A Chapter of The American Association of Woodturners

VOLUME 17, ISSUE 10 OCTOBER, 2010 WWW.NORTHWESTWOODTURNERS.COM THE WOODTURNERS’ LOCAL RESOURCE

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE QUICK UPDATES September NWWT striving to settle into our new meeting Northwest Woodturners meetings are held on the 1st place at Sherwood High School. Given the number of things that Thursday of each month at could have gone wrong, I was very pleased with the initial effort. 7:00 PM. See Thanks to all of those that turned out to help get the move off to a www.northwestwoodturners. good start. We have a number of things to perfect, but we are com for details and map. under way. As we always do, we’ll fix the problems as we go Turning Challenge for along. November: Turn a new 2010 Christmas I thought the Marilyn Campbell visit was a success, too. The club gift; not limited to orna- demo was informative and the classes were very instructive. I was ments. very pleased that the Saturday demonstration was very well attended, the best I can remem- ber. I hope the membership enjoyed her visit as much as I did. It will be interesting to see STAFF where the epoxy use leads some of us. Once an idea is planted, there’s not telling how it will grow. (See pictures on page two). President Mike Meredith There have been inquiries about the turning curriculum at SHS. The students are back and (503) 522-0531 wandering though the early days of instruction. , planers, safety, dust [email protected] collectors, its all a mystery to them. I got to see some of the kids take a board that was V. President already straight, flat and and turn it into an undefined, 3-D trapezoid in an effort to Richard Hall make it straight flat and square. I understand that since the is the one machine tool with which I still struggle. We all had to start somewhere. I believe the value of this kind of Secretary instruction is not really teaching the kids how to do things, but to show them that things can Bill Rufener be done. The hope is that later in life they might want or need to do something and they Treasurer will remember that they can do it. Tom Reiman

In about a week, I will start with a demo; safety, terminology, position at the lathe, Board of Directors tools, cutting motion. Then, we are off into hands on training; round to square, beads, Jim Gentry coves, straight lines, cutting to dimension. The first term will be spindle work leading to Bob Tuck the ever-present honey dipper, planting dibble or a baby rattle. I have no illusions about Fred Kline Scott Blackman what we can accomplish. We’re seed planting with this effort. Watch the MyFamily site for chances to help at the school. Librarian Lynne Hemmert October’s demonstrator is Mike Jackofsky. He is well known for his hollow forms. Check out the front of the latest Craft Supply catalog, those are his vessels. Mike will be with us Raffle for the Thursday night meeting demo, then three days of classes, Friday, Saturday and Sun- Tom Willing day, at Jerry Keller’s. The classes will be back in the swimming pool area of the building. Supplies We’ve never held a class there but this area could become a sort of permanent classroom for Tom Helzer us. The proximity to I-84 makes it easy to reach, regardless of where you are in greater Portland. We could begin collecting a small tool supply there; essential things like a grinder Newsletter & Web and a band saw. We’ll see how it works out and we can revisit this topic in the future. Barbara Hall

On a final note, I’ve been testing a new gouge that Serious Tools is making and looking to

(Continued on page 2)

PAGE 2 . VOLUME VOLUME 17, ISSUE 10 release soon in this area. I’ve never been bashful about my misgivings concerning the applicability of A2 tool steel to a turning gouge. The club is full of recollections of issues with Serious gouges. This also seem a good time to point out the uncondi- tional guarantee Serious has on it’s tools. If there is a problem, they will make it right. I don’t think there will be many prob- lems with the new tool. It is a much harder alloy, though Scot Trumbo wouldn’t reveal which one. The 5/8” bowl gouge I tested held an edge very well, sharpened accurately and performed as well or better than my 5/8” OneWay Mastercraft gouge. Like the OneWay tool it is double ended, which is a real convenience, allowing two grinds on the same tool. I look forward to the local release of this tool. It’s good to see local manufacturers appearing again. Mike SEPTEMBER DEMO AND CLASS WITH MARILYN CAMPBELL Marilyn Campbell, a very accomplished and exciting instructor, began by turning various shapes from platters to bowls. She then cut them apart along attractive curves. Next she positioned the pieces in vari- ous configurations, holding them with tape, and filling the voids and building edges with epoxy. She completed the piece with and surface patterns done with a Dremel tool. Members enjoyed learning these new techniques at a very interesting demo and class. Her work is unique and her technique could definitely be incorpo- rated into your turnings for all sorts of special effects. Design ’Out or the box’ Her work is unique and her Fitting the pieces Marilyn at work technique could definitely be incorporated into your turnings. Color Blending Show Stopper

