woodturner - North Carolina Woodturners

North Carolina
WOODTURNER
Journal of the North Carolina Woodturners Association
A Chapter of the American Association of Woodturners
Volume 9, Number 5
May, 1999
“Muse”
By Stoney Lamar, Saluda, NC
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May 1999
The President’s Message
By Edgar Ingram
NORTH CAROLINA WOODTURNER
Journal of the North Carolina Woodturners Association
Published Monthly by the
NORTH CAROLINA WOODTURNERS ASSOCIATION, INC
On behalf of the NCW, I would like to express our
thanks to the Sorby Company for their presentation at
our April meeting. Also, I would like to express our
appreciation to the Woodworking Shop for the excellent Bar-B-Que lunch they provided for our enjoyment and nourishment.
Since we are a chapter of the American Association of Woodturners, I recommend membership
in AAW as well as NCW. There are benefits in being a member of both clubs for anyone interested in
woodturning. If you are interested, we have membership applications available or you can contact AAW
directly at 3200 Lexington Avenue, Shoreview, MN
55126 or telephone 651-484-9094.
While on the subject of AAW, if you have
always wanted to visit the Pacific Northwest, you
now have the perfect excuse. The 1999 AAW Symposium will be in Tacoma, Washington, June 18-20,
1999. As always, they have an outstanding line up of
demonstrators including Bill Johnston of our Club. I
have learned that Northwest Airlines has lower rates
for travel in the month of June (for example $257
from Greensboro round trip per person to Seattle).
This is a great opportunity to combine woodturning
and a vacation at a reasonable price.
We continue to have an excellent gallery
each month. The gallery provides an opportunity to
show off your creations as well as share ideas of design and technique. Do not be bashful, but bring
your work and let’s fill up the table and, if necessary,
add another one.
Stoney Lamar from Saluda is on schedule
for May. I look forward to seeing you at 10:00am,
May 8 in Hickory. Good turning and remember:
BRING SOMETHING FOR THE GALLERY.
Route 7, Box 137, Hendersonville, NC 28791
Editor: Bonner Guilford
1371 Perth Road, Troutman, NC 28166
(704) 332-2149 [email protected]
Contributing Editor: Mark Sakatos
OFFICERS
President: Edgar Ingram, Statesville
Vice President: Dean Amos, Sandy Ridge
Treasurer: George Wunker, Winston Salem
Secretary: Mary Bachand, Hendersonville
Programs: Dick Nielsen, Gastonia
(704) 876-4576
(336) 871-2916
(336) 768-9855
(828) 890-4451
(704) 864-1742
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
John Winslett, Tryon
Lee Holt, Swannanoa
Roy Fisher, Graham
Bill Young, Asheville
Jesse Wilkinson, Conover
Gary Johnson, Statesville
Craig Summerville, Charlotte
J.T. Barker, Hudson
Clyde Hall, High Point
(Term exp. 1999)
(Term exp. 1999)
(Term exp. 1999)
(Term exp. 2000)
(Term exp. 2000)
(Term exp. 2000)
(Term exp. 2001)
(Term exp. 2001)
(Term exp. 2001)
(828) 859-9863
(828) 298-3403
(336) 222-1714
(828) 254-0283
(828) 464-8519
(704) 873-4280
(704) 847-2383
(828) 728-9406
(336) 883-4474
PAST PRESIDENT
Jack Stewart, Charlotte
(704) 553-1819
Please welcome our new members
in NCWA! Wilbur Benshoof,
By Mary Bachand
Goode, Va; Mike Bucher, Asheville, NC; Charlie Kennedy, Lincolnton, NC; Bob Muir, Greensboro, NC; Jim Rientjes, Greensboro, NC. We hope all will
join in the Gallery fun and sharing of ideas.
Member News
Library News
Many years ago I took over the NCW
By Mary Bachand library which amounted to a few
books and even fewer videos. By
charging a small monthly rental fee,
the inventory has grown to such an extent that a kind member is making a new cabinet for video storage only. Then it
should be easier to display both books and videos.
Library Notes
Edgar Ingram
I am very proud of our investment but I am disturbed by the
lack of concern shown by some members. The video of
Charles Farrar's Grecian Urn demo was returned with another show taped over it! This cannot be replaced. The following videos: Elliptical Turning by David Springett,
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May 1999
Sharpening, The Professional Way by Jim Kingshott and my very own present from Bob Rosand, Turning Projects
From Scrap are all "lost". Also in this category is the book Turning Wooden Jewelry by Judy Ditmer. Please check
around and see if you can't find these items.
The board instructed me to list overdue items in the journal to save postage. In March I sent postcards to some members and got a poor response. I have no choice but to list these people and ask for help from concerned members.
