February Demonstrator – David Best

David BestI have been tinkering with wood since I was 9. I got introduced to turning in the late 80’s when my wife and I gave my father-in law a book by Dale Nish called “Creative Woodturning” for Christmas. It totally captured my interest. I learned about the Seattle turning club but my job didn’t allow me the time to go. A friend told me about a new club starting in Fife and I have been a member since the first meeting. Last October I had the opportunity to take a free week long class from J Paul Fennell at Arrowmont, a craft school in Gatlinburg Tenn. Ever since I first saw his work I’ve been mesmerized by them. It was a wonderful experience to turn for a week in a small class with Paul there to guide you through his techniques. I will attempt to show you the tools and approach needed to create pieces like his.

The bottom line is anyone can do this type of work if you are willing to devote the time.

David Best

demonstrator / Membership Meeting / techniques / woodturner profile

What’s Happening at Other Chapters

The Northwest Woodturners in Beaverton, Oregon are meeting February 5th. The program for the evening has not yet been announced.

The Inland Northwest Woodturners in Spokane Valley are meeting on February 5th. The program for the evening has not yet been announced.

The Southwest Idaho Woodturners in Boise, ID are meeting next on February 10th. Scott Taylor will be presenting Carving Projects.

The Fraser Valley Woodturners in Abbotsford, B.C. will be meeting on February 12th. The program for the evening has not yet been announced.

The Seattle Woodturners are meeting on February 12th. The program for the evening has not yet been announced.

The Willamette Valley Woodturners in Salem, Oregon will be meeting on February 12th. Dick Worthy will be demonstrating Trembleurs.

The Cascade Woodturners in Portland, OR will be meeting on February 19th. Lloyd Johnson, developer of Woodturner Pro software, will be demonstrating segmented turning.

The Northwest Washington Woodturners in Mt. Vernon are meeting on February 19th. NWWWT member Mike Young will demonstrate wooden hat turning

The Olympic Peninsula Woodturners are meeting next on February 25th. Glenn Schaffer will be demonstrating natural-edged vases, green, with heart.

The Woodturners of Olympia are meeting on Februay 26th. The program for the evening has not yet been announced.

The Southwest Washington Woodturners in Vancouver, WA will be meeting on January 28th with a demonstration of furniture projects; stools, tables, coat racks, etc.

The Island Woodturners Guild on Vancouver Island are next meeting February 28th. Phil Cottell will be demonstrating Turning a platter and carving it.

The Greater Vancouver Woodturners Guild in Vancouver, B.C. are meeting on February 25th. The program for the evening has not yet been announced. Also, Stephen Hatcher will conduct an all-day demo on the 28th and a hands-on class on March 1st.

AAW / chapter profile / demonstrator / Membership Meeting / woodturners / woodturning events

January Demonstrator

dan stromstadLike many of you I began turning wood in Junior High School. While visiting an uncle in Southern California he noticed my excitement about wood turning and 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. This ended when I left home for college except for visits home. When my father was gone my lathe came back to me. After seeing pens in a woodworking store in Port Townsend I said to my wife like so many of you, “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.

Delving into the many turnings that could be made on a small lathe with excitement growing a customer came to me for eyewear and I found that he rebuilds lathes as a hobby. We worked out a deal for a larger lathe. It was poor at best and eventually it was sold and a brand new General lathe came home. Borrowing a chuck from my friend Tom Bageant started me on the path to bowl turning.

The real turning point was Eric Lofstrom 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. A need for a larger lathe became very important and so the General lathe was sold and a Powermatic came home.

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 enabled me to produce better results.

At this meeting I will be demonstrating inside/out turning.

demonstrator / Membership Meeting / techniques / woodturner profile

Free Student Memberships to AAW

With a high percentage of schools eliminating shop classes the opportunity for middle or high school students to learn about woodturning are limited. So the AAW has started a new program for students from 10 to 25 years of age to get a free online membership, which includes the digital edition of American Woodturner.

Instructors who are teaching woodturning to junior/high school and college students will receive a promotional code that provides the students with the free membership. More information can be found on the AAW Youth and Student Programs page.

AAW / Membership

Student Woodturning Competition

AWFSLogo150x451The AAW recently announced that they are partnering with the Association of Woodworking and Furnishings Suppliers (AWFS) to launch “Turning to the Future”, a biennial student woodturning competition. Finalists work will be displayed July 22 – 25, 2015, at the AWFS’ biennial conference in Las Vegas.

All high school students in any program and post-secondary students in art, design, or trades programs are eligible to apply. The competition is open to all forms of woodturning, except furniture making. Work cannot be larger than 20″ in diameter. There is no entry fee.

First prize is $500, second prize is $100 and third prize is $50. All winners will receive an AAW symposium scholarship and have their work featured in the American Woodturner journal. Prizes are sponsored by Woodcraft and will be awarded in both high school and post-secondary categories.

Applications are due by May 1, 2015. More info can be found at the AAW Turning to the Future page.

AAW / contest / scholarships