- Joined
- Apr 27, 2004
- Messages
- 9,167
- Likes
- 5,775
- Location
- Lakeland, Florida
- Website
- www.hockenberywoodturning.com
Hi I’m Al Hockenbery.
I was born in NJ move to Miami in 1959 for my formative years, 1965 went to Gainesville and majored in Math at the UF, 1969 taught math at Bradford County Middle School. 1970 - married Sherry, 3 years active US Army mostly at Ft Meade Md, Johns Hopkins MS -numerical science, 1973-2001 worked for DoD as in Operations Research/applied mathematics and later as a manager while living in Annapolis, MD. Applied Math is using computers to get the wrong answers fast(close counts here) to problems that have no easy solutions. One fun job was consulting with DARPA for a couple of weeks i determined the constellation of satellites to use for GPS. Retired in 2001 and ramped up Hockenbery woodturnings. 2004 moved to theGreen Swamp near Lakeland Fl. In 2008 we closed the business and began turning for fun and enjoyment.
In 1975 I bought my first lathe a 12”delta/Rockwell and I have been learning to turn ever since. 1987 I got serious about turning. In 1991 Sherry gave me a gift membership to AAW using an application Craft Supplies put in a box with an order. 1993 Frank Amigo called me an invited me to join a Chesapeake Woodturners, a club they had just started. I later served as treasurer and president. 1994 I take week class with Liam O’Neil that Frank Amigo had arranged-learned to use the side ground gouge. 1996 Frank Amigo invites me to teach intermediate woodturning at MD Hall for the creative Arts. 1997 Sherry takes basic bowl turning from Steve Gleasner at MD Hall. 1999 Sherry and I start teaching kids classes at MD Hall. 2000 I Demo “teaching kids” at AAW. 2004 we move to Lakeland, Fl. 2006 I get elected to the board of AAW after Dave Barriger encourages me to run. I served 3years plus another 6 months to fill a vacancy was Symposium chair for 2008. Frank Amigo got elected to the AAW board in 2007. I continue to be a volunteer on the Symposium Committee and an Advisor to the board. I schedule the rotations sessions for the Symposium.
I was most fortunate to have lived near Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts. I took week long classes there from Liam O’Neil, David Ellsworth, Michael Peterson, Johannes Michelson, and Christian Burchard. I could also teach there with other faculty that included: Margaret Lospinuso, Sherry Hockenbery, Frank Amigo, Joe Dickey, Steve Gleasner, David Frey, Temple Blackwood…. I also got to run Week long masters classes with Cindy Drozda, Trent Bosch, Al Stirt, Lyle Jamieson, Jimmy Clewes, David Ellsworth.
I enjoy sharing what I can do in demos - usually 6-8 club demos a year, AAW- 4 times, AAW Youth classes ( with Sherry) 3 times, Virginia Symposium, Rocky Mountain Symposium, Florida Symposium- 3 times, SWAT -2 times, Smithsonian Museum – 3 times.
Some of my most rewarding turning has been doing turnings that I discovered and perhaps was the first to do them.
Suspended spherical forms – 2003

Ball in a ball – 2007 ( demo on the 2010AAW Techniques video )

Extended the use of Sand carving for embellishment (AAW Journal Dec 2016

I was born in NJ move to Miami in 1959 for my formative years, 1965 went to Gainesville and majored in Math at the UF, 1969 taught math at Bradford County Middle School. 1970 - married Sherry, 3 years active US Army mostly at Ft Meade Md, Johns Hopkins MS -numerical science, 1973-2001 worked for DoD as in Operations Research/applied mathematics and later as a manager while living in Annapolis, MD. Applied Math is using computers to get the wrong answers fast(close counts here) to problems that have no easy solutions. One fun job was consulting with DARPA for a couple of weeks i determined the constellation of satellites to use for GPS. Retired in 2001 and ramped up Hockenbery woodturnings. 2004 moved to theGreen Swamp near Lakeland Fl. In 2008 we closed the business and began turning for fun and enjoyment.
In 1975 I bought my first lathe a 12”delta/Rockwell and I have been learning to turn ever since. 1987 I got serious about turning. In 1991 Sherry gave me a gift membership to AAW using an application Craft Supplies put in a box with an order. 1993 Frank Amigo called me an invited me to join a Chesapeake Woodturners, a club they had just started. I later served as treasurer and president. 1994 I take week class with Liam O’Neil that Frank Amigo had arranged-learned to use the side ground gouge. 1996 Frank Amigo invites me to teach intermediate woodturning at MD Hall for the creative Arts. 1997 Sherry takes basic bowl turning from Steve Gleasner at MD Hall. 1999 Sherry and I start teaching kids classes at MD Hall. 2000 I Demo “teaching kids” at AAW. 2004 we move to Lakeland, Fl. 2006 I get elected to the board of AAW after Dave Barriger encourages me to run. I served 3years plus another 6 months to fill a vacancy was Symposium chair for 2008. Frank Amigo got elected to the AAW board in 2007. I continue to be a volunteer on the Symposium Committee and an Advisor to the board. I schedule the rotations sessions for the Symposium.
I was most fortunate to have lived near Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts. I took week long classes there from Liam O’Neil, David Ellsworth, Michael Peterson, Johannes Michelson, and Christian Burchard. I could also teach there with other faculty that included: Margaret Lospinuso, Sherry Hockenbery, Frank Amigo, Joe Dickey, Steve Gleasner, David Frey, Temple Blackwood…. I also got to run Week long masters classes with Cindy Drozda, Trent Bosch, Al Stirt, Lyle Jamieson, Jimmy Clewes, David Ellsworth.
I enjoy sharing what I can do in demos - usually 6-8 club demos a year, AAW- 4 times, AAW Youth classes ( with Sherry) 3 times, Virginia Symposium, Rocky Mountain Symposium, Florida Symposium- 3 times, SWAT -2 times, Smithsonian Museum – 3 times.
Some of my most rewarding turning has been doing turnings that I discovered and perhaps was the first to do them.
Suspended spherical forms – 2003


Ball in a ball – 2007 ( demo on the 2010AAW Techniques video )

Extended the use of Sand carving for embellishment (AAW Journal Dec 2016


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