Membership Meeting – South Puget Sound Woodturners https://spswoodturners.org Learning about Turning Wed, 08 Jul 2026 04:31:10 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.1 https://spswoodturners.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/SPSW_Logo-73x75.jpg Membership Meeting – South Puget Sound Woodturners https://spswoodturners.org 32 32 July Membership Meeting – Devin Garlick https://spswoodturners.org/july-membership-meeting-devin-garlick https://spswoodturners.org/july-membership-meeting-devin-garlick#respond Wed, 08 Jul 2026 04:31:10 +0000 https://spswoodturners.org/?p=19319 Our July demonstrator will be none other than our own Devin Garlick who is currently in his first year leading our chapter’s Wood Rats Team. Devin’s presentation will be Optimal Wood Harvest for Interesting Figure. During Devin’s demonstration he will guide our members using his woodturner’s eye as he presents various tree features that yield desirable and interesting figure. Are you able to see the bowl or vase inside the turning blank or even the freshly cut log? Devin can. He will share his knowledge and experience for seeing the figure inside the tree solely based on what can be observed on the outside of the tree. Knowing the tree species is also useful for predicting the appearance of the grain and other characteristics. And with our annual picnic and wood auctions later this month you won’t want to miss this informative demonstration.

]]> https://spswoodturners.org/july-membership-meeting-devin-garlick/feed 0 June Membership Meeting – Kathleen Duncan https://spswoodturners.org/june-membership-meeting-kathleen-duncan Wed, 17 Jun 2026 19:51:17 +0000 https://spswoodturners.org/?p=19143 Kathleen DuncanWe are pleased to welcome Kathleen Duncan back to share her experience, skills and knowledge with us on June 18th. This time she will demonstrate making a Trembleur, also known as a trembler. Many of you might be scratching your head and wondering what on earth is a trembleur. Well, a trembleur is a very long, very thin spindle turning with a series of ornamental elements added in for fun along the length of the piece. In this case very long means 30” or even 42”+ if the lathe is long enough. Thin means 3/16”, 1/8” or even 1/16” in diameter between each of the ornamental elements. These whimsical turnings require focus, a few simple tricks to keep things steady, and a childlike imagination. Trembleurs fall near the difficult end and certainly at the most ridiculous end of ornate spindle turning capping the space that includes Magic Wands and Finials. All these take practice to master but are well within the potential of most turners interested in spindle turning.

Kathleen will share what she calls “Soft Hands” needed to be successful in this endeavor. She will also discuss and demonstrate the small tools that work well for these spindle projects as well as some simple but essential jigs called “string steadies”.

]]> May 2026 Membership Meeting https://spswoodturners.org/may-2026-membership-meeting Wed, 20 May 2026 20:35:32 +0000 https://spswoodturners.org/?p=18783 Ethan Green is a talented woodturner who enjoys ignoring convention when the opportunity arises. His work ranges from simple well-made small bowls to technically challenging thin-walled vessels with nicely positioned wild organic openings and features. He often seeks unique, highly contrasting wood that will highlight and be highlighted by the predetermined form he intends to make. For our May meeting Ethan will demonstrate how to turn a multi-axis lidded box.

]]> April membership Meeting https://spswoodturners.org/april-membership-meeting-6 Thu, 09 Apr 2026 03:29:47 +0000 https://spswoodturners.org/?p=18378 With the joy of Spring upon us, we’re excited to once again host Elizabeth Weber as our April 16, 2026 demonstrator for her rendition of Turning and Embellishing Boxes. Returning on the 17th of April she will be teaching Exploring Colors and Textures for nine SPSW members who have signed up for an all-day workshop. Elizabeth first demonstrated for our club in April of 2024. She also visited us in January to catch Rick Rich’s demonstration of a Turmkreisel (aka – Tower Spinner).

Born and raised in Tennessee, Elizabeth first specialized in engineering, earning an M.S. in civil engineering from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. In 2015 she began woodworking with her first creations including several pieces of furniture in the Arts and Crafts style, but she eventually turned to smaller objects and now specializes in bowls, spoons, and boxes. Her skills range from natural finish and simple forms to highly carved and painted forms that emulate natural motifs. She was awarded the American Association of Woodturner’s 2023 Professional Outreach Program’s Artist Showcase and teaches woodturning and carving across the country.

]]> February Membership Meeting https://spswoodturners.org/february-membership-meeting-6 Mon, 16 Feb 2026 03:26:44 +0000 https://spswoodturners.org/?p=17980 Like a somewhat weathered, but still stalwart PNW Doug Fir, Doug Reynolds is a grand patriarch of South Puget Sound wood craft organizations. He was a founding member of the Evergreen Woodworkers’ Guild and remains a structural, timber frame bent of our chapter of the American Woodturners Association (AAW) – the South Puget Sound Woodturners (SPSW). His service as Director of Wood Rats is as long as the height of this Doug Fir! When needed, he doubled his duties as the Director of Programs. In 2022 he rallied chapter members to turn and donate more than 200 bowls for the Pierce County Food Bank.

