Pole lathe photos

Flickr user timtom has posted some woodturning pictures taken at a Celtic festival in Switzerland. French turner, Jean-Paul Rossi appears to be making some sort of ladle, and I just love the way his lathe is constructed, especially the headstock which is a limb growing out of the bed.  Here is a Google translation of Jean-Paul's homepage:

"The turning of this utility crockery, starting from green heart, is a traditional craft industry of the Solid mass of the Wallows (Savoy - France). It is concentrated since always in the small hamlet of Magne, in Saint François the Dirty ones, close to Féclaz - Revard.

It is practised by the peasants in double activity for a very long time. Texts recently discovered by researchers of the Savoyard company of history and archaeology attests the presence of turners of bowls out of wooden since 1345.  The women, the children and the old ones sell this crockery the winter in the plains of the South-east and the East of France. The return to the country is done at Easter.

The wood of the country, especially the maple sycamore, half-compartments at the end of August, left rough are processed during the next winter, using the turn with pole installed in the house."

The handled items look particularly interesting. I can only assume that they are made by making the lathe turn less than one full revolution for each cut. If so it must take an awful lot of cordination to be able to do this.

Swiss turner Claude Veuillet is pictured using a small adze and a guillotine-like device for preparing blanks to go on the lathe.

Thanks to Timtom for posting these pics. They are fascinating.



Technorati Tags: woodturning, pole lathe, celtic

Technorati Tags: woodturning, pole lathe, celtic

Gibsons Landing Fibre Arts Festival

Gibsons Landing Fibre Arts Festival doesn't sound like it would have much to offer woodturners, but the schedule does include several woodworking workshops. The aspiring woodturner can learn to turn a bowl, or make a stool. Also on offer is carving, driftwood furniture and basic joinery.

Other crafts on offer include weaving, spinning, rug hooking, quilting, knitting, needlework and basketry. Some courses are already sold out.

Gibsons Landing is just forty minutes from Vancouver by ferry.

Technorati Tags: woodworking, woodturning, workshops, weaving, spinning, rug hooking, quilting, knitting, needlework, basketry, Gibsons Landing Fibre Arts Festival, carving, joinery

International Turning Exchange gets blogged

Artist Hilary Pfeifer is taking part in this year's International Turning Exchange at the Wood Turning Center in Philadelphia, and is promising to blog about her experiences.

Hilary is a mixed-media sculptor who has recently added lathe work to her art. She says that she works fast, inspired by improvisational jazz, creating small components that are later assembled into larger sculptures. Other woodturners taking part in the ITE are Marilyn Campbell, Neil Scobie and Liam Flynn.

I'm really looking forward to seeing the results of all this creative energy colliding in one place and reading all about it in Bunny with an Artblog. Nice idea Hilary, thanks, and have a great time!

(thanks to Alyson B. Stanfield for bringing this good news to my attention in Blogging During an Artist Residency)


Technorati Tags: woodturning, art, wood turning center, mixed media

Technorati Tags: woodturning, art, wood turning center, mixed media

Getting started in woodturning

I quite often mention very experienced woodturners, so to day I thought I would point out a new woodturner who is off to a great start. Messiah, and I would guess that is not this turner's real name, bought a lathe a few years ago but never mastered it's use. A weekend course at a local wood supplier saw the creation of several nice pieces of work. Read all about it and see the finished items in "i made a stick....."

This post really does emphasise the benefits of getting assistance in learning the skill of woodturning. Books and videos are great, but there is nothing quite like the assistance of an experienced turner to provide guidance and feedback. There are so many little ways of doing things wrong that it is difficult for the beginner to analyse their mistakes.

Another problem with learning from pictures is that they are only two dimensional, and we are working in a very three dimensional space.  By my reckoning, the tools that we use have five degrees of freedom:

1. sideways along the tool rest
2. forward and back over the toolrest
3. the handle can move sideways
4. the handle can move up and down
5. the handle can be rotated

In most cases these are all happening simultaneously. This is much better learnt with a tool in hand rather than trying to figure out what a book is saying or a video is showing. In fact, it is much like riding a bike.


Technorati Tags: woodturning, woodturner, learning

Turning ancient wood

Most woodturners are very happy when they are given a 30 inch diameter log to work with, but Don Thur was stunned when carbon dating at the University of Toronto revealed one log he had acquired was 8,637 years old.

The white pine was discovered sixteen feet down by a friend digging a pond. The tree itself was 261 years old when it fell. The Huntsville Forester explains a theory scientists have for why the log is so well preserved. It is also thought to be the oldest wood find in eastern North America.

I was interested in finding out more about this wood and how well it turned, so last night I spoke with Don by phone. He told me that the largest log was somewhat oval due to wind pressure, and measured 30" by 25". Apart from the outer inch or so, the logs were soaking wet and smelt disgusting. Don was surprised to find that there was still tension in the wood when he turned it.

The log had some ring checks and radial cracks, probably caused when the tree was knocked over, and Don incorporates and enhances these features in his work. There was also some attractive figure around the knots. The wood has a green / orange tint. There was no resin apparent in the wood. It has turned out to be quite fragile material, and even with his solid design style, several pieces have had to be glued back into place.

Don regularly uses Pentacryl to stabilise his work, but found a problem with this wood. The Pentacryl would not dry, and the manufacturer suggested this was due to the lack of resin and sap in the wood which normally react to emulsify the Pentacryl. The problem was fixed by mixing 50/50 with mineral spirits.

The bowls made from this wood are selling well. Don has already sold the four largest bowls to past customers; one of these patrons is planning on donating one to a museum and one to a local government office where it will be placed on public display.

Meanwhile scientists are continuing their study of this unique piece of wood and hope to publish their findings in about 3 years time.