In the beginning, sharpening is a mystery for all of us turners. For some, it remains a mystery for much longer than need be. Learning to sharpen your tools is as critical as learning to ride the bevel.

Fortunately for South Puget Sound Woodturners members who attend our November meeting, our own Director of Mentoring, Mike Poirier, will be on stage to de-mystify sharpening. He will fill the evening with information and key insights on different sharpening systems, jigs and techniques. He will show how he uses these tools to produce a sharp edge. Bring your questions.

• Club member Jim Robson will be demonstrating how he turns ornaments including tree and bulb shaped ornaments. He will cover materials and prep of the blank, tools needed, mounting the blank, turning the blank, sanding and finishing;

   

• Club Member Ethan Green will be demonstrating how he turns Mini-Hollow Forms with a bery cool mini-hollowing kit he has assemb.ed with simple components purchased online. Attendees will oearn about the tools used as well as the techniques for working through a 1/4″ hole to hollow these miniture delights;

   

• SPSW Webmaster Tim Spaulding will be available to aid club members with access to the SPSW website and the Member’s Only section. Do bring your own computer if you need assistance;

   

   

• Club Member John Howard and the Club Store Sales Team will be on hand to help you stock up on shop supplies. Support the SPSW club through your supply purchases;

   

   

   

• Club Member Devin Garlick will be heading up the wood sales table. Support the SPSW club through your wood purchases;

   

   

   

• Club Member Jimmie Allen his storefront of D-Way and BoxMaster tools for the ease of shopping for your favorite woodturner’s critical needs.

   

   

   

• Devin Garlick will be manning the club wood sales table;

   

   

   
  
  

• Justin Parson will be demonstrating bowl turning;

   

   

   
  
  

• VP Ed White will be conducting a member engagement survey;

   

   

   

   

• Doug Reynolds with Doug’s World of Chucks – discuss features, +’s and –‘s with club members;

   

   

   

• Mike Poirier demonstrating sharpening;

   

   

   

   

• John Howard will assist club members turning tool handles;

   

   

   
  
  

   

• Jimmie Allen will be selling his D-Way and BoxMaster tools.

   

   

   

• Club staff running the tool store table

   

   

   

Note – This post is from our newsletter archives. It was the President’s message by Pat McCart from the November, 2010 issue of Chips & Shavings.

I reached another personal milestone on my bowl turning journey the other day when I signed my 200th bowl. I quickly pondered what I have learned about turning since the numbers on the bottoms of my bowls entered triple digits. I narrowed it down to 5 items that I think will help most new turners avoid some pit falls and have more fun.

1. Learn how to sharpen your tools and do it often. If you think your tool “might be” dull it is!
2. One high quality tool is better than a set of “ok” tools. My Grandpa use to tell me “a top quality tool is always worth the price and a cheap one never was”.
3. Cutting the wood is better than sanding it into submission. Learn how each tool cuts and proper tool positioning to minimize your sanding time.
4. Green wood is a hoot to turn! Get some green wood and turn it into shavings on the floor. It helps you learn tool control and sharpening. It is sure to be an eye opening and grin inducing time at your lathe.
5. Woodturners are really good people. I have made hundreds of friends from all walks of life and have found them to be some of the most generous people around. Most turners will go out of their way to help you improve your turning skills.

Be safe, have fun and make shavings.

Jimmie’s nature has always been to do something to the best of his ability. If that means taking the extra time to sand a surface to 1200 or more, then buffing the final surface to a high sheen the result is worth the effort. Whomever enjoys the piece will know it was hand made by a supreme craftsman for their everlasting enjoyment.

• Membership Booth – Renew your membership today. Membership chair Terry Broberg will be available for you to join or renew your club membership

   

   

   
  
  

• >Club Store – Pam Parson will be there for you to pick up your needed items for your shop

   

   

   
  
  

• Club Wood Sales – Devin Garlick will have a fine assortment of wood for your next project

   

   

   
  
  

• D-Way & Box Master Tools – Jimmie Allen will be there for you to pick up that new tool you have been wanting. Locally Made in the USA / Washington

   

   

   
  
  

• Sharpening – Michael Poirier will be there to help you to “sharpen” your sharpening skills. Mike will demonstrate how he sharpens. Bring a dull tool or two…

   

   

   
  
  

• Figurines and Lighthouses – Jeff Marshal will demonstrate easy to make turnings for decorations

   

   

   
  
  

]]> https://spswoodturners.org/teachable-moment Wed, 19 Jun 2024 20:49:56 +0000 https://spswoodturners.org/?p=13774

Note – This post is from our newsletter archives. It was the Vice President’s message by Eric Lofstrom from the July, 2009 issue of Chips & Shavings.

Summer is the season of working in the yard, tackling projects, traveling, and turning. Well, some of us find time to turn during these warm months. It seems the past few summers have been so
busy I’ve had to block-out some time on the calendar just to ensure I made a few shavings and kept my skills sharp. During a recent scheduled turning session, I was using one of my favorite tools…the skew…and I had a moment to stop and think back to when this tool raised my hackles. Have you given any thought to how it feels to learn a “brand new” skill? I can hear some of you already saying out loud, “First of all, I still shudder when I think of the skew! Secondly, I’ve got so many things that are new to me in turning, I have those feelings all the time!” But, bear with me.

