Bob Vaughan

[Bob Vaughan]

I joined AAW in 1995 or so and have watched the evolution of woodturning and the AAW with interest.. Over the years the help from AAW members has guided my woodturning from a disagreeable workshop task to one of enjoyment.

My shop’s main focus is furniture and casework but I do have a special area for my wood lathes.

I thought I’d stick my head in this forum in hopes of learning about what’s new and seeing the wonderful turnings being done.

Years back when my son was young, I got him into turning and he would accompany me to the woodturner meetings. Below is a photo of Mark in a red shirt getting advice from former AAW president, Palmer Sharpless. Time flies.

 

[Tom Gall]

Welcome, Bob. Good to see a photo of Palmer....he was a great guy. I believe he passed in 2002. He was on the AAW board, and was a founding member, but I don't think he was ever president. He was very proud of the fact that he helped start the AAW and even had a personalized license plate on his car with his member # on it. I believe it was "AAW10". (but, I could be wrong on that)
Where was the photo taken? Doesn't look like the George School where he taught.

 

[Bob Vaughan]

Maybe I have been misinformed, but I thought Palmer was the first president.
The photo was taken during a special meeting of our local woodturners club. He had been invited down to do a demo.
The little lathe on the right is one of the original mini lathes made by Bonnie Klein. That was a popular lathe for years. I still use mine from time to time. The lathes on the left are standard Powermatic 45s.

 

[Kirk Amidon]

Welcome Bob. Nice to see you here, too. I've benefited greatly from your wisdom over the years on OWWM. Turning is becoming my favorite aspect of woodworking.

Kirk

 

[Bob Vaughan]

Thanks for the kind words, Kirk. Its good t be here.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Welcome aboard, Bob. Hopefully, we'll be able to lure you deeper into the bottomless chasm of woodturning.

David Ellsworth served as the first AAW president. I don't know if Palmer Sharpless had served as AAW president, but I will look it up.

 

[Bob Vaughan]

Like you, I'd also thought that David Ellsworth was the first president. When I saw printed somewhere seemingly credible that Palmer was the first president, I was a bit surprised. Whatever the clerical history, the focus of the AAW founding members for the advancement of woodturning was key to the success we now see so many years later. Probably the single most important aspect was full and complete disclosure of methods - no "secrets". I'm told that that detail got a lot of heated discussions from craft show turners that believed they had propitiatory methods. I'm always appreciative of the generosity of those early AAW founders.

 

[Dave Landers]

There's a list of AAW past board members on the AAW site

 

[Bill Boehme]

I don't know if Palmer Sharpless had served as AAW president, but I will look it up.

Thanks, Dave. According to the AAW website. Palmer Sharpless was a board member for several of the early years but never served as president.

 

[Bob Vaughan]

Thanks, Dave. According to the AAW website. Palmer Sharpless was a board member for several of the early years but never served as president.

That certainly fits with what I'd previously thought for years. I wish I could find my source of that curious error but its long forgotten. Both guys had signed our chapter's charter back in the day.