Piercing “Simple” inlay inlay overlay

VOLUME 17, ISSUE 10 PAGE 3 MIKE JACKOFSKY OCTOBER DEMONSTRATOR SPECIAL 3 DAY HANDS-ON CLASS Mike Jackofsky specializes in hollow forms, most of which are natural edge pieces made from unique burls, but he also turns bowls, including thin natural edge open bowls, off-balance asymmetrical pieces, hollow forms with “wings,” and sculptural forms. Mike is a gifted instructor - you will really enjoy his classes. He offers individualized instructions that are very adapt- able to all your turning projects. New ideas, interesting ways of doing things. Richard and I took our first turning class from him at David Marks’ studio in California. Expect to take away ideas you can use in your own shops. Just a reminder that Mike's 3-day class is coming up in two weeks, October 8-10. The price is right at $250 - you won't get three days of quality instruc- tion and help at that price anywhere else!! Anyone who is interested in hollow forms, large or small, open or closed, thin walled or not, natural edge or not, beginner or advanced, this is your class. Learn the fundamentals, learn advanced tech- niques, or just get your own personal questions answered with hands-on guidance. This will be an EXCELLENT class! You can conveniently pay via paypal using the site: Lunch is provided!

PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN: SURFACE EMBELLISHMENT Let's talk about surface embellishment. It can make your piece more appealing in several different ways. Why not let the piece talk for itself? Not all is beautifully grained or elegantly colored. It can even be pale and lackluster even though it is fin- ished appropriately. The design probably needs help if your piece simply blends into the background and is lost amid surround- ing pieces. Surface embellishment can make your piece stand out. It can help your piece be the choice for both viewers and buyers. Often we think of surface embellishment as a sort of afterthought. The feeling that this is just extra decoration is built into the name. But if you think of this as part of the design, intrinsic to the piece and it’s expression of your feelings, then you begin to sense the great opportunities afforded. Surely many turnings stand on their own, done with exquisite wood with grain patterning and natural colors that speak volumes without help. Truthfully though, didn’t you examine the piece of wood, and attempt to do your best to let the natural beauty of that piece express itself? You were practicing the same effort as you would if you considered your own embellishment - you were just taking advantage of patterning and color already present. And even pieces with great patterning and color can often be worked with additional effort to further enhance the natural beauty already present, perhaps using pyro- graphy to highlight, additional color to enhance, carving or grinding to lend surface texture. Perhaps we should rename this “expressive management” to reflect the fact that we all do this whether or not we paint or carve or burn. We attempt to maximize the expressive capability of each piece. A major consideration is to grab the viewer's attention particularly if you sell your pieces. Catch a perspective client's attention so he gravitates toward your piece rather than someone else's. We can truly say the object of surface embellishment is not to replace the overall design of your piece; but to actually be a part of the design ... And in so doing make the piece stand out. Our turned pieces can grab the attention of viewers intellectually and or emotionally. Give the viewer the experience he is searching for whether it be a piece to fit a certain decor, to re- member special experiences, or just to feel good while using or looking at it. (Continued on page 4)

PAGE 4 VOLUME 17, ISSUE 10 Perhaps the viewer’s interest sparked simply by the geometry of the piece, or by its color palette. The various mechanisms we use to embellish our designs are by calling attention to the grain, the colors and the texture. First the wood must be prepared before you add surface embellishments. You can enhance the grain with the finish you apply to the wood. Sandblasting will subtly bring out the grain by reducing the softer wood layers. Tracing the lines of the grain by airbrushing with color will enhance a beautifully grained piece of wood and retain its basic wood character. You can run the gamut with color by making the piece totally opaque and adding your own patterning or design. Bin Pho uses color over a piece of wood that lacks interesting coloring or grain patterns. His but- terflies, scenes and brilliant color palette enrich the turnings. You can base your design on a theme such as Richard and Gorst did with their chalice at the Northwest Retreat. Themes help formu- late a cohesive design concept, and often allow you to express a unique character or deliver a message or feeling. Color can blast the sensitivity of the viewer with a profusion of oranges and reds and purples or it can calm with subtle blues and greens and grays. The emotional impact of the piece brings a response from the viewer. Marbling a turned piece is another way to give a totally different feeling and maybe a remembrance of a special marbled book page edges and binding. Texturing a piece by , as in Phil Lapp's piece tells a story. Molly Winton uses pyrography in her work and has taken her burning to a new height by showing cave drawing of animals, old pottery fragments, and establishing a theme that is easily recognizable as her work. She con- nects emotionally with her audience. The darkened burned part gives strong contrast to the wood background and is particularly successful in telling a story. Piercing adds interest both as background and setting off patterning. The variations are endless, stippling as background, piercing as an outlining mechanism or as the design itself. Piercing as well as some of the other techniques are often com- bined with painting. Carving changes the appearance of your turned piece. For example it can represent a better fit in the hand of a pipe, a representa- tion of an animal or a grizzly old prospector with a long beard. Carving too can often tell a story. Carving with formal geometric precision can be created with the use of a Rose Engine. Surface decoration can be made up of other materials in your turnings. Chris enhanced his wood, epoxy platter using the technique taught by Marilyn Campbell in our last demo. Epoxy provides unlimited creative possibilities. It can be used to augment the form and create structures above and beyond the initial form. It can be colored and shaped and opens the door to a lot of experimentation. I’m sure we will see more NWWT incorporating epoxy as an expressive element. You can add metal pieces and metal leaf to your turned pieces. Metal leaf comes in a variety of col- ors: gold, silver, copper, and mixed variety both as sheets and small pieces. It is easy to use and adds a richness to both wood turnings and other formed sheet metal and sculpture. The Scorpion has metal leaf on his wood stinger and metal leaf on his metal claws. Bill Moore mixed spun metal forms in his elegant turned pieces. Other materials you can add are real leaves as in Phil Lapps vase, glass, stone and other lapidary, found objects and whatever your imagination tells you would be a great enhancement (look at the legs of the scorpion—they are blackberry stalks). Try various techniques to enhance your pieces with surface decoration and keep a log of the changes in viewer response as they see your piece with and without enhancements ...

