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  1. Watching Mr Derry last Thursday was interesting. Normally I would have been disappointed that there was no turning done or any wood being worked on but I could not help being fascinated by his demo. Use of color and ability to look at something from a unique point of view are the biggest things I took away from last Thursday. Thank you again Mr Derry and I cant wait to see you again soon.

    1. I agree that it was a very informative presentation. Sometimes we just want to turn something without some thought of what the end result will be. That’s works for some people, but not me.

      And to think the club’s new Powermatic lathe was set up and ready to go and it didn’t even get turned on during the demo.

  2. Do you submerge only turned pieces? Or logs too?

    I tried your formula on Manzanita logs, and even after full emersion for over 24 hours the wood split badly. I used the 1 for 1 and the 6 to 1 formula’s and neither worked. I am putting in cut logs 15 to 18 inches long and from 4 to 8 inches in diameter. Do you have any recommendations?

    I am also trying the 6 to 1 formula on Ash & Madron and hope to have better results. Have you worked withe either?

    Any information would be appreciated.

    John

    1. Hi John,

      I would suggest that you contact Ron through his website at ronkent.com. My experience is that Ron responds pretty quickly and is happy to share information.

      It also appears from the planning guide that Ron will be at the AAW Symposium next week, so if you are attending you might be able to ask him in person.

  3. I was fortunate enough to attend the St. Paul Symposium. I had been able to go to the Utah Symposium earlier this year and really had a great time but everyone said that the AAW was different. It was.

    For one thing, it was huge. There were 1700+ woodturners and others with an interest in woodturning (i.e. collectors, museum staff, gallery owners, etc.). While Utah put the emphasis on technique, the AAW added to that a lot of focus on the business and artistic side. Woodturning is a “big tent” as exemplified by the Instant Gallery. There was a large and amazingly diverse range of work shown which was both energizing and daunting at the same time. It was great to see some of the work I’d only seen in books or websites and to meet some of the people, like David Ellsworth, Jaques Vesery, Binh Pho and John Jordan who have helped shape the woodturning world and who have inspired me.

    The demonstrations I was able to attend were great, especially, Michael Hosaluk and Malcolm Tibbetts, and John Jordan’s slide show on Inspirations and Ideas was, well, inspiring. The panels on the ArtistCollector and Woodturning Conventional to Art were eye-opening and showed that there was a lot of serious thought on how the gallery and museum world viewed wood art on both sides of the fence.

    Then there was the candy store–the vendor area was huge and my credit card kept jumping out of my wallet. Beside the tools (which were almost all discounted) there was a ton of wood (well, probably more than a ton–let’s just call it a buttload). It’s a testament to ballistic nylon that I was able to get several good size chunks of ash burl, some spalted birch and sundry other blanks home in my suitcase.

    The only disappointment was that the auction prices were pretty low. Some people got some great deals on some pieces but a lot of the turners were concerned that, even with collectors there, the bidding was pretty weak especially given that they had donated their work and that the funds raised were for the AAW Educational Opportunity Grants. Three of the people at the table where I sat had pieces in the auction and they all felt that their pieces should have raised a lot more money.

    I ran into a lot of folks from the Northwest including SPSW President Dan Stromstad and a number of folks I’d met at the Utah Symposium. They were all very gracious to me and as one of the new guys I never felt excluded or that my contributions weren’t welcome. Both in Utah and St. Paul the open, welcoming and sharing nature nature of the woodturning community was on display, from the loftiest lathe superstar to the starstruck newbies like me. Did I feel I got my money’s worth? I had already gotten my money’s worth by the time they gave us the Handout Book at registration on the first day! Everything else was gravy.

    PS–Next year the Symposium will be in San Jose. Given the closeness I hope that an even larger contingent of folks from Washington will be there–it’s a quick 2 hour flight or a nice two day drive from here on I-5 and an even nicer longer drive on the coast and through the redwoods. If your spouse is understanding (mine is, within limits) they may let you stop and buy burls along the way.

  4. Hi,

    Thanks for the kind words about the vacuum seals and the link to my web site. I have had many positive emails from various customers. One of particular interest was that they can be washed. This came from a customer who buffs all his turnings. He told me that he had to throw away the old handmade seals after buffing a piece and that these seals make things much easier – this turner is 84 years old!!

    I have allot of new products forthcoming. Slated for September is a PVC Vacuum Kit that threads onto the spindle. If anyone has any questions about any of my products, please feel free to contact me.

    I try to support AAW clubs with their fundraising – so please have someone from your club contact me if I can be of help.

    Kindest regards,

    Don Doyle
    Rubber Chucky Products,LLC

  5. As it turns out, there is an article today in the MetroWNY news out of New York about a $1,500 AAW educational opportunity grant awarded to Springville-Griffith Institute High School a based upon an application prepared by Jed Donahue, a professional woodturner and Tim Baumgartner, fine woodworking instructor at the school.

    1. The show is open to the public. Regular show days and times are March 18th, 24th, 25th, 31st & April 1st ~ Noon-5PM, Mondays 10am-noon, Tuesdays 10am-noon, Wednesdays 2-7pm. There is also an Artists Reception/Opening Reception on March 17th from 11-5pm which is open to the public.

  6. I have a wild cherry log (green) that is very straight and untapered for nearly 30′. It is 18 – 20″ in diameter overall, without any limbs, so should be quite clear.
    I was going to cut it up for firewood, but decided there might be a more valuable use for it.
    Thanks for your help,
    Ron Smith
    cell (253)-307-3027

  7. I ordered three seals from Rubber Chucky for the PVC fittings that go into the vacuum hub I got from JT Turning Tools. Good idea, poor execution. The seals were so far out of square with the face of the chuck they were virtually unusable, and there was not enough material to true them up without destroying them. I can only guess that the seals made for the OneWay and WoodFast products are better.

