August Demonstrator – John Howard

Like so many of us, John Howard had a decades long break between being introduced to woodturning in high school wood shop classes and taking it up again. In the interim, he completed a Biology degree, served 5-years in the Army, and had a long career as a teacher dean of instruction, first at Portland Community College and then at Bates Technical College in Tacoma.

John returned to wood turning shortly before he retired from Bates in 2012. He joined the South Puget Sound Woodturners in 2014, and since then joined the SPSW board and often acts as a mentor at monthly sawdust sessions.

At the SPSW’s August meeting, John will demonstrate how to make a segmented pen, which is a relatively simple project, that is a good introduction to more complex segmented turning projects. Also highlighted during this demonstration will be using a skew chisel to minimize tear out and use of cyanoacrylate (super glue) as a finish.

AAW / demonstrator / finishing / Membership Meeting / segmented / techniques / woodturner profile / woodturning events

What’s Happening at Other Chapters

The Inland Northwest Woodturners in Spokane Valley are meeting on August 3rd. Members are asked to bring their “shortcuts” – turning tricks and aids. Also, congratulations to the Inland Northwest Woodturners who won 1st place in the AAW Best Chapter Website contest.

The Northwest Woodturners in Beaverton, Oregon are holding their annual picnic and fundraising auction on August 5th.

The Southwest Idaho Woodturners Association in Boise, Idaho will be meeting on August 9th. The program for the evening has not been announced.

The Fraser Valley Woodturners Guild in Abbotsford, B.C., are on their summer hiatus. Meeting will resume in September.

The Willamette Valley Woodturners in Salem, Oregon will be meeting on August 10th. Todd Halleman will demonstrate turning natural edge burl bowls.

The Seattle Woodturners are meeting on August 10th. Bob Epsen will demonstrate turning Tagua Nuts and twisted boxes.

The Mid-Columbia Woodturners will be hosting an all-day meeting with renowned turner Jimmy Clewes on August 12th.

The South Coast Woodturners in Coos Bay, Oregon will be meeting on August 12th. The program for the day has not been announced.

The Cascade Woodturners in Portland, OR, will be meeting on August 17th. John Hampton from Raymond, WA will demonstrate how he works with salvaged wood.

The Southwest Washington Woodturners will be meeting on August 23rd. Rick Rich will demonstrate turning a train.

The Beaver State Woodturners in Beaverton, Oregon will be holding their annual picnic on August 24th.

The Woodturners of Olympia will be meeting on August 24th. This meeting will feature their Turn and Learn event.

The Island Woodturners Guild on Vancouver Island is on their summer hiatus. Meetings will resume in September.

The Northwest Washington Woodturners in Mt. Vernon are holding their annual potluck picnic on August 26th.

The Strait Turners in Sequim, WA are holding their joint summer picnic with the Olympic Peninsula Woodturners on August 12th. Then on August 29th at the Gardiner Community Center they will have their regular membership meeting where Ralph Lindberg will discuss finishes.

The Olympic Peninsula Woodturners holding their joint summer picnic with the Strait Turners from Sequim on August 12th. Later in the month, on the 30th, they will be having their regular membership meeting. This will be a mini-symposium by members on how they process wood into blanks.

The Greater Vancouver Woodturners Guild in Vancouver, B.C. is also on summer hiatus. Meetings will resume in September.

AAW / chapter profile / demonstrator / woodturning events

July Meeting – Woodturning Panel Discussion

Our panel consists of chapter members who will be facilitating an open discussion covering woodturning topics. Chapter members Dan Stromstad, Roy Lane, Carol Zandel, Brad Huseby, Bob Sievers and *Pat McCart have over 60 years of combined woodturning experience and tricks they have learned at the lathe. Topics could consist of techniques, tools, methods, safety, sharpening, materials, finishes, etc. If you have questions for the panel now is the time to engage with experienced wood-turners at the chapter meeting, July 20, 2017.

*Pat is the moderator

Dan Stromstad
Roy Lane
Carol Zandel
brad husby
bob sievers

AAW / demonstrator / Membership Meeting / techniques / woodturning events

What’s Happening at Other Chapters

The Northwest Woodturners in Beaverton, Oregon will be meeting on July 6th. Tania Radda a wood artist from Scottsdale, AZ, will be demonstrating the use of Cold-Bend™ hardwood.

The Inland Northwest Woodturners in Spokane Valley are meeting on July 6th. Frank Hutchison will be discussing and demonstrating the basics of good sanding.

