Artistic Woodturners

May 08 Newsletter

The weather is getting very nice to be out and about. The trees are putting on new leaves and continue to grow; some may become turnings one day. I hope that you are well, turning and learning some new techniques, and making a gratifying work of art, one of a kind from your mind, a different shape and different finish trying to improve at every turn of the lathe.

This month Mike Peters will be showing the club some new ideas that you can perform on your lathe. He will be turning a fire stick, show you how he makes his LED lighthouses, and if time will allow show you how to make a turkey call.

In June Mike Demaline will be doing a demo, the subject to be determined by Mike.

July will be our BBQ pig-out with Ralph’s world famous pork and chicken prepared on his very own grill in backyard Gulf Breeze it doesn’t get any better than that. Put this event on your calendar and be ready with your side dishes of beans, coleslaw, potato salad, and pies, cake and bread, rolls and your favorite soft drink.

  Our President wants to have a special Show and Tell. This S&T if you choose to enter, will be a tree identification show. Mike said something about “stump Leland”. Make something from a tree and bring with your turning, a leaf or two, some bark from the tree and where you found it for the ID portion of the meeting. This will be for the July meeting.

  If you bring wood for the auction make sure the wood is stable for turning, punky wood does not turn well. We don’t want our members buying wood they cannot turn. We want the buyer to be happy.

  Remember to practice safety every day. Wear a dust mask when sanding and turning; a face shield will protect you from some flying objects. Long sleeves are a no no around a lathe. If you get the feeling you shouldn’t do something follow your instincts and think about a safer way. The body you are protecting is yours so take care of it there’s no spare parts.

  Note of interest, if you want to make a turkey call see Mike Peters, he has some extra slates for the call from the previous evolution. He will gladly sell you as many as you want. Gobble gobble!!

We had a very nice turnout for this meeting. Some members we have not seen for awhile and some visitors. Hope we lived up to their expectations.



If you were not there you missed a good session.


If you were there our President gave the true meaning to the term, a flying Saucer, which is setting before him in pieces. He was heard mumbling "I finished it anyway".


Jim Burt introduces his guest. 


James gives us the AAW report, a need for volunteers at the Symposium in Richmond Va. "Get a front row seat."


Chuck Gives a report about the Bill Grumbine Demo at the Freeport club. Bill was here visiting his first grandchild. His daughter lives in Freeport. If we ever want Bill to do another demo here, wait till he comes to visit his daughter and save us a plane ticket.



Our auction went well Ralph does a fine job. I might add, make sure the wood you bring is in good condition for turning. If the wood is rotten throw it away yourself and save the agony of trying to get someone to bid on your offering. Thank You.


Mike has created another fine segmented bowl.


Arlan shows off a very nice sharpening jig that he made, says it works very well. He also had some more turnings


A new handle and a turkey call. Nice going.


BO shows off his sharpening wheel that he made. The faceplate is made from a nut and washer that he brazed together. Reynolds Hardware has the 1" 8tpi nuts and washers if you want to make your own faceplate.


Darnell shows off a large bowl that he made from some mystery wood he found along the road. He did bring a sample of the bark for ID but our experts couldn't decide what it was. Leland wasn't present, our resident expert, to tell us what it was.

He also made two handles.


James makes a very nice turning from some holly. The wood was very white.
He says that he has a zapper to burn the holes in the vase.


A canteen for OB from Mark.


Keep making S&T something to look forward to. Thanks from all of the members.


Ralph has been hard at work turning. He has the desire to keep turning out beautiful turnings.


More inspiration from Ralph. Keep turning Thank you.


Frank makes a nice lidded box. Looks like he has put his cane aside.


Frank B. shows off his lidded box, says he likes the smaller turnings better since the reward comes sooner.



George shows off his latest burning project, good show.

The demos for the month of April.

Al shows Willie how to sharpen his hook tool. Notice Al is using the rest on his grinder. Using the rest makes getting one facet easier, you only need one bevel to ride.



I hope you enjoyed the demo.


Bill Bryan  prepares the wood for shaping the bowl. Looks like he has their attention.


Shaping the outside of the bowl.




Bill shows his bowl turning techniques with a fingernail gouge. Notice how he rides the bevel. Once you understand what riding the bevel means your turning will really much better with fewer catches and less tool marks for sandpaper to remove.


Jack holds up his version of the skew that he will be demonstrating.

Jack shows how he uses the skew.


He makes using the skew look very easy. All it takes is practice, practice, practice, to make it easier.


James shaping up the outside of his turning. Notice the hole in the center for starting the hook tool.


James demonstrates the hook tool he made last meeting. Works very well.


And that's how you use the hook tool. Thanks to the demonstrators for their efforts, hope the club enjoyed the demos and learned something new, if you did learn something let them know.

Thanks to Russ Revels for taking the photos for Al who was doing a
demo, Russ you did an outstanding job.