As The Wood Turns Internet Version

February 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
> January 2006 Gallery
> Book Review
> Club Meeting Minutes

As I write this column, your Newsletter Editor is chewing me out for missing my deadline, but I wanted to wait until after the Curt Theobald demonstration this past Saturday to put my thoughts on paper. Curt is a segmented turner, which means that he spends more time and effort planning his project, and then preparing and gluing the wood segments than he does actually turning the piece. The planning involved is essential, and the end results are spectacular.

Most of us are drawn to woodturning for the immediacy of the process. In an hour or so, we can produce a finished turning. A spin top, a pen, a pepper mill, even a bowl can be produced quickly. Within a short amount of time at the lathe, we have a useful, beautiful object completed. Segmented work takes more time, planning and patience, as do turning projects involving carving, air brushing and other surface treatments. Is one process superior to the other?

Not at all. The bottom line is making what you want to make, using the techniques you enjoy. The joy of woodturning is in the lack of rules (safety rules apply every day, however), and the many paths we can travel to create our art and craft. Ernie Conover, a talented turner and educator, once wrote a magazine article describing useful items he had made for the home, including a flush handle for his toilet. Useful? Yes. Art? Well, useful. That worked for Ernie.

What works for you? There are over 200 CWT members and roughly 11,000 AAW members. No two of us want to make the same pieces; no two of us approach woodturning from the same direction. That, my friends, is the joy of turning. What works for you may not work for me, but we are both OK with that. You will show me the technique you used, and I’ll share my little turning secrets, but your work will never look like mine, and my work will never look like Ernie’s. But we will all enjoy and benefit from the sharing of ideas, the planning, and the immediacy of woodturning.

Due to space constraints in the printed version of the January newsletter, the illustration "having fun with the lathe" was not included. Here it is as a reminder of Rule 4: “Have Fun”!

Until March, plan some, turn lots, remember Rule 4, and please turn safely.

Paul Shotola
Email address:

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Meeting Demonstrators 2006

February 2006
Turning Platters for February —
Dick Sing

March 2006
Basket Illusion Turning —
Fred Gscheidle

April 2006
Surface Design  — Binh Pho

May 2006
Surface Treatments — (Tentative) Chuck Young

June 2006
High Speed Air Turbine Carving Tom Waicekauskas

Book Review
By Paul Shotola

Woodturning Wizardry, Revised Edition 2005
David Springett

Chinese balls, cubes within spheres, interlocking lattice work. If you are curious about how these projects are made or want to try them yourself, this is the definitive book for you. Even if you own the original 1993 edition of Springett’s fascinating book, you need to own this revised edition. This book makes clear the seemingly impossible, and greatly increases the reader's ability to produce turnings that will astound and amaze both fellow turners and non-turners alike. The artwork is greatly improved, with clear drawings and cutaway views not found in the original. If your turning needs a boost to more complex and fascinating projects, I highly recommend this new revision.

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Minutes of the Chicago Woodturners Club Meeting
January, 2006
By Paul Cavanagh

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

Old Business
December Elections — Both Paul Shotola and Paul Cavanagh were elected in a landslide vote for the positions of President and Secretary, respectively. Partying continued long into the night with supporters.

Paul Shotola recognized some visitors — two of the founding members of CWT. Then there were only eight members! Imagine that!

Set-up/Clean-up volunteers are needed for the 2006 meetings. A sign-up sheet was circulated and almost all the positions was filled. Thanks everyone!

The next guest demonstrator is Curt Theobauld on 1/21/06. Come and see this precision turner and his segmented vessels.

The Woodcraft Hands-On Day is Saturday Jan 14 and they need a few CWT members to teach some newbies how to turn. Call Tom Forney at the store to volunteer.

Library News
Grant Barlow has 7 new DVDs in the library. He also has completed an electronic file listing all items in the library and will post it in Yahoo Groups.

Collaborative Coordinator Dick Stone and Jon Keith did some design sketched for our 2006 entry and handed out some turning assignments. More to come next month.

Raffle was coordinated by Darrell Rader this month. Items included tri-point tools and an anti-fatigue mat. The new Raffle Chairman is Wayne Bernahl.

The gallery was reviewed by Dan Anderson. He had a nice collection of gallery items of various designs. Good in sight and feedback from an expert turner.

The demonstration was performed by Fran Iselin. She showed tools and techniques for cutting threads, both inside and outside. Well organized demo, Fran.

Clean-up Volunteers for February
Bob Landorf
Paul Shotola
Fran Iselin
Jack Iselin

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