I had one of those deep thoughts… before I ever used a skew, WHY was I so afraid of putting this tool to a piece of spinning wood? I thought awhile… a trusted source told me I should be. Of course, my early stumbling attempts firmly reinforced this belief. I had several severe catches, one after another, chunks of wood flew off the lathe. When the tool caught, I tightened my grip, widened my stance and dove in as if going to battle. With each catch, the answer seemed obvious: control the tool with more force. But this sweat inducing death grip only made the tool bite with more pant filling excitement! I walked away from the lathe exhausted, nursing my bruised ego and sore forearms for days. How had the skew survived in the arsenal of so many turners when it was such a nasty tool? I would either persist in practicing skew techniques until I made more long curly shavings than catches or decide I’d wasted too many incredible chunks of wood and admit defeat. I couldn’t help but think, “How would my initial experiences have been different if my introduction to the skew was focused on its versatility and the beauty of cutting wood?”

Somewhere along the way, I began shifting away from tightening my grip to viewing each catch as a teachable moment. A moment where the wood and tool give you feedback on how they interact. An opportunity to turn off the lathe and look at why the tool is catching by performing a slow-motion replay. If I wanted to learn how to use the skew with confidence, I needed to deepen my understanding. By stopping the lathe and putting a little effort into observing the mechanics of cutting wood, my opinion of the skew began to change. The skew moved from the “barely worth hanging onto” position in my tool rack to the coveted “Top spindle tool I would want with me if I was stranded on a tropical island with a lathe and unlimited wood.”

During these summer months of traveling and tackling projects, I encourage you to take a moment to think about being “brand new” at something. What are your expectations? Are you open to observing and learning, or will you grip your ego and go to battle? Despite a busy schedule, remember to set aside time for exploring something new. You might just discover a favorite tool or technique!

]]> https://spswoodturners.org/september-meeting-mini-symposium-2 Thu, 21 Sep 2023 03:04:24 +0000 https://spswoodturners.org/?p=13030 This month is the second of two mini-symposiums for the year. The line up includes:
• Don Mars demonstrating inside out turning;

   

   

   
  
  

• Justin Parson demonstrating pen turning;

   

   

   
  
  

• Kathy Garlick selling at the club store;

   

   

   

   

• Doug Reynolds showing Kintsugi For Woodturners: Make it a Feature NOT a Flaw!;

   

   

   

• Pat McCart showing sharpening;

   

   

   

   

• John Howard demonstrating turning tool handles;

   

   

   

   

• Jimmie Allen demonstrating the D-Way beading tools and selling his D-Way and BoxMaster tools.

   

   

   

]]> https://spswoodturners.org/july-demonstrator-dan-stromstad Wed, 19 Jul 2023 17:55:08 +0000 https://spswoodturners.org/?p=12934 I began turning wood in Junior High School. While visiting an uncle in Southern California he noticed my excitement about wood turning and he gave me a lathe that he never used. With paper route earnings I purchased tools from Sears and my dad and I began turning on our midsized lathe. After seeing pens in a woodworking store in Port Townsend I said to my wife “I could make that!” Years later I wandered into a store and discovered pen kits and asked how to make them. The owner gave me a three minute lesson and after purchasing the needed extras for the lathe I began my current wood turning adventures.

The real turning point was Eric giving me a rough turned Madrone burl bowl. That was so exciting to turn. Dave Schweitzer noticed my excitement and asked me to come and see him. He had no idea what he was in for. After a long day at Dave’s he finally got rid of me after six in the evening. This began a marathon of turning wet wood and learning and practicing the techniques that had been shown. Two hundred rough turned bowls later there were signs of hope in my finished bowls.

Back to Dave’s and now hollow forms started popping up at home. A day with Roy Lane helped that experience as well. So much to learn and so little time, with lots of practice happiness ensued. Urns, baby rattles and vases appeared, some with dyed and some natural finishes.

The many demonstrators at our club and others continued to teach techniques that were new to me. With practice these new methods became easier to use and led me to produce better results.

– Dan Stromstead

]]> https://spswoodturners.org/march-membership-meeting-5 Wed, 16 Mar 2022 22:48:57 +0000 https://spswoodturners.org/?p=11950 On March 17th, will feature our twice yearly mini-symposium where some great club members setup demonstration tables and you’re welcome to visit those that interest you, stay and watch and interact with the member to ask questions and ask for advice to help you advance in our woodturning adventures. A great learning opportunity.

The members presenting will be:

• Jimmie Allen showing box turning and he will have his great tools for sale
• Mike Poirier will show his method for using the Tormec system to sharpen turning tools
• AlisaBeth Nash will show her Nib Dip Calligraphy pens
• Kent Horton will show Bow ties
• Jeff Marshall will cater to beginning turning techniques
• Doug Reynolds on signing your work

This is a meeting you will NOT want to
miss.

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