February Monthly Demonstration

February's Demonstration was well attended and started with Club Presdent Rodney Lehrbass reviewing club business and finances. We were able to display the club's website and review several new features added over the past month. We next informed everyone of the availabilty of email addresses for WV Woodturner's Membership. We wrapped up the discussion with the Club's Library and members were encouraged to take advantage of the wide range of DVD's and books.

We reviewed off center turning from January's demonstration and three members brought items in for display. Please see the photo below showing the following items. (Far Left) Turned by Harry Newman from acrylic. (Center) Turned by James Cox from Osage Orange. (Right) Turned by Rodney Lehrbass from Maple and then burned with a torch.

We next reviewed the items that were brought for Show and Tell. Pictured below Jim Meyer shows the group a segmented bowl made from Cherry and peices of plywood. Any club member who would like to learn segmented turning can contact Jim by going to the Mentoring Page on the Navigation Bar to the left.

Also brought for Show and Tell were Mahogany Bud Vases by Harry Newman. Pepper Mills made from Cherry, Black Walnut and Mahogany by James Cox and an Alabaster Dish and Saucer displayed by Cliff Baker along with a Soap Stone vase he also turned.

We appreciate all the items brought in for Show and Tell by everyone. We encourage everyone to bring in any item they have made over the past month and share them with your fellow woodturners.

This month's demonstration featured turning non wood items. "Anything but Wood" featured turning many items such as Corian, Tagua Nuts, Banksia Pods and Acrylics. The picture below shows a peice of acrylic that has been cut and ready to turn into a pen.

Here is the completed slimline pen. Pens are easy projects to make that can be turned on any lathe. They also make great gifts and this one was used for a door prize.

The pictures above shows a Tagua Nut from Australia that has been glue to a waste block and is ready to turn. Tagua Nuts are great for minature turnings and are very hard with and ivory type look. They are often referred to as "Poor Man's Ivory".

Harry turned the Tugua Nut into a small vase. He cut the top of the vase to give it the appearance of a lidded vase. The picture below shows Chad trying his hand at turning a Tugua Nut as Harry gives him some pointers.

We also turned Banksia Pods from Australia shown below. Banksia Pods can make beautiful items such as clocks, small vases, salt shakers and paper clip holders. The only limit is your imagination. Try to turn something other that wood for a new adventure. All of the items have unique turning qualities and characteristics. You can make many wonderful items that are unique and not as fimiliar as wood items. These items will be great conversation peices when displayed in your collections.