trust that my shop would not burn down. With this insurance available to AAW members, I again pay $500 per year for the coverage and have resumed teaching and occasional student and I am insured in case the shop should burn down. This is itself is worth the cost of the membership in AAW, even if one never reads the magazine or goes to the symposiums.

No. 3--It looks good on your BIO for customers or when being considered for demonstrations at AAW clubs.

No. 4--The AAW has set up a relief fund to help members who have had their shops destroyed by storms such such as those hit by massive storms on the southeastern coasts of the United States.

I have not always agreed with the AAW policies, but I think that the organization is worth supporting with our membership. I haven't been a member since the organization first started, but have been a member since 1991 and over the years have attended several of the Symposiums and have even demonstrated at two of them. I was most impressed with the last one that I demonstrated at the Portland event. Another 11 years, when I'm as old as you, I may feel the same way, but I hope not. Reconsider, Arch, stay with the AAW a few more years.

Fred Holder

Reply to
Fred Holder

for what it's worth, I was a member for a reasonable number of years, but I've let my membership lapse because I lost interest in the magazine and it didn't offer me anything else of great value - certainly for the first 4 to

10 years of your turning hobby you can learn a lot from the AAW mag

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Reply to
William Noble

...

Speaking of which, Jimmy tells me you are going to be the Demo this month. I need to update the web-site to reflect that

Reply to
Ralph E Lindberg

Would you be so kind as to contact me at . I plan to use your question about why be an AAW member and my response in the November issue of More Woodturning and I also have Lyle Jamieson's answer which I would like to share with you. All of the questions I print in the magazine now have mine and Lyle Jamieson's answers. Lyle had some good thoughts I would like to share with you. In case the e-mail gets clobbered, you can go to my web site to get my e-mail address.

Fred Holder

Reply to
Fred Holder

Arch although you are my senior by 20 or so years you raise a question that I think should be considered by all turners of any age. The way I see it is the AAW is a good ol' boys club with no qualification standards for admission. It wants you to be a member before you turn so it can train you? So who is the founding guru that has passed on the all knowing all seeing knowledge since creation? To have the privilege of using the logo to impress clients is meaningless if there are no skill standards applied to members. As a member of an AAW affiliated club I looked long and hard at the issue of being a member and decided my loyalties lay with my club and it's members who are at a local level and therefore more aware of my needs. I can buy the AAW magazine from a retailer and also read the AAW forums if I need to.I have no desire or need to go to the annual get togethers or symposiums. The AAW presents itself as a world body for wood turners which it isn't, it does however have members from several countries who, I would suggest are members because it might be good for business within the AAW. To be blunt I think the AAW ranks up there with the Home Shopping Club

Reply to
Canchippy

The knowledge of many of the people in this group far surpasses mine, but the magazine printed a shop tip I sent them a few issues back and they sent me a check covering a good portion of the cost of membership renewal for this year. That is one way to cut the cost of the membership.

Reply to
TWW

Sort of like belonging to BBB and using their logo.. Both are meaningless to members but work well with the general public..

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Reply to
mac davis

Though I've learned most of what I know about turning at and from members of this group, I've also picked up a few good tips from the magazine that have saved me time and money.. both good investments, IMHO..

OTOH, I have to sort through SO many pages of artsy-fartsy stuff and promotional BS to get to anything that I feel is relevant to what I would guess is the average member.. YMWV

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Reply to
mac davis

  • Has your club ever gotten an EOG grant from the AAW? I'm guessing yes, since the number of AAW Chapter clubs that haven't is rather small. I know the local club I belong to would not have the A/V system we have, if we had to pay for it ourselves.
  • Does your club use the AAW insurance for your club meetings? I know mine does.
  • Does your club use the Demonstrator referral program? I know most at least check out (unknown) potential Demonstrators.
  • Have you, or anyone your club, applied for any of the grants the AAW offers?
  • Have you, or anyone in your club, used any of the Professional Directories?
  • Have you heard of the Disaster Relief Fund, a program to help AAW members recover from disaster?

I suggest you do more research into the AAW, and maybe learn a few things. Like how, you personally have benifited from the AAW

Reply to
Ralph

Well let's see.

The Resource Book. Turners who enjoy traveling can look up members in the area to which they plan to travel and make contact with a "local" who will, more often than not, recomend places to see, things to do and "ya gotta eat at . . .", and occassionally lodging. Of course there should be reciprocity - when visiting woodworkers comes to your town you return the favor.

If you sell your stuff, making potential customers aware of your membership in a national organization may help sales.

The Magazines

While I agree that the recent trend has been a bit artsy - the charred cut off with the red hemisphere a bit of a teeth gnasher

- there's always at least one Idea Seed in each issue - which may or may not go anywhere.

The Insurance Thing

As a member of AAW - and an AAW affiliated club - you're covered when doing demonstrations. Only takes one "incident" to make that valuable.

The Web Site

Here's where the annual dues pay off - at least for me. Of course I had to upgrade my computer and software to really utilize some of what's on the site, but there's a wealth of info there that's fairly accessible - to members.

The Supporting The Starving Artist / Shop Thing

Though not of Corporate Sponsorship level, AAW does provide grants and awards to struggling full time turners. And the outreach program may help expose "kids" to what may become a lifelong love - or not. If nothing else, it may provide an opportunity for a "kid" to experience the sense of accomplishment and success they might not experience in Math or Science or History. Our educational system puts all the emphasize on The Brain and not much on The Hands (which require a brain to manipulate them as well as to think out How To).

Anyone want to guess who a theoretical physicist or doctor, lawyer or indian chief turns to when their car starts making funny noises or their roof starts leaking?

Can you take an old car engine appart, fix or replace what's broken, put it back together - and have it run? Ever tried to take a tissue paper thin "dress pattern", some cloth, which stretches one way and not another, and a sewing machine and make a dress - that actually fits a female - who is probably not "symetric"?

Of "critical thinking" and "problem solving" is what education is about - boy is the system missing one of the boats.

BTW - have you paid a plumber, electricial, roofer or carpenter to do something for you lately?

Think I'll make the call, give them The Number and be pleasantly surprised when a glossy magazine full of stuff - some interesting, some not - arrives.

charlie b

Reply to
charlieb

Thanks for all your responses. As usual, I reckon that the answer depends on individual situations .....as with most of woodturning there is no always nor never and no totally right or wrong way to do things.

BTW, I misspoke, I'm only nearing 87, like the wind speed temperatures, it just felt like 88! Also I decided to remain an AAW member for one more year. :)

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

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Reply to
Arch

Hey Charlie, I once asked a local ham (not a turner, but the same thing) about the best place to eat in town. He recommended MacDonald's so I figured oh well, nevermind. Turned out it _was the best place o eat in that beautiful but small N.E. village after tourist season. As for the local motel, don't ask! Lori and I were too old for mirrors on the ceiling! :)

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

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Arch

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