As The Wood Turns Internet Version

April 2006

Location: Woodcraft Supply Store, 1280 E. Dundee Rd, Palatine IL
847-774-1186

In this Issue
> Curls from the President
> Demonstrators Schedule
   for meeting nights & weekend Master Demos
> March 2006 Gallery
> Club Meeting Minutes
> Gallery Review
> Trent Bosch Demonstration May 6

“I bought a lathe at the show, went home and tried to turn. I soon realized that the lathe hadn’t turned those beautiful vessels, John Jordan had.” This is Binh Pho talking about his earliest turning experience, as published in Woodturning #158. Binh is correct, the tool doesn’t produce the work, but the artist does. Jaques Vesery relates a story where an audience member at an Escoulen demo inquires about the sandpaper grit being used. “Fine.” is the response, but the guest isn’t satisfied. “Open coat, paper backed, silicon carbide?” “Fine.” responds the artist. The tools don’t produce the work, the artist does.

Christian Burchard, however, suggests that we buy every tool available, try them all, and then decide what works. Turning widows and financial planners the world over gasp at the suggestion, while shares in Sorby and Oneway skyrocket. What Christian means of course, is a limited tool selection can stifle our creativity.

When I was a young lad, Beatlemania swept the world, and I was determined to be part of it. Two years of mowing the largest lawns in suburbia provided me with enough cash to buy my first decent bass guitar. My first choice? A Hofner violin body bass, just like Sir Paul played on the Ed Sullivan show. The store, however, was out of stock on the violin shape, and I settled for a similar Hofner with a different body style. Two major errors were made that day. First, the $250.00 violin body bass (circa 1964) is now worth 20 times the original retail to collectors and the non-violin body is worth about two years of mowing lawns. Secondly, these were truly awful instruments. I can do two pages on their shortcomings, but the bottom line (we’re talking about Bass guitars, here, get it?) is that trying to learn on this inadequate instrument greatly hampered my musical education and my playing style. So much so that today, no one will pay money to hear me play. Quite the opposite, in fact.

The point of this little parable is that quality tools can make learning the woodturning craft more efficient, and a selection of quality tools can prevent you from being limited in your creativity. The sandpaper, however, doesn’t smooth the surface, the artist does. Buy decent gear, but get great teachers. Attend the demonstrations your club sponsors, and sign up for the classes offered. Participate in the symposiums. Use the club library to expand your knowledge. Remember, “…the lathe hadn’t turned those beautiful vessels, John Jordan had.”

Until April, purchase wisely, teach and be taught, and please turn safely.

Paul Shotola
Email address:

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Meeting Demonstrators 2006

April 2006
Christmas Ornaments —
Darrell Rader

May 2006
Miniature Goblets Steve Sinner

June 2006
Surface Treatments Chuck Young

July 2006
High Speed Air Turbine Carving —
Tom Waicekauskas

August 2006
Turning Weed Pots (tentative)
Rich Fitch

September 2006
Turning Miniature Hats (tentative)
Lloyd Beckman

Other identified topics not yet scheduled are:

• Texturing Methods
• Choosing & Applying the Right Finish
• Selecting the Right Turning Tools
• Mastering the Skew Chisel
• Fitted Lid Boxes
• Turning a Chess Set
• Salt and Pepper Grinders
• Using the High Speed Mini-Grinder
• Techniques in Using the Air Brush.
  

April — Glenn McMurray & Daughter

May — Marie Anderson

President Paul Shotola opened the meeting at 7:00 pm. The usual house and safety rules were described.

The next guest demonstrator is Eli Avisera on 4/2/06. Come and see this precision turner and his many skills.
Bonnie Klein will be here on 9/10.

Paul Shotola detailed the procedure for scheduling, paying and attending the hands-on classes to relieve Binh Pho and our treasurer of the task of tracking down attendees.

Library News
Grant Barlow has a new book on woodburning and 2 new DVDs. Anyone who has tools or other library items, PLEASE return them.

AAW Symposium is in Louisville, KY on June 21-24. Plan to be there with us. There will be 5 Oneway 2436 lathes given away, great demonstrations, fine companionship and the pleasure of participating in the Youth Workshops.

Collaborative Coordinator Dick Stone and Jon Keith reviewed the list of turners and their assignments. All pieces should be brought to the April meeting so that any additional/missing designs can be identified. They also had the project as it exists so far at the meeting. Looks great!

Raffle was conducted by Wayne Bernahl. He had a very fine piece of walnut, two tools, a package of 180-grit sandpaper, and a 3 x21 sanding belt.

A reminder that April Challenge is also upon us: 6" x 6" x 2". Only rule is one entry per member.

For your Calendar
The CWT picnic is on 9/23/06 at the Rader Ranch. Come one, come all. Bring a dish to share. More to come.

The gallery was reviewed by Paul Pyrik. He had a nice collection of gallery items of various designs, with a lot of walnut pieces. Good in sight and feedback from an expert turner.

The demonstration was performed by Fred Gscheidle. He showed designs, tools, and methodologies for woven and beaded looks on platters and hollow vessels. A good emonstration, Fred!

CLEAN-UP VOLUNTEERS FOR APRIL
Bob Barbieri
Mariano Martinez
Bob Flaherty
Tony Olszewski

Trent Bosch Demonstration May 6

Trent is a well known and experienced demonstrator from Colorado. His work is an eclectic mix of bowls, vessels and spindle work, all using reclaimed wood. No rainforests are harmed in his pursuit of Art. The demonstration will include his famous Vessels of Illusion, green wood turning and drying techniques, carving and surface treatments, and how to generate new ideas from life experiences.

In Trent’s own words: “Working with wood is part of my everyday life. It is my connection to the earth and the environment in which I live…My philosophy has always been to work in harmony with our environment and not to destroy something in order to create something. In all my art, I use only recycled and easily sustainable woods…My intent as an artist is to express my feelings about nature, my family and natural processes. Throughout the creative process I am continually reminded that I have not and will not ever be content. I will continue to create and strive for that body of work that has yet to be conceived.”

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