Artistic Woodturners

Newsletter August 2008

Hope you are back from your vacation and ready for another meeting to pick up some more useful information to help you in your quest to become a better turner. We will have Robert McBroom doing one of his informative demonstrations which will be on FINISHING small items such as bottle stoppers, ornaments etc.

  Our club has collectively the knowledge to show you about any thing that you want to turn. Our members are willing to show you how to make what you want. All you have to do is ask one of our mentors, Bill Bryan, Jack Diamond, George McClure, Ralph Thomas and Al McCoy You can get their numbers from our members area on the web or look up the numbers in the phone book. If you want to be included in this group let the committee know and you will be added to the list.

The picnic last month was very well received, thank you for all the good food. The attendance was down somewhat, but all the attendees had a very good time.

We had our first attempt to “Stump Leland” it was fun. If you don’t know what that was and were not present, this is what you missed, some of our members brought local woods turned into a creation, along with bark, leaves, and or needles from that tree for Leland to make the identification.  Not everyone brought the leaves etc. so Leland was at a disadvantage. He did very well with what was presented to him. The next time we will stress the importance of the leaves, bark, and turning for the attempt to stump Leland.

  Coming up in September we will have a how-to meeting. Ralph Thomas will show us how to use his hollowing rig; Al and Jack will show how to make jigs for holding wood for turning ornaments. And cutting wood out of ¾ inch boards for ornaments.

NOTE: Our regular meeting for this month will be on the 23^rd of the month. The woodmen are having their meeting on the 16^th to decide if they will be selling their property. Keep looking for a meeting place for our club. Will see you on the 23^rd.

Waiting for the food and the start of the meeting.


Look at all the happy faces.


To Serious, needs some excitement or are they dreaming about the food.


Our auction to raise money for our club and promote more ideas with the dried wood ready for turning.


Donations from Leland seem to sell very well. Like Cracker Jacks a surprise in every box.

Next comes the first of the segment of the meeting where we try to Stump Leland. Some of the participants didn't bring in any vegetation or bark which put Leland at a disadvantage. He did very well with what was presented, so next time bring in what is required to level the playing field.


Leland is ready for your wood, fortified with his library on woods and such.


Everything you ever wanted to know about trees is in this book, so bring on the turnings, bark and leaves, along with your inspiration as to why you chose this particular wood.


Here Jack holds up his version of wood found very close to his house which he called Hemlock to which Leland disagreed.


Leland explains what kind of wood he is holding, giving his observations as to what  the botanical name and where it is found.

Looks like a disagreement to this observer. as to the correct name.


Looks like a Christmas center piece.


John Peeples holds up his choice for Leland.

Looks like a plum tree to me.



Ralph holds up a leaf from a Florida Red Maple in the other hand he has a small bowl from the same tree. 


The small bowl is from the Florida Red Maple the other from A River Burch tree.


Al holds up his contribution to the stump Leland portion. Al was digging out a stump that had been in the ground for a long time since Hurricane Opal. The termites wouldn't even eat the wood. The tree was a Long Leaf Pine and the stump was heart pine 95% turpentine. Not his favorite wood, but it goes to show you can turn about anything.


Leland has just the wood to divine the type of tree it comes from, a slight disadvantage for him.


Please the next time bring a few clues to help him out.


Fred Bond had a contribution. As usual the photographer cannot remember what he turned.


Frank Strong holds up a mushroom made out of his choice Rose of Sharon. The bowl on the table is from the same tree.


Leland had a large lidded box  for Show and tell, looks like Pecan.

Leland's Inlayed table nice looking inlay and the legs are turned.



Mark shows off two very nice natural edge bowls.


Mike Demaline's finished segmented bowl. Beautiful ! Made from Bolivian Rose wood. If you have some of this wood be careful it did a number on Mike's skin while he was working with this wood had to go to the doctor for treatment.


The bottom of his segmented bowl.


Al shows one of his few contributions to S&T said that the wood came from a friends Brazilian Cherry flooring scraps, so don't turn your nose up if someone wants to give you  wood in small pieces. Note: the pieces should be long enough to go thru your plainer.





Looks like George has been very busy turning this past month, Hand painting, wood burning, piercing and  turning and still found time to go to the symposium. Great job.




The picnic turned out very well, plenty of food and a good variety. Thanks to all the ladies for the food. Grrrrateeeee.