Always entertaining, Doug is a reliable Member Demonstrator SPSW. His past contributions include Wood Stabilization (June 2022) and Chucks, Chucks and More Chucks (May 2024). Both of which may be found in the members only portion of our SPSW website under demonstration videos. In his latest rendition coming to the SPSW stage on February 19, 2026, Doug will share key insights for making a John Beaver type Wave Bowl. One of his goals is to demonstrate less involved techniques most of us could deploy in our own shops to safely cut a round object in half… You don’t want to miss this one, there might even be a golden reward at the end of the rainbow.

]]> January Membership Meeting – Rick Rich https://spswoodturners.org/january-membership-meeting-rick-rich Mon, 12 Jan 2026 19:28:42 +0000 https://spswoodturners.org/?p=17739 Our 2026 SPSW Program begins with a fun and twisted focus on spindle turning. Rick Rich is back once again. This time Rick will demonstrate making a Turmkreisel. Simple translations to English include tower spinner or pedestal spinner.

Rick Rich is a professional woodturner from Clark County, Washington. He is proud to be a founding member, and current president, of the SW Washington Woodturners. Rick is also a member the Cascade Woodturners Association in Portland, OR, the Northwest Woodturners of Tualatin, OR and the American Association of Woodturners. His strong preference is spindle turning, but he includes faceplate turning, bowls, small tabletops, dishes, and like items in his repertoire.


Rick’s description says, ‘This unique desk toy has a top which eventually tips over and stays on the tower, ready for the next spin.’ On Jan 15th, 2026, he will also demonstrate making a traditional spinning top with a small bowl to spin it in. This demo focuses on tool use techniques and exploring precision turning. No specialized tools are used—just the standard equipment most turners already have. Get ready to enjoy a fun and unique toy turning demo!

]]> December Potluck Rescheduled https://spswoodturners.org/december-potluck-rescheduled Mon, 29 Dec 2025 21:58:50 +0000 https://spswoodturners.org/?p=17556

Due to a power outage at the Allmendinger Center in December, it was necessary to cancel our Holiday Party. We would like to invite you to our newly scheduled Holiday Party, “Turning Resolutions in 2026”.

Date: January 8, 2026 Time: 6pm*
Place: Allmendinger Center in Puyallup

What to expect:

Potluck food assignments by last name

  • A—I: Main Dish
  • J—P: Salad/Side Dish
  • Q—Z: Dessert

Gift Exchange: Does not have to be a turned piece, but exchanging wood turned items is okay. No gag gifts, please. (“My favorite wood turned piece in my home isn’t something I turned.” ~Pat McCart)

General Raffle Tickets given 1 per membership

Help tin ticket raffle for prizes. If you have not filled out your ticket for helping this year, please make sure you get your name in the tin.
Pick up your 2026 meeting schedule.

Bring your BEST TURNED Piece for 2025 to show. All Skill levels encouraged to bring your best work this year. Item must be started and completed in 2025.
If you are brand new to turning or are a first year member with the SPSW, we encourage you to come and participate, let me know who you are because we have something just for you.

*We would never turn away a helping hand on the 8th. We can always use some help to set up the facility to greet our guests. We need help moving around tables and chairs before (@5pm) and after. Taking out the trash is a biggie at the end of the night. We will also be setting up tables for the raffle and helping hands drawing and a special table for our 2025 President’s Challenge Winner Display.

p.s. This does not replace the regularly scheduled January meeting/demonstration. Stay tuned for the January Newsletter for more details on that.

]]> December Membership Meeting https://spswoodturners.org/december-membership-meeting-7 Tue, 16 Dec 2025 01:38:08 +0000 https://spswoodturners.org/?p=17419 December: Annual Christmas Party for the family

Here are the details:

• Potluck food assignments by last name
o A—I: Main Dish
o J—P: Salad/Side Dish
o Q—Z: Dessert
• Gift Exchange: Does not have to be a turned piece, but exchanging wood turned items is okay. No gag gifts, please. (“My favorite wood turned piece in my home isn’t something I turned.” ~Pat McCart)
• General Raffle Tickets given 1 per membership
• Help tin ticket raffle for prizes. If you have not filled out your ticket for helping this year, please make sure you get your name in the tin.
• Pick up your 2026 meeting schedule.
• Bring your BEST TURNED Piece for 2025 to show. All Skill levels encouraged to bring your best work this year. Item must be started and completed in 2025.
• If you are brand new to turning or are a first year member with the SPSW, we encourage you to come and participate, let me know who you are because we have something just for you.

]]> 2026 Officers and Board Members https://spswoodturners.org/2026-officers-and-board-members Sat, 06 Dec 2025 22:58:45 +0000 https://spswoodturners.org/?p=17213 At our November 20th membership meeting the following people were elected to serve on the Board of Directors for 2026.

President: Kathy Garlick





Vice President: Ed White





Secretary: Mark Gilbert





Treasurer: Pam Parson

Newsletter: Suzette Edwards





Membership: Brandi Lowrance





Webmaster: Tim SpauldingTim Spaulding





Store Sales: John Howard





Industry Coordinator/Outreach: Ethan Green





AV/Technology: Ramon Lyn





Mentorship: Michael Poirer





Wood Rats: Devin Garlick





AAW Liaison: Kent Horton





At Large: Pat McCart





At Large: Jim Higgins





]]> November 2025 Show & Tell https://spswoodturners.org/november-2025-show-tell Mon, 01 Dec 2025 06:01:10 +0000 https://spswoodturners.org/?p=17186 See image gallery at spswoodturners.org]

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