The Mid-Columbia Woodturners will be meeting on July 8th. Gordon Lienau will demonstrate turning a Celtic Knot pepper grinder.

The Fraser Valley Woodturners Guild in Abbotsford, B.C., are on their summer hiatus. Meeting will resume in September.

The Willamette Valley Woodturners in Salem, Oregon will be meeting on July 13th. Eric Lofstrom will be the demonstrator.

The Seattle Woodturners are meeting on July 13th. The chapter will be holding a mini-symposium.

The South Coast Woodturners in CoosBay, Oregon will be meeting on July 8th. The program for the day has not been announced.

The Southwest Idaho Woodturners Association in Boise, Idaho will be meeting on July 11th. The program for the evening has not been announced.

The Northwest Washington Woodturners in Mt. Vernon will be meeting on July 20th. Martha Collins, faculty member of the Port Townsend School of Woodworking, will be demonstrating how she creates unique, three dimensional works of art with exotic hardwoods and brightly colored veneers.

The Cascade Woodturners in Portland, OR, will be meeting on July 20th. Michael Mocho will turn a small piece on the lathe using textural elements and a series of fitted parts.

The Woodturners of Olympia will be meeting on July 27th. The program for the evening has not been announced.

The Beaver State Woodturners in Beaverton Oregon will be meeting on July 27th. Sara Robinson will be demonstrating turning spalted wood.

The Island Woodturners Guild on Vancouver Island is on their summer hiatus. Meetings will resume in September.

The Strait Turners in Sequim, WA are meeting on July 25th at the Gardiner Community Center. Jim Conway will be demonstrating pen turning.

The Southwest Washington Woodturners will be meeting on July 26th. This month will feature the 3rd annual auction.

The Olympic Peninsula Woodturners will be meeting on July 26th. Kathleen Duncan will demonstrate turning thin-walled bowls.

The Greater Vancouver Woodturners Guild in Vancouver, B.C. is also on summer hiatus. Meetings will resume in September.

AAW / chapter profile / demonstrator / Membership Meeting / techniques

A Great Read

As a woodturner I like to learn skills and techniques from others, whether it be in-person demonstrations, videos, books or articles. Always looking for a good woodturning magazine I found Woodturning from GMC Publications in the UK. Woodturning has well written articles on techniques, tool tests, safety, education opportunities and more. This month’s issue includes articles on steady rests, using pedestals on work, evaporative finishes, fundamentals of hollow turning and more.

Another standard feature is called Community Links, where the editors look for interesting woodturning content on the internet. As it turns out this months Community Links includes Eric Lofstrom’s site. The description says “His website is a rich visual feast as well as having lots of resource material that he has generated for turners to download, covering subjects such as translucent bowls, square-rimmed work, sharpening and much more.” If you are looking for a great resource I recommend Woodturning magazine.

p.s. Neither I nor the South Puget Sound Woodturners receives any compensation as a result of this post. Figured someone would ask.

demonstrator / finishing / Jigs / Lathes / techniques / tools

June Demonstrator – Fred Abeles

Fred AbelesFred was born and raised in Seattle, graduated from Seattle’s Queen Anne High School, attended the University of Washington and studied professional photography at Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles, California. He has been married to his wonderful wife Donna for 53 years, has two sons Kevin and Ken and is a grandparent to 7 wonderful grandchildren and great grandparent to 3.

Fred has been woodworking most of his life and got interested in wood turning about 15 years ago when he watched John Swanson demonstrate pen turning at the Puyallup Fair.

He was hooked at that point and began gathering all of the tools necessary. He practiced, practiced and practiced.

He watched many demonstrations over the next few years and practiced, practiced and practiced. He made gifts for all of his family and friends but couldn’t stop there. He began selling his wares to friends and fellow workers, Saturday markets and Holiday Bazaars and has continued to do so.

Fred owned Kent Photography, a professional photography studio for 25 years followed by 18 years at Microsoft as the technical manager for Microsoft’s Visitor Center. He retired six years ago and is currently a part-time sales associate at Woodcraft of Seattle sharing his passion and hobby.

Fred’s demonstration will be pen making from start to finish including drilling of the blank, gluing the brass tube, shaping the pen on the lathe and finish sanding. He will then show you a new method of spray finish and final buffing and assembly of the pen.

Fred hopes that you enjoy his demonstration and that you are able to pick up some new tips and techniques.

AAW / demonstrator / Membership Meeting / techniques / woodturner profile / woodturning events