VOLUME 17, ISSUE 10 PAGE 5 September Show and Tell

Phil Lapp Jim Hall Chris Nilluka

Phil Lapp Phil Lapp

Jim Hall

Jim Hall

Steve Newberry

Francis Roos

Francis Roos

Steve Newberry Francis Roos

PAGE 6 VOLUME 17, ISSUE 10

HALLOWED HALLS … ONE OF MANY … JIM HALL’S SHOP

.

Chip and Dust Control Band Saw Station

This is .. Uh .. Yeah, that’s it!

Well Used Vacuum Pump

Jet set up as a threading station

One - Way Lathe Station

Sharpening and Tool Station Finishing Station

VOLUME 17, ISSUE 10 PAGE 7

Jim Hall has a shop that is clearly defined and set up to allow him to concentrate on the skills he enjoys with minimum of addi- tional effort. He has stations set up around the shop for many of the tasks he does on a regular basis, and for those he does less often, the tools and equipment are just a drawer away with a bench available. The center of his shop is of course his One - Way lathe. He has it set up with a curtain, vacuum chuck system and lighting ready to go. His turning tools are right behind him for quick access, as is his sharpening station. Just like the Cornell Kitchen design of the 50’s it is efficient and time-saving. Jim enjoys piercing, carving and air-brushing, all of which demand a comfortable workstation with compressed air, good venti- lation and dust collection. He has a very comfortable bench set up for seated work, with dust collection both through the bench top and through auxiliary ports, with sand filled bags to rest and hold the pieces. He also uses a very nice headphone set to listen to music while he works, reducing the tiring noise of the air system and the tools, and replacing it with inspiration, allowing Jim to work long hours without really realizing it. Jim had a rose engine which he recently sold, and he is busy trying to find a new home for his unused . All this to open a new space in his shop which he can dedicate one day to the new rose engine lathe he has his heart set on. Jim is a very talented turner, who is not afraid to try new techniques and expand his horizons both with technical skill and with design innovation. He has gone to great lengths to ensure his workspace is comfort- able and efficient, and a place he cherishes as he works on his pieces. I think he has a good concept, for if you feel pleasure in your environment, and have a workplace that enhances your work habits, you will in- variably do better work, and be much happier while doing it!! Kudo’s to our very own Jim Hall!!

M EETING SCHEDULE FOR 2010

Key: H1 Hands-on class Friday H2 Hands-on classes Friday and Sunday D Saturday Demo Jan Annual Swap Meet July Mini-Demos :Lloyd software & Jim Gentry Feb William Moore (Metal Spinning) Aug Auction Mar Mike Meredith (Sharpening) Sep Marilyn Campbell (Epoxy Inlay) H2 D Apr Mike Wonser (Design/Photography) Oct Mike Jackofsky (Turning) H3 May Nick Cook (Turning) H1 D Nov Member Turned-wood Auction Jun Jim MacDermot (Gilmer Wood) Dec Christmas Party

