Steve Gray

[Steve Gray]

Hello. I may be new to you all, but I've been following this forum for quite some time.

In the summer of 2022 after a friend merely suggested wood turning and then watching a few videos, I purchased a used Jet 1224. I've always had a fondness for trees, wood, and creativity. Not knowing if it was going to stick I started with carbide and my first turning was a honey locust natural edge bowl found down in a local park. Fifteen months later came the addition of a turning shed and traditional tools. After running extension cords to the shed for too long, I upgraded to hard-wired 220V and shortly thereafter obtained by auction a slightly used Harvey T40.

I enjoy scavenging downed wood in urban parks and neighborhoods almost as much as the turning. In addition to my local club, I've learned much from this group simply by searching and following this forum. So many of you have already provided me inspiration and technical know-how. For example, I have appreciated Odie's advice to grab a couple old Sioux and Milwaukee angle drills, and I've recently tried to emulate the fine lines in his bowls. I appreciate Micheal's creativity, David's elegant forms, and Leo's wood wisdom.

So, after a couple years as a voyeur of this site...greetings!

 

[Chris Fairbanks]

Steve, welcome and sorry for the delay in approving your account. We got really behind. Enjoy your time here and if you need any help with the forums please reach out.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

Welcome aboard. You have some nice work there. You might want to , if you have not already, look for a woodturning club.

 

[Alan Weinberg]

Good pictures and welcome

 

[Steve Gray]

Good pictures and welcome

Thank you. Nice work yourself.I've enjoyed your contributions to What's on your lathe?

 

[Michael Anderson]

Cheers, Steve! Welcome from Chattanooga, am I’m glad you transitioned from lurking. Those pieces are beauties—I especially like the last bowl.

How are you liking your Harvey lathe?

Oh, and just read your comment on the box challenge re. a photo setup. Here’s a thread I started (question I asked) a little while ago with a lot of helpful information:

Thread 'Photography gradient background'

Jun 19, 2023

Hi everyone,

Following the Louisville symposium, I haven’t done a ton of actual turning; however, I have spent a lot of time cleaning, reorganizing, and planning. Planning for ways to get more serious about the craft. One of these ways is to improve my photography setup. I think it was Emiliano A or Bill B that said something along the lines of “your piece is only as good as its photograph”. The more involved I get, the more I realize this is true. So…one of the ways I am trying to improve my photographs is to get a proper gradient background or two. That said, they are expensive. I...

• Michael Anderson

 

[Steve Gray]

Cheers, Steve! Welcome from Chattanooga, am I’m glad you transitioned from lurking. Those pieces are beauties—I especially like the last bowl.

How are you liking your Harvey lathe?

Oh, and just read your comment on the box challenge re. a photo setup. Here’s a thread I started (question I asked) a little while ago with a lot of helpful information:

Thread 'Photography gradient background'

Jun 19, 2023

Hi everyone,

Following the Louisville symposium, I haven’t done a ton of actual turning; however, I have spent a lot of time cleaning, reorganizing, and planning. Planning for ways to get more serious about the craft. One of these ways is to improve my photography setup. I think it was Emiliano A or Bill B that said something along the lines of “your piece is only as good as its photograph”. The more involved I get, the more I realize this is true. So…one of the ways I am trying to improve my photographs is to get a proper gradient background or two. That said, they are expensive. I...

• Michael Anderson

Thanks, Michael. As a lurker, I know you appreciate a good calabash, and who can't appreciate a native ebony rorscrash. I'm really enjoying my Harvey. I can't believe I got it at an auction with all the accessories for $1100! Thanks for the tip on the photo setup.

 

[Michael Anderson]

Thanks, Michael. As a lurker, I know you appreciate a good calabash, and who can't appreciate a native ebony rorscrash. I'm really enjoying my Harvey. I can't believe I got it at an auction with all the accessories for $1100! Thanks for the tip on the photo setup.

Nice deal! Glad you're liking the lathe. Ebony rorschach haha. You know, I was pretty sure that was Persimmon, but not confident enough to say so. Good stuff!

 

[John K Jordan]

Oh, and just read your comment on the box challenge re. a photo setup. Here’s a thread I started (question I asked) a little while ago with a lot of helpful information:

Thread 'Photography gradient background'

Jun 19, 2023

Hi everyone,

Following the Louisville symposium, I haven’t done a ton of actual turning; however, I have spent a lot of time cleaning, reorganizing, and planning. Planning for ways to get more serious about the craft. One of these ways is to improve my photography setup. I think it was Emiliano A or Bill B that said something along the lines of “your piece is only as good as its photograph”. The more involved I get, the more I realize this is true. So…one of the ways I am trying to improve my photographs is to get a proper gradient background or two. That said, they are expensive. I...

• Michael Anderson

Thanks for that link - I missed that and was glad to read all the ideas. I've done all sorts of photography, from studio portraits & yearbooks to landscapes, astro, aerial from planes and (better) helicopters, to underwater video and stills with scuba gear. Good clean fun!

Manatee, Fla, Nikonos, Ektachome slide film, maybe 50 years ago


In the 70s I bought a complete photo studio, film cameras (4x5, 2-1/4, etc), tripods, backdrops, lights, stands, darkroom, everything, from the widow of a pro photographer who was tired of having it fill the basement. It came with a lot of backdrops, plain and gradient, and I set up and did a number of photo shoots (prom couples, etc) before I also got tired of all the space it took!

Photography is funny. Like in other endeavors, there are also some who say "it must be done this way because I'm right", comments I ignore. For example, one vocal person insisted that blue backgrounds are the evil influence of Satan or something and chided anyone who used one. I think there is a place of many colors and gradients in photography. The important thing for me is that the background complement or at least not detract from the subject. And as always, lighting is king!!

For woodturnings and other relatively small things, I ended up with a simple home-made photo cube which works for me. I think I'll add pictures and info to that older thread full of great ideas!

JKJ