Annual Summer Family Potluck Picnic 8-28-2021

 It was a perfect day for a picnic as 22 members of the RCWA met for the annual summer family potluck picnic.  This picnic has been hosted by Bob and Kathie every summer since the organization was formed in 2008.  This is a thank you to all the members who have given of their time and skills during the past year to make the toy giving efforts so successful.

Attending (22):  Al and Jerri, Darwin and Lauree, Wes and Kathy, Rollie and Norma, Tony, Rick, Cori, Jerry and Patsy, Lon and Vicky, Harley, Julian and Lois, Grant and Mary, Bob and Kathie

Activities included Target Shooting with Magnum rubber band guns, ice cream making, corn hole competition, chatting, and eating.  Plus more eating!

Thanks!

For more information, go to www.rapidcitywoodworkers.com.

RCWA

Sturgis Threshing Bee 8-21-2021

Attending (15):  Rick, Ken, Rollie, Danny, Mary, Kathie, Bob, Darwin, Lauree, Al, Jerry, Patsy, John, Harley, and Lon.

The RCWA toymakers set up camp in the Memorial Building at the Sturgis Threshing Bee on August 21, 2021 at 8:30 am.  The temperature was beautiful in the low 60's at the start of the day.  We enjoyed ice tea and cookies later in the day.

We brought tractors and vans for kids to color and then build into racing vehicles by adding wheels.   We brought 62 tractors cut from redwood and cedar, pre-drilled for wheels.  Additionally, we brought a box of vans (75).  Kids were given a choice of tractors or vans.  As it turns out, we gave away 62 tractors, and 75 vans, for a total of 137 toys.  We ran out of tractors (and kids) a little before 4 pm, so we loaded up and headed out.

For more information, go to www.rapidcitywoodworkers.com.

RCWA

SS SIG 8-19-2021

 Attending (9):  Rick, Ken, Rollie, Danny, Kathie, Bob, Darwin, Al, and Gary

It was the first cool evening in several weeks, as we gathered to learn more about scroll sawing.  The work continued on the project for our Silent Auction, a Noah's Ark showing.  So, using the scrollsaw tonight, was Ken, Rollie, Darwin and Danny each cutting different parts for the Noah's Ark project.  Rick disassembled Darwin's noisy scroll saw to find out what was loose or worn.  He found the guilty part and put it back together until the part can be ordered.  

We discussed the need for High School students to learn how to type.  Students are so used to cutting and pasting info from the internet into their documents, that they never really get any practice in real typing.  The best way to learn to type is by using a manual typewriter.  This give real tactical feedback and makes learning so much easier.  Rollie told us about how to check a typewriter to see if it is worth purchasing.  By holding down the space bar and pressing each key one at a time, you can tell if the springs are rusty/loose, by the way the key bounces back.  If they are slow and sticky, the springs are most likely rusty and weak, and will require major work  to restore.  Most older typewriters are stored in basements, or other damp areas and tend to easily rust.  Rollie recommended looking for an Olivetti Studio 44, a portable manual typewriter.  Another good candidate is an Olympia Standard - a manual typewriter.

For more information, go to www.rapidcitywoodworkers.com.

RCWA

The Next Chapter 8-14-2021 - "The Shop on Wood Ave"

 8-14-2021

Moving Out.  Today, we met at the Craft Shop at the Club for Boys at 10 am to move the last thirty some boxes of in-work toys to the new location for our Toymaking Workshops.  We are calling the new location "The Shop on Wood Avenue" or the WOOD SHOP.  It is located in the basement of the Annex to Our Redeemer Lutheran Church located at 910 Wood Ave in Rapid City, SD.

History.  We began meeting at the Craft Shop at the CFB on 10-26-2013.  We have had a good working relationship with the people there and over the years, Mark and Carri have bent over backwards to make the experience a real pleasure.  We enjoyed their super facility and were able to help them out with several projects around their facility as well.

Our Mission.  As the RCWA has grown over the years, our mission remains the same, but our needs have changed.  So, now that we are moving forward with a new work location, we are excited about the potential that the new facility will provide.  

New Location.  The new location affords us a place to store our finished toys which we will be distributing to kids at Christmas time.  We also have room to store our in-process toys that we work on at our bi- weekly toy workshops.  We will be able to store our tools, supplies, and toy making equipment in convenient locations.  This will eliminate some of the set up time needed to begin toy making efforts each time at our workshops.

Just like the timing of our move in Sept 2013, we are heading into our busiest working time of the year.  We will be having Toymaking Workshops every Saturday starting in September as we want to finish our goal of 2,800 toys for kids to be distributed on Dec 4, 2021.

 

For more information, go to www.rapidcitywoodworkers.com.

RCWA

The End of a Chapter 8-14-2021

 

9-28-2013 thru 8-14-2021:  Eight years with the Club for Boys

We moved into the Club for Boys in October 2013.  We also moved our wood supplies to Mary Jo Anderson's pole barn at that time.  Click here for info about our move in 2013:   Move to the Club for Boys in Oct 2013

The first toymaking workshop at the Club for Boys was held on Oct 26, 2013.

Here's a link to the blog with all the details about that first workshop:  First Workshop at the Club for Boys Oct 2013

Here's a few pictures from the early workshops:

For more information, go to www.rapidcitywoodworkers.com.

RCWA

Facility Prep Notes 8-9-2021

8-2-2021

As we discussed briefly at our last meeting, we are investigating available places to hold workshops.  We have decided to move our workshops to the basement of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church annex starting in September.  This will take place slowly over the next four weeks, so that we can hold our September workshops in the new location.

Rick and I did a site survey today.  Our first action is to prep a small room to hold our in-work and finished toys.  So our first need is drywall.  We will need 3 sheets of 1/2" drywall 4' x 8'.  Then we will need to build about four shelving units that will be 2' D x 6' H x 6' L.  We will need some sheets of 1/2" to 3/4" material for the shelving.  We have some 2x4s, but may need more.  We will probably need to build 3 or 4 simple workbenches.  We will probably need a couple of good fire extinguishers, box fans, a first aid kit, some tables, chairs, and workbenches.

We will be starting work soon; the plan is evolving, so if you can help, or have surplus materials, please let me or Rick know.  Thanks.  Bob B

For more information, go to www.rapidcitywoodworkers.com.

RCWA