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PAGE 8 VOLUME 17, ISSUE 10 WWW.NORTHWESTWOODTURNERS.COM JOHNNY TOLLY’S CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT TUTORIAL OK, so, let’s get started, just about any wood will work for this project. Yes, even a Southern Yellow Pine two by four will make a striking Christmas Ornament as long as it is sound wood, without any splits or cracks. Knots should be avoided but give them a try if you want. Start by cutting your wood into squares. I find that the Christmas Ornament body size ranging from 1 - 1/2” to 3 - 1/2” across and from 1 - 1/2” to 2” thick makes a pleasing Christmas Ornament to work when hollowing, and looks pleasing to the eye when completed. Of course smaller or larger Christmas Ornaments can be made and you can try all sizes. Start with a square block. Mark the center with an awl and draw a circle. My preference is to cut the corners off with a band saw, but this can be roughed on the lathe as well. Place the wood on the lathe between a small faceplate and the tailstock, place the tailstock point in the Awl mark. For this turning, you do not need any screws as the friction from the tailstock will hold the wood against the faceplate just fine for turning. Turn a tenon at the tailstock . NOTE: I have found that after the wood is rough turned, remove the wood from the lathe and put some thin CA glue where the tailstock point was. This will soak into the wood and give it more strength when drilling the 3/8” hole through later on, as the CA glue helps to prevent splitting of the wood. Sand the body using sanding grits up to 400. Later I will sand through 800 maybe up to 2000 grit. With the lathe stopped, use a 5/8” forstner bit and measure the depth for your desired hole. I normally leave about 3/16” of wood remaining at the chuck area. The wood provides a stop for the Hunter hollowing tools. Note: I use masking tape and mark my 5/8” bit so that I have a visual reference for the depth that I will . The 5/8” hole is where all of the hollowing will be done. It is also where I attach the Icicle when the Christmas Ornament is ready for finial assembly. Again, drill so that you have about 3/16”” of wood remaining near the chuck. Do NOT drill all the way through the wood. The bottom of the 5/8” hole provides a stop for the Hunter Tool when hollowing out the body.

I use the Hunter tools. Start by using the 3/8” straight Hunter tool; make a series of cuts starting at the opening going back until you reach the back of the 5/8” hole. Next, use the 3/8” Hunter swan neck tool; make a series of cuts starting at the opening again going back until you reach the back of the 5/8” hole. Then use the small 3/16” Hunter tool to hollow inside of the 5/8” opening as far as it will reach. This is then followed by using the 5/16” swan neck tool which will reach the area at the front curve of the ornament body. Finally use the 3/8” swan neck tool again to make the finishing cuts, cutting from the back of the body to the center. Use a thickness often while using any of the Hunter tools to prevent cutting through the side of the ornament body. All tools are limited by the 5/8” opening. The picture shows the 3/8” Hunter tool used here again for a second time to remove and clean up the inside area at the back. More wood could have been removed at the back shoulder area. Note the 5/8” opening and how the tool is contacting both sides, this is the limiting factor. I normally turn with the lathe set to a high speed but proceed at speed you feel comfortable with. Note: You will need to stop the lathe often and blow out the wood shavings; this will need to be done several times with each tool while hollowing out the body. Compressed air works best. CAUTION: When hollowing out the body; do NOT allow any of the Hunter tool to hit the back wall of the body at a sharp angle. Should this happen, the Hunter tool will grab the wood and slam back literally blowing up your ornament. When all hollowing is completed, sand the hollowed body again using all sanding grits from 400 up to as high as you need or want to. This will remove any scratches from the bow-tie caliper and or the Tolly spe- cial thickness gauges. I normally sand to 1200 grit and often times up to 2000 grit. As my Oneway lathe has both forward and reverse, I will sand in both di- rections using all of the sanding grits at my disposal or as needed. This makes for a very nice base when the finish is applied. When the sanding is completed, you can either apply your favorite finish while on the lathe or remove the body and place it on a hook or a stand.

