Art Prize

Turners,  Gloria and I attended Art Prize in Grand Rapids recently.  We spent 2 full days checking out the art.  1453 pieces in 170 different venues.  We didn't see it all...but we did put a big dent in it.
As most of you know our own Jim Rutledge had a piece accepted for this venue.
I took a ton of pictures and put them into a slide show.
I know the pictures are only o the screen a short time, but you can always replay it and use the pause button.  All of the pictures were taken with my iPhone.

You can view the slide show here.

Click here for the slideshow

Video System Update

We had another work session at Steve's place yesterday.  We mounted the monitor brackets and tested the fit of the monitors.  Added some of the cables  and a shelf bracket.

I think we have most of the hardware we need.  I have a signal splinter coming in a few days and that should be the end of the hardware needs.

We have a 40 " TV for the main monitor.  It's mounted on a bracket that pivots and tilts.  The second monitor is a 19 " LED that also is on a bracket that tilts and pivots.  The splinter will allow us to have the same picture on both monitors, so the demonstrator can see just what the audience is seeing.

We have a new ASUS 15" laptop that will run the switching of camera inputs and take care of the recording.

Yet to do:
1)  get the software license.  I have the choice narrowed down and thing I'll go with the Many Cam software.  The vMix software is far more powerful, but we would never use all of the features and it's pretty complicated to get set up.  So unless my testing shows something that's a show stopper I'll be getting the Many Cam application.

2)  test the whole system all together.  Once the splitter gets here (projected for Wednesday) I'll do that.

3) mount a folding shelf on the end of the stand. This is for the computer.  We are short one bracket. It's due to arrive Monday.

4) take the frame up to the Maintenance building and put it altogether. This should happen Thursday or Friday.

5) we need covers for the tv's.  The cameras just need socks to cover them and the portable one has a quick disconnect and can get locked in the cabinet with the computer.

We hoped to be ready for a full blown unveiling at our next meeting Saturday.

One more item,  we need to have some folks trained on operating the system.  What I propose is that 2 or 3 learn it so that we have someone available all year.  The way I see this working is that the demo would be recorded and a copy of the clips could be sent to me and I will edit the footage to spruce it up and then load it up to the cloud somewhere.
At our next meeting we need to discuss what we ant to do with the final product.  Options are:
  1) put them up on uTube or Vimeo and either let them be available to the public or just members
  2) put them somewhere like dropbox and let members view and or download the video from there.
  3) some other way that I haven't thought of.

Please be ready to discuss this Saturday.

a few pictures below.

Jim's Work

Here it is,  Jim's piece o display at art prize.    i think it shows pretty well.
Well done Jim.  Congratulations.

I am overwhelmed

1,453 works of art in 170 venues at the Grand Rapids Art Prize.
Our  club and the woodturning community is well represented by Jim Rutledge's piece "Ancient Arrowheads". I think I recognize one other UP turner J Marc Himes.
I hope to get a few pictures of the turnings on display later today.

Video System Update

After our meeting last Saturday Steve and Tom got together and started working on the cage that will hold the cameras and lights.  It will also have a shield to protect the audience from "Unguided Missiles".  The frame is 1" square steel on casters.
Below are a few snapshots of our work in progress.

Below is the material that is left over.  Steve figures the jobs pretty close.

September Meeting Continued

At the August meeting Charlie Wilson described the holding system he uses to chainsaw cutting blanks.  For the September meeting he brought the device.  See Picture below.  Thanks Charlie, but some of use were hopping it was going to be in the "Bring Back" raffle.

September Meeting

Below are some pictures from the "Show and Tell Table" at the September meeting of the Hiawatha Woodturners Club.  This months meeting was a continuation of the August meeting, where the demo was "From a log to the lathe".  Members where encouraged to bring in work from th blogs that were cut up in August.  Then talk about how the process went.  

Stev Promo's third drum.