June 2013

June 2013
Ah, June! This issue is slated to come out in June, which means that the AAW Symposium in Tampa, Florida, is about to get started. It’s particularly enjoyable to think about the symposium while sitting here in my home office looking at the snow-covered ground after putting more wood in the woodburning stove! I’ve never been to Tampa before and my friend Bill Blasic and I will be driving there. I will get to see a bit of the country that I’ve never been through before. It should be fun—both getting there and attending the symposium. There is a great lineup of demonstrators again this year, and I’m sure that I will spend more money than I should at the trade show. We will again have a booth there, so be sure to stop by and say “howdy.”
This year, I am one of the demonstrators at both Totally Turning in Saratoga Springs, New York, and at the Utah Woodturning Symposium in Orem, Utah. I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t a bit nervous. (By the time you read this, the demos will be over and I’ll be back to normal—or as close as I can be.) I am demonstrating my take on some gift bowl ideas, Gothard Knutson’s stamp holders (one of my favorite projects from one of Woodturning Design’s earlier issues), and tools from the lathe. I’m hoping that I will also have time to do my turned-handle bread knife. All these demos have a common theme—gifts, either for family or for craft shows. I hope that some of you were able to attend and enjoy the demos.
Those of you who are members of the World of Woodturners (WoW), don’t forget the swaps that we do at the various symposiums. It’s a great way to meet fellow turners who you might know online only, and it’s also an opportunity to expand your turning collection. The idea is that we gather, usually around noon, mingle a bit while tickets are passed out to participants. Once the preliminaries have been taken care of, we draw two tickets and the two ticket holders trade turnings. The fun part is not knowing with whom you will be trading: you could get a turning from a well-known professional or someone starting out (who may soon be famous). If you are going to be attending one of the conferences, come prepared with a turning to trade in case someone has organized a swap. It doesn’t matter what your skill level is—just come and enjoy the affair. If you are not a member of WoW, e-mail Herm deVries at herm@hdv.net and ask to become a member. It is an absolutely wonderful group of people who are passionate about woodturning.
This is a great issue. We have six exciting projects that you could try this weekend. Chris Rolke shows us how to make a pen from an old pair of blue jeans, Raymond Sprouse uses cyanoacrylate glue to fashion an ordinary pinecone into a beautiful pen, and Robert Staat describes how to make a rolling pin (I like kitchen accessories and just might try this one). David Reed Smith introduces readers to the “lost wood process” and makes a unique holder for a pair of scissors, Tom Farrell finishes up his Vineyard Table from the last issue, and I tell how to make a simple bowl that would make a treasured gift. I hope you enjoy the projects!
We are also trying something new this issue. Kurt Hertzog traveled to the trade show at SWAT this past summer and reports on all the new goodies that we have to have for the shop. Please let me know if you enjoyed the feature.

Happy turning