Artistic Woodturners

August 2006 Newsletter

Hello all you turners out there. The summer is half over, doesn’t seem possible, and the weather in the tropics is quiet at this time and hope it remains that way.

  The steering committee just met to plan what is coming your way. We hope that you approve what we have decided for the next few months.

  The Pensacola Museum of Art is hosting an exhibit of Florida Woodturners Dixie Biggs and John Mascoll from September 8th through October 14th, 2006.  We were attempting to bring Dixie Biggs here to demonstrate for the club as part of the event at PMA, but unfortunately, it doesn't look like it is going to work out.  We encourage everyone to check out the exhibit.  See the PMA website for more information:  http://www.pensacolamuseumofart.org/exhibitions.asp.

  The Challenge for August is “bring any turning “ it can be anything that you have turned in the past year or something new. We will have a table set up for the entries the committee asks that everything be placed on the same table. This arrangement will show the true volume of turnings furnished by our members all in one spot.

  Do not forget to turn your donated ornament for the Optimist Club. They will be selling the ornaments at their annual Christmas tree sale. The proceeds from the sale goes to help the needy children here in our area, we are counting on our club members to help.

  The club will be having some mini demonstration for this coming meeting. The will use the same format as the rotating demos of the last few months. You can pick and choose what you will look at. Ray Welsh will be turning an outside/inside ornament. George McClure will be showing you how to turn a pen, and Bill Bryan will be turning a goblet. These demos will all be in progress at the same time and you can pick and choose what you want to see. We will have something similar next month. This type of demo seems to be popular with the membership and we aim to please everyone.

  The committee is asking you for your suggestions on a turner that you would like to see giving a demonstration. Bring it up at the next meeting for discussion.

  Congratulations goes out to our President James McClure for his two items that has been accepted for display at the PMA.

  We are still looking to kick off a new portion of our meeting called “ The safety Reminder” the problem is we have not received any suggestions from our membership. Are there any ideas out there? Let the committee know how you are dealing with the dust, fumes and the noise or other hazards, so we can pass it out to the members.

  Keep turning and learning and sharing with the club things that you have learned or want to learn just ask us for help if you need it. Remember we are here to help you. See you at the meeting on the 19^th of July.

Photos from our last meeting with Al Hockenbery.


Anxiously waiting for Al Hockenbery


Here they are.


Al and wife 


Starting with a blank " I know there is a ball in there some place."


Lay out the dimensions of the ball.


Al explains his method and techniques.


Trimming the ball.



Checking for roundness of the Ball.


Making it right.


Trimming off the tenons for the first rotation.


Al shows his winged ball and explains how to turn.



Watch out for the wings.


The finished product, nice going.


Members undistracted taking in all the information. We have two new members that came because they saw Robert McBroom at Hajji craft show.

Using large drill bit to start hole in ball.

Al uses hollowing rig to hollow out Winged Ball. He uses a vacuum pump and strapping tape for safety of the onlookers.

Al showed us how to turn his version of the Southwest vessel.
The hands on session at OB's went well Thank You Hock.