VOLUME 17, ISSUE 10 PAGE 9 Now to make the icicle and finial: I like the icicle to be between 6 and 8 inches long. Cut your wood to about 3/4” to 1” square and about 9” long, the extra inch of wood will be used to make the Top Button Finial. I use a Steb Center Drive to turn the Icicle, but any type of spur drive will work. Place the wood between centers and turn until it is just round. I mark the headstock end 3/4” to one inch from the headstock and then I form a tenon about 3/4” in diameter. Place the icicle in the jaws and bring up the tailstock. Turn the first element which will be the bottom of the icicle, then continue toward the thick end. Sand each element through all sanding grits before proceeding to the next element. Take care to prevent the sand paper from jumping over the top of the icicle. Should this happen you can break the icicle at the small pointed end. I do not turn away the tailstock point area until the very last, as I like the tailstock there to support the wood. I will turn the bottom of the droplet off using a very small 1/4” skew. This requires the bottom of the Icicle to be supported with my fingers. Remember, very light cuts and very steady hands are required here. Next I form the 5/8” tenon to fit the body. Always under cut the top of icicle area so it will sit flat on the body of the ornament. Turn the icicle off at the headstock end with a small parting tool while using the other hand to catch the icicle as it falls away. Loosen the chuck and move the remaining wood out until it is only held by about 1/4" or less. Bring up the tailstock for added support. Form the 3/8” diameter tenon of the top finial and make it about 1/4” long. This tenon will fit into the body’s 3/8” hole. Under cut it slightly so it will fit on the body nicely during finial assembly. After sanding, loosen the chuck and turn the finial around and grip the 3/8” by 1/4” tenon in the chuck jaws. Now, carefully form the Top Button Finial to a pleasing shape then part off . I find that using a small pin vice and small drill bit allows me to drill the hole deep enough for the small eye screw that I use. Parts can be glued together in any order, place a very small amount of under and around each tenon and push it into the corresponding body opening. Remove any excess glue with a cotton swab. This is an abbreviated version. Email me for a complete copy of Johnny Tolly’s article with lots more information. LOCAL EVENTS, CLASSES, AND DEMO’S Date Class/Demo Location Time 10/02 Mask Carving demo Woodcrafters 10:00AM-4:00PM 10/09 Jig Rockler *9:30AM-11:30PM 10/10 Lidded Boxes demo Woodcrafters 10:00AM-4:00PM 10/16 Marionette Carving demo Woodcrafters 10:00AM-4:00PM EDITOR’S NOTE 10/16 Kreg Pocket Hole Rockler *9:30AM-11:30AM 10/17 Pen Turning Woodcraft *10:00AM-4:00PM Submissions to the newsletter are due by the 20th of the month. Articles, tips, web links, classified 10/23 Beginning Turning Woodcraft *10:00AM-4:00PM ads, or other items pertaining to are 10/23 Drill Doctor Sharpening Rockler *9:30 AM-11:30AM welcome. 10/23 Carving Tools/Power Woodcrafters 10:AM-4:00PM Barbara Hall 10/24 Gifts Woodcraft *10:00AM-4:00PM Newsletter Editor Phone: (503) 649-5581 10/30 Mandolin stringed instruments Woodcrafters 10:00AM-4:00PM E-mail: [email protected] 10/30 Saw Stop Rockler *9:30 AM-11:30AM Many other fine classes and demos are available from your local stores: All other business should be directed to: Woodcraft Store at (503) 684-1428 Email portlandre- Northwest Woodturners [email protected] 13500 SW Pacific Hwy #185 Woodcrafters Store at (503) 231-0226 Web page http:// Tigard, OR 97223 woodcrafters.us/craft supplies Rockler Store at (503) 672-7266 Email [email protected] Lathe students should bring chucks, sharpened turning tools, safety gear.

CLASSIFIED ADS Guidelines for Classified Ads: Ads will run for three consecutive months. Please submit your ad by the 20th of the month. The Editor takes no responsibility for spelling or grammatical errors. All woodworking items, for sale or wanted, are welcome. For Sale: Rockwell woodworker's lathe. $150.00 cash, firm and - haul. The lathe has a 3/4 hp motor, good belts, and runs well. If you or any woodworker you know is interested, please e-mail or call me at 360-887-3113 in Ridgefield, WA. Fred Guinasso

Tools Wanted: I'm looking for 1 x 8" insert for my Stronghold chuck. Need mounting bolts as well. Please email me at [email protected] Home Phone: 503.235.7840 in Portland. David Raphael For Sale: Nova 1624 lathe, supernova chuck, and assorted Sorbey tools. Anybody interested in these items? Everything is a little over a year old, and in excellent condition. Brian Waddell

I have a Craftsman Table saw in good condition that I wish to sell. It is an Electronic (digital) saw with a Biesemeyer . I am asking $300 for it. Jim Hall 503-655-1716

Approximately two years ago Soren Berger made a trip through the Northwest. During his trip he took orders for his tools. Most of the tools were delivered but a few were not. If you ordered and paid for a tool from Soren two years ago and did not receive it, please send me an email and I'll forward the list to Soren. Let me know which tool you ordered. Thank you Dale Larsen [email protected]

Show your NWWT Membership Card to receive a discount of your purchase at Gilmer’s, Rockler, Woodcraft,

Woodcrafters, and Crosscut . Membership has benefits.

97223 OR Tigard,

#185 Hwy, Pacific SW 13500