Author: spaltyrotpunk

A southwest Michigan association for woodturners of all levels. As a member of the American Association of Woodturners, the club promotes education through classes and demonstrations for beginning and advanced woodturners.

May 2024

Off Center Beaded Bowl

Peter will be turning an off-center beaded platter. This turning will provide an opportunity to not only turn a small decorative platter, but also to add beads on a face-grain platter top rather than on a traditional spindle. The beads can be turned with either a spindle gouge or a beading tool. Both techniques will be demonstrated. Beads can be highlighted with a burning stick or Formica chip. Off-centering is accomplished via a second off-set drill hole for the screw chuck resulting in an unusual surface effect. This project was first described in an article in the American Woodturner magazine Summer 2007 edition written by Keith Gotschall.

April 2024

Making your turnings more Beautiful by adding an Ogee Curve

Shaping up your bowl with an ogee. An ogee will be defined mathematically and then shown how it is found in nature, architecture, engineering, statistics and art followed by a bowl turning demo incorporating an ogee.

March 2024

Adding Stain Color to Woodturnings

Lon Gobles is planning to demonstrate how he adds stain color to his woodturnings. He will discuss the process in terms of preparation, application, color sequence and techniques that he has learned that work for him. As Lon says, “ it’s so simple that even I can do it”. According to Lon, everyone will be able to go home and do some beautiful coloring of their turnings without any problems after they have seen his demo

October 2023

Polytek of Kalamazoo will introduce us to their products.

We will have an informational demonstration put together by our member Charlie Fuentes. We will have Polytek of Kalamazoo, who manufacture epoxy resins for woodturning and other hobby needs. They have several brands of epoxy resins with the most familiar being Alumalite. The Polytek representatives will introduce us to their products and explain how they work and how to use them including casting in molds. This should prove to be a very informative meeting with much information.

September 2023

Enhance and decorate your turnings

The demonstration will be presented by our very own member, and club Secretary, Tracy Makovec. Tracy will be showing how to use the Sorby Spiraling Tool and a chatter tool to enhance and decorate your turnings. Since these tools are very versatile Tracy will be demonstrating the basics of how to use the tools and how to set up some of the cuts.

Tracy’s handout material and instructions HIT THE DOWNLOAD BUTTONDownload

July 2023

Chip Carving Embellishment

Barb Buck demonstrating Chip Carving embellishment. Barb has been a wood carver for 25 years and she has been turning wood for 10 years. She will be showing you how to embellish your turnings with chip carving. Including how to lay-out a design and how to use the two knives needed to produce some stunning results and visually enhance your turnings.