    The hub from JT works extremely well, is precision machined and makes a perfectly concentric chuck when it’s put together with the adapter correctly. I ‘ll keep making the seals from closed cell foam and forming them with a groove cut into MDF. Perfectly square chucks every time.

  8. Jeff,

    Here it is November and I just happened to see this post. I wish you would have contacted me concerning this situation. If you are dis-satisfied with my product, I will gladly rectify the situation.

    But,first let me state that I don’t know how you are using the seals. They were NOT designed for the JT system and are not advertised as such. They are designed to be put on a certain brand of PVC fitting. All PVC fittings are not created equal!!

    I will also try to contact you via email. But, I just wanted people to know that I stand behind my products. All you had to do was call or write.

    Don Doyle
    Rubber Chucky Products, LLC

  9. John Beaver, loved your wavey plywood bowl. Do you have any information on the making of the bowl that you would care to share ?
    Thank you for your time,
    Ron

  10. I am looking for Tim Spaulding. I would like to speak to him about a tutorial he did on segmented pens awhile back. If some one could pass this on I would appreciate it. I am not a member here so I have no way of getting in touch with him.

    Thanks
    John T.

  11. [Marked as spam by Antispam Bee | Spam reason: Server IP]
    Don – I too am looking at your website and product for the PVC Chucky for the JT Turning Tools PVC adapter. Like the previous poster, I am currently using Fun Foam but it’s not great IMHO. Your product looks MUCH better. I’d like to know if it works well for this use.

  12. Jeremy,

    As stated before, my seals were not designed specifically for the JT Vacuum System.

    It is my understanding that the JT System requires that you purchase your own PVC – not necessarily a coupling.

    My seals fit PVC Couplings. Refer to my site http://www.rubberchucky.com for an explanation of how couplings are sized and which seals fit those couplings.

    The couplings that I have found to be the most consistent size wise are those made by Genova and are available at most True Value hardware stores. These are the ones I supply with my vacuum system.

    If you order my seals, I can also supply the couplings if you can’t get them locally.

    If you have any other questions, you can email me at sales@rubberchucky.com If you wish you can leave your phone number and I will be glad to call you.

    With regard to the previous poster, I tried to contact him and never got a reply.

    Once again, I stand behind my products.

    Thank you for your interest.

    Don Doyle

  13. Hi Dan,
    I really enjoyed reading of your earlier family and wood turning history. Your love of the craft is very apparent as you handle the monthly meetings. That love brings out a certain camaraderie within our group and generates enthusiastic contributions from our extremely talented members. On a personal note, I joined the club 4 months ago as a complete novice and am hopeful of someday obtaining skills needed to produce the beautiful monthly show and tell items. I’ve got a long way to go.

  14. Thank you for the feedback. It is rare that we on the board recieve any comments. Glad you are a member. Keep going to the sawdust sessions and this months mini symposium will be an event filled with educational opportunities. The club taught me so much and that is why I am greatful. We need enthusiaxtic members to step forward and sassume leadership positions so let us know how your skills can be used to help others.
    Dan

  15. Joel for the love of god please tell me you wear a respirator or facemask when doing anykind of woodworking or turning and that the picture for the website was taking because they wanted to show your face. If. Ot we will lose a tremendous talent as you are to “a wooden lung toxicity” . Wooden lung syndrome should never be taken lightly.

  16. Hello. I have a friend who may wish to part with some great lumber sections and sell them. I am doing the footwork for him for now. How do I help him learn what value it may have and who may be interested.
    Thank you for your help in advance!
    Sincerely, Milt

  17. I am looking for Dons Phone number. He handed out business cards at the demo but I cant seem to find the one I took. Anyone out there have it?

  18. Details on your classes = time, place, cost
    want to add a lathe to my woodshop and looking possibly to a used one

    Been looking at the general intl, 25=200 or the jet jwl=1442 vsk

    How do I contact the turners group in fife?

    Thank you
    Chet

  19. HELLO I have just been studying your lovely wave bowl .
    do you sell details of your jig for doing this work
    If so , how much & how can I purchase them
    I am from Ireland , so include postage , thanks
    Liam

  20. Hi Doug, our January meeting is on Thursday the 15th. Doors open at 6:00 for set-up, we have show-and-tell until 7:00, and the meeting starts at 7:00. This will be a good one as former chapter President Dan Stromstad is our demonstrator.

  21. Two great pieces of advice I got today that I though you might like.

    1. Have fun.
    2. It’s only fire wood.”

    If you can’t smile at that then what can you smile about? lol

  22. Hey guys, new member here. Looking for a mentor. Been turning for only a few months, my father-in-law let me use a small Craftsman mini-lathe. Having a lot of trouble with it and could use some input.

  23. Hello SPSW. I am looking for somewhere with appropriate tools and guidance, to try out woodturning. Total novice here. Does SPSW teach classes too? Input welcomed. Also, do you need to be strong to do this? Thank you in advance for any info. Sherri Stern

    1. I would recommend that you attend our next chapter meeting. This month we are having a mini-symposium where several members will be demonstrating different processes, techniques and skills. We can also introduce you to our Mentoring Chairperson. He will be a great resource for you as well. Our March meeting is on March 16th at 6:30 p.m. Location info is located under “About” on the website menu.