Outstanding are: Jim Merrifield of Davidson, a book and video since January; Victoria Wells of Mount Airy, 2 videos and a book since November; Rick Phillips of Stoney Point, 3 videos since September.
All library equipment has my home address on it and members should mail the rentals to me if they can't attend a
meeting.
Now on the pleasant side, Toby Tobolic showed me a book which he thought would be helpful to our hesitant turners. I have ordered the book, Woodturning, Two Books in One , by Phil Irons and will have it at our May meeting.
Stoney Lamar, our May Demonstrator (May 8, 10:00am), is probably well known to all of
us. But beyond NCWA, Stoney is very well known nationally and internationally for his
approach to Woodturning as sculpture. His works are found in exhibition beside that of
By Dick Nielsen
Ellsworth, Hunter, Moulthrop and others. His pieces may also be seen in collections of
Woodturning art at the Woodturning Center, Philadelphia, Renwick Museum, Washington
and our own Museum of Craft + Design in Charlotte. This is a chance to learn something of the technique and
thought process involved in creating the sculptural form; a chance to learn about the subtle interplay of the symmetric and asymmetric form; a balance of harmony and tension expressed by shapes and tool marks. This is a chance to
grow as turners. Don’t miss it. There will be a light lunch; there is no fee.
Coming Events
Todd Hoyer will not be available for our June Meeting due to scheduling difficulties. Therefore, our June and July
meetings will be regular afternoon demonstrations by our own turning experts. The exact schedule will be posted.
April brought us another stunning gallery. We had 22 pieces ranging from a full size shepherds crook to an intricate spider like candle holder ensemble. The 15 gallery participants
were as follows: Jack Edmonston, J.T. Barker, Erskine Moore, Grant McRorie, Tom Fitz,
By Dean Amos
Clyde Hall, Gene Whitesides, Pat Campbell, Mike Collingwood, Dean Amos, Carlos Kennedy, John Hill, Edgar Ingram, Bill Young, and Don Oetjen. Job well done folks. Again, we encourage all of our
club members to contribute to the gallery, regardless of experience (and you get a free picture).
Gallery Notes
Challenge Project
By Dean Amos
April Challenge. The challenge for April was to turn a footed object. We had several
interesting pieces that fell in this category. Using their expertise, our international judges
picked a natural edged vase with a three toed foot turned by Dean Amos. A gift certificate was awarded.
May Challenge. Our demonstrator is our own Stoney Lamar, known widely for his artistic style and original composition of turned wood objects. Let’s try to see if we can be a little artistic ourselves for this meeting. The challenge for May is to turn an object that is not symmetrical. Any form or wood or material can be used. No limitations on imagination, creativity for this challenge. Some turning is required on the piece.
June Challenge. For the challenge this month, let’s try to create a turning with an unconventional shape. In other
words, not the usual urn or bowl form, but something with a variation in axis, outline or otherwise. Materials are of
your choice and obviously influence the outcome.
Raffle Report
By J.T. Barker
Judging from participation, April’s raffle went pretty well. Please let me know what you think
about the new method. Thanks to Edgar Ingram for his donation of two apple logs. I have
several other donations which I will put into next months raffle.
Once again the North Carolina Woodturners were honored with a demonstration sponsored by
the Woodworking Shop and featuring a demonstrator sponsored by Sorby Tools.
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April Program Review
By Gary Johnson
May 1999
This year's program featured renowned cabinet maker, woodturner, author, and
retired police homicide investigator, Keith Rowley.
Mr. Rowley is a production woodturner whose basic philosophy for turning is
quite simple - "technique is critical, and the larger the piece, the more critical." Keith feels that to be a woodturner
one must master certain basic techniques. These techniques apply to all
forms of woodturning. The first technique which must be mastered is
sharpening. "If you can't sharpen, you can't turn" said Mr. Rowley. He
mentioned several jigs that are available for grinding and then proceeded
to impress us all with his mastery of free hand grinding. He uses tools
straight from the grinder; in production work, speed is essential and a fine
honed edge is removed by the first contact with the wood, so he doesn't
hone his tools.
As a production turner, Keith feels that the fewer tools used, the better. A
turner should learn to use basic tools which are versatile and learn to use
them well. He demonstrated spindle turning by starting with a one inch
roughing gouge. This tool is misnamed because Keith also uses it as a
finishing tool and a parting tool. He demonstrated the three transition
shapes in spindle turning -a straight edge or square shoulder, a gentle
curve or radius, and an ogee curve which is half cove and half bead. In
addition to the "roughing gouge," he used only a small spindle gouge and
a skew chisel in turning these profiles. "There are only three basic shapes
in spindle turning -straight, which includes tapers, coves (hollows) and
beads (rounds)." These same shapes can then be adapted to face plate turning. Again he stressed that the basics
must be mastered.
After a great barbeque lunch provided by the Woodworking Shop, Mr. Rowley continued his presentation. Once
again he emphasized the need to know how to sharpen tools and demonstrated his skill by freehanding a fingernail
grind on a gouge that a club member had purchased during the break.
Keith demonstrated Sorby's texturing tool on a small bud vase which he turned. He stressed that texturing should be
used in moderation and usually to enhance a very plain piece of wood. He
parted this vase off, not with a parting tool, but with a "very small gouge
with a very long bevel."
A small open bowl was turned, mounted on a chuck with screw center.
Keith demonstrated the use of the texturing tool on this piece, both on the
outside of the bowl and the wide lip of the bowl. He showed the different
effects that can be achieved by holding the texturing tool at different angles.
The last 50 minutes was left for questions. A request was made to demonstrate the chatter tool. In this demonstration, Keith emphasized the need to
use this tool on dense (closed grained) wood to gain a defined chatter decoration.
The final demonstration was the use of the Sorby spiraling tool. Our own
John Hill had the opportunity to use the tool and was very pleased with the
result.
Our thanks go to the Woodworking Shop and Sorby tools for an excellent
program and a great lunch. The video of this program is available through
our library.
5
March Program Review
May 1999
Make a Lot of Work, Some of it Will Soar – Frank Sudol
By Roy Fisher
Continued from April Journal
Piercing
For piercing a vessel, Frank uses a high speed (350,000 rpm) dental drill with a long 6 millimeter dental drill. This
drill is designed in such a way that he is able to pierce the vessel with one push of the drill straight in. The secret to
piercing is to make one large hole and several small holes in the vicinity. Trying to have uniform holes makes the
vessel look manufactured. There are other good drilling units available such as the Foredom Power Tool or the Elector QCS NCH-350. Both units have variable speed but "wide" open is best for piercing. The ease of changing and
handling of the tool piece is very important when choosing a unit.
"It is as difficult or easy as you think it is." - Frank Sudol
Carving I Wood Burning
For carving, Frank uses the Foredom Power Tool and the Auto Mach Wood Carver with many hand pieces fitted
with different cutters. For wood burning, the Razertip Woodburn Unit with many tips was in his tool box waiting for
its’ turn to add beauty to one of his masterpieces.
Coloring
"Don't scoff at color on wood. It lets the price tag increase." - Frank Sudol
Frank prefers a dual action air brush for applying his colors to the work piece. The Paasche 'VL' Airbrush is a medium priced unit that is easy to maintain, but there are other good units on the market. With several small quick
change bottles of different colored paint, a rainbow of color may be added to a dull piece of wood in a matter of minutes. For masking, Frank brushes on a spray mask liquid used by auto body shops for detailing. The key to masking
is to be sure there are two light coats of sanding sealer applied to the raw wood before applying two coats of the
spray mask with a BRUSH. The sealer allows the designer to remove the mask in planned design patterns. To remove the mask, an automatic line knife or Exacto type knife is used to score the mask "without" damaging the wood
surface. Care must be exercised when removing the mask to prevent tearing of the edges. It is advisable to start removal from a broad area and end up at a sharp corner.
Through years of experimenting, Frank has developed his color form to the point where others are willing to accept
it and some even try to incorporate color into their work. Being copied is a nice compliment.
Nuggets to Ponder by Frank Sudol:
Creativity is not a race. It is a personal expression.
Judgment is our enemy. When we are judgmental, we should have a sharp pencil stuck up our nose.
You are nobody until you are not who you were.
Make your practice pieces in private. Then show the best one.
Learn about yourself. Save your bloopers to help you grow.
Reach for your own star while copying others along the way.
Don't deny who you are deep inside.
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May 1999
For satisfaction, be yourself and enjoy self worth.
There are no mistakes - only design opportunities.
It's crowded at the bottom, you won't be noticed until you're different.
Never quit because the world will never see what you were meant to be.
Accept things as they are - then go on.
In the last four years more has been learned about woodturning than in the last 400 years.
Make a lot of work, some of it will soar!
Frank, thanks for a delightful day of sharing woodturning/carving/coloring/philosophy and "Uncle Walter".
Fishbowl
By Frank Sudol
7
May 1999
NCW GALLERY
GALLERY
Clockwise from top left
Tom Fitz
Grant McRorie
Edgar Ingram
Kevin Bradley
Bill Young
Photos by George Wunker
8
May 1999
NCW GALLERY
GALLERY
Clockwise from top left
Jane Sunier
Jack Edmonston
Harold Lineberger
Bobby Phillips
Pat Campbell
Photos by George Wunker