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.

“I can trace my current status in life back to the third grade, when they needed trombone players for the grade school band. That started a lifelong interest in music which led ultimately to my graduation from Indiana University with a degree in music.

After a stint in retail management, I discovered painting and became a “professional artist” for 22 years. In 1999 I shifted my attention to furniture design and for ten years I designed and built contemporary furniture and accessories, drawing on my painting experience to develop a signature style.

In 2009, I discovered woodturning and began another chapter in my creative life. I knew that I needed to find a way to use all the knowledge and understanding I had acquired in a lifetime in the arts. I consciously worked at developing a unique style.

I’m now represented by a number of nationally recognized galleries, have been featured in a variety of woodturning publications and woodturning exhibitions, and travel the country and abroad giving demonstrations and workshops in the fine art and craft of woodturning.”

Alan has written articles for Woodturning Magazine, More Woodturning, Woodturning Design, and the American Association of Woodturners journal, American Woodturner.

You can see more of Alan’s work on his website, Alan Carter Studio.

Based on what I learned from our January demonstrator, Stephen Hatcher, I think that West System 105 epoxy would be great for this type of application. Gabor applies the resin to the bowl while it is still chucked so I presume that some type of filler would be necessary to keep the resin from running. All in all, this looks like an interesting project, albeit a stinky one.

Have you tried this type of project? If so, what type of materials/construction did you use and what did you learn in the process?

So it is nice to see efforts to introduce young people to the art of woodturning. In the current issue of Woodturning there is an article about a turning club in the UK that has introduced 600 Scouts to turning. The June, 2011 issue of American Woodturner had a story about the Southern Piedmont Woodturners who received an Educational Opportunity Grant to purchase mini-lathes and conducted a three-day workshop for fifteen students of the Albermarle Sr. High industrial arts program. And the AAW Symposium in Minneapolis included a youth turning program for 83 participants which included giving away twenty-five complete turning packages. I know there are many other examples of woodturning clubs providing demonstrations and teaching youth.

And then there is this young man, Alex Harris from the UK who at the age of 16 has been woodworking for 5 years. He started making videos of his processes and in this one he demonstrates a router lathe that he built. Nice to see young people with imagination, motivation and creativity.

As it turns out, Woodturning magazine has a recent review of this lathe on their website. If you are not up-to-date on the different lathes available, this article gives a great look into the capabilities and craftsmanship of this lathe. You can read the review on their Jet 3520B Heavy Duty Woodturning Lathe page.

Woodturning has several tutorials for different types of turning, tools, materials and interviews with Woodturners. They have been running a series on basic use of various woodturning tools so if you have prior issues or access to them through your club you may want to take a look. These are from the last 18 months: