Hello, name is Joe, live in Ky and have been turning for roughly 10 years. Haven't done much turning over the past number of years due to having kids and them taking most of my time. Of course still have the kids but they aren't babies anymore so trying to find more time in the shop. Was in the aaw back when i started and was in a local club, unfortunately it's not active anymore. Hoping seeing all kinds of creative and awesome projects here will push me to get back to work. Only problem with seeing new things is I'm always wanting to try something new, instead of staying focused on one particular area and trying to master it. Which usually ends up costing me money and buying new tools, and let others get dusty.
-
October 2025 Turning Challenge: Natural Edge Bowl! (click here for details) -
Congratulations to Kalia Kliban for "Painted Salad Bowls" being selected as Turning of the Week for October 20, 2025 (click here for details) -
Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.
Joseph Hawkins
- Thread starter Joseph Hawkins
- Start date
Hello Joe! Many of us have the same problem, wanting to try new things and going off on a tangent. But I think that's a good thing - every new thing expands the mind and adds an experience. May not pursue THAT idea right away, but later it will still be there. One thing I do is keep notebooks sketches of ideas, sketches of of ideas for things I make including planning sketches and ideas for variations. And another notebook with notes and sketches every turning demo , I look through it years later and be reminded of something to try! The sketches are also helpful when someone learning is looking for project ideas. Here's an example of ideas for ring keepers, some a little crazy, but all there for inspiration.
The problem is, as you say, acquiring new tools (or imagining that a different tool will be "just whatI need". I'm not good at resisting that temptation! No harm, except for storage space and if the budget stretches too far and snaps! However, much later one might be exactly what I need for something. I also have a weakness for giving tools, wood, and things to students and friends - spread the joy!
I know what you mean about the kids and the time rightly spent with them, at the expense of other things I wanted to do. For example, I used to fly private aircraft a LOT, sometimes multiple times a week (way back when it was cheap.) At some point I simply dropped that hobby to spend more time doing things with them - absolutely worth it!
Do you go to the woodturning symposiums? The one in Nashville the end of Jan may not be an unreasonable drive from Frankfort.
JKJ
The problem is, as you say, acquiring new tools (or imagining that a different tool will be "just whatI need". I'm not good at resisting that temptation! No harm, except for storage space and if the budget stretches too far and snaps! However, much later one might be exactly what I need for something. I also have a weakness for giving tools, wood, and things to students and friends - spread the joy!
I know what you mean about the kids and the time rightly spent with them, at the expense of other things I wanted to do. For example, I used to fly private aircraft a LOT, sometimes multiple times a week (way back when it was cheap.) At some point I simply dropped that hobby to spend more time doing things with them - absolutely worth it!
Do you go to the woodturning symposiums? The one in Nashville the end of Jan may not be an unreasonable drive from Frankfort.
JKJ
I went to the symposium that was 2 or 3 years ago when it was in Louisville Ky, didn’t know about that one coming up that close, might have to try to go. Bought a Lyle Jamieson hollowing system a month or so ago, finally gave it a shot 2 weeks ago. Ended up undercutting the rim too much and ended up with a vase. Really want to to get into texturing and the basket illusion at some point. Plan for the winter though is to rough turn as much as I can. Have a bunch of logs that have been sitting around for a year or two and got a walnut tree half up rooted. Was waiting to cut it down this winter. So wood isn’t a problem at least, just time.
I like going to the symposiums - get some new ideas and turning techniques, a great place to meet up with people, and a excellent chance to go home significantly poorer but with some new tools and wood! Besides the one in Nashville, I'm signed up for the one in North Carolina in November. I've only been to an AAW symposium once when it was fairly close.
Texturing, embellishment, carving is great fun! (I have no interest in basket illusion myself but many do.)
I've turned large but mostly prefer smaller things and from dry wood. Hollowed a bunch but doesn't interest me much - practically gave away my Jamieson hollower with a camera but kept the Jordan hand-held hollowing tools including the one with the arm brace for just in case. I don't turn much green wood. I don't post photos in a gallery here but turn a variety of things for gifts and house. Lots of spindles. Some pictures, at the risk of boring you. (There is some duplication.)
A few simple bowls and what I call my "small squarish dished platters."
I find boxes fun to make.
Some utility things. We use some of these in our house daily, some were gifts.
Logs on the ground might spalt nicely or just rot, depending. I like to cut up green wood as soon as possible into blanks and dry them. We probably have wood similar to your area: maple, walnut, persimmon, cedar, sassafras, oak, holly... I have a woodmizer sawmill but mostly cut the log sections small enough with the chainsaw to carry into the shop and process on the bandsaw. Been doing this for a long time and have lots of dry wood now to pick from:
After doing a number of classes on green wood processing in my shop, I did a video for a pandemic year demo on this, Blanks from Logs - take a look if you feel so inclined. I made it kind of long to fit the zoom demo time.
Sorry, I'm photo crazy.
JKJ
Texturing, embellishment, carving is great fun! (I have no interest in basket illusion myself but many do.)
I've turned large but mostly prefer smaller things and from dry wood. Hollowed a bunch but doesn't interest me much - practically gave away my Jamieson hollower with a camera but kept the Jordan hand-held hollowing tools including the one with the arm brace for just in case. I don't turn much green wood. I don't post photos in a gallery here but turn a variety of things for gifts and house. Lots of spindles. Some pictures, at the risk of boring you. (There is some duplication.)
A few simple bowls and what I call my "small squarish dished platters."
I find boxes fun to make.
Some utility things. We use some of these in our house daily, some were gifts.
Logs on the ground might spalt nicely or just rot, depending. I like to cut up green wood as soon as possible into blanks and dry them. We probably have wood similar to your area: maple, walnut, persimmon, cedar, sassafras, oak, holly... I have a woodmizer sawmill but mostly cut the log sections small enough with the chainsaw to carry into the shop and process on the bandsaw. Been doing this for a long time and have lots of dry wood now to pick from:
After doing a number of classes on green wood processing in my shop, I did a video for a pandemic year demo on this, Blanks from Logs - take a look if you feel so inclined. I made it kind of long to fit the zoom demo time.
Sorry, I'm photo crazy.
JKJ
Last edited:
I like turning dry since you don't have to wait forever for it to dry and potentially ruin, but I've got a sawmill and tons of trees on my property. My main focus at the moment is segmented turning, have done it a decent amount of times I just haven't got to the point of doing feature rings yet. Current two projects are urns, one for my dog that passed away back in July, and my friends dog that passed away last week. Finally got a new computer and bought segmented pro software to help with that, nice being able to do it quickly on the computer and get a cut list instead of drawing them out. Back before kids I use to sell at craft shows, would make decent money but then spent it all upgrading tools for my shop. Got lucky i did that when i did, and kept all my tools even though i haven't used them a ton over the last few years. Dang prices seemed to have almost doubled on everything.
Hello Joe,
I also just joined, and am also from Frankfort, KY. It's nice to know there is another turner in the area.
Welcome,
WH
I also just joined, and am also from Frankfort, KY. It's nice to know there is another turner in the area.
Welcome,
WH
Nice pieces!
I bought Woodturner Pro (includes Segment Pro) in 2017 with good intentions. Haven't made a single segmented piece, even with a good PM table saw and everything I need in the shop.
About the only things I do that are glued then turned are Beads of Courage boxes made with layers of flat wood, certainly not segmented. (BOC boxes, for any who might not be aware, are mostly for kids with cancer for their strings of beads - they get another bead for each procedure, medical event.
I've done several with basswood between two layers of hardwood so I could add chip carving.
One has a music box in the lid that plays "Jesus Loves Me".
I custom made one for a special little boy named Jack.
BTW, while looking at ten BOC boxes turned in at a symposium, I noticed five of them had stuck lids. With a "conventional" woodturners lid fit there is simply too much chance of wood movement, even with end grain turned wood. I started preaching tapered lid fit which I've used on a variety of boxes now. [Rant ON] I think the only use for a suction fit lid is to impress other turners - no one else wants to have to use two hands to open a box, especially if it's for use in the house for jewelry, coins, kitchen, etc. [Rant OFF]
The tree pieces of some of the BOC boxes are made with an idea from Harvey Meyer: pre-turn each layer leaving only a thin web on the top two, glue up, cut through the two webs and the hard part, the hollowing, is done. I use only dry wood on these.
The pieces for the box and the lid before gluing together.
Do you think I used too many clamps?
JKJ
I bought Woodturner Pro (includes Segment Pro) in 2017 with good intentions. Haven't made a single segmented piece, even with a good PM table saw and everything I need in the shop.
About the only things I do that are glued then turned are Beads of Courage boxes made with layers of flat wood, certainly not segmented. (BOC boxes, for any who might not be aware, are mostly for kids with cancer for their strings of beads - they get another bead for each procedure, medical event.
I've done several with basswood between two layers of hardwood so I could add chip carving.
One has a music box in the lid that plays "Jesus Loves Me".
I custom made one for a special little boy named Jack.
BTW, while looking at ten BOC boxes turned in at a symposium, I noticed five of them had stuck lids. With a "conventional" woodturners lid fit there is simply too much chance of wood movement, even with end grain turned wood. I started preaching tapered lid fit which I've used on a variety of boxes now. [Rant ON] I think the only use for a suction fit lid is to impress other turners - no one else wants to have to use two hands to open a box, especially if it's for use in the house for jewelry, coins, kitchen, etc. [Rant OFF]
The tree pieces of some of the BOC boxes are made with an idea from Harvey Meyer: pre-turn each layer leaving only a thin web on the top two, glue up, cut through the two webs and the hard part, the hollowing, is done. I use only dry wood on these.
The pieces for the box and the lid before gluing together.
Do you think I used too many clamps?
JKJ