Turning Vermont woods

The wood lathe is the only power wood working tool that doesn't have cutters flying around powered by a motor. In wood turning the cutter is stationary and held by the operator to create forms much like on a potters wheel. The results can be exceedingly attractive depending on the character of the wood and the artistry and skill of the operator.

I started wood turning in Strafford about 1971 and put work in all of the League of New Hampshire stores for several years.

I use almost exclusively local woods salvaged or fresh off the stump but sometimes soap stone or deer antler are used.

The turning has been at the hobbyist level over 40 years and I recently started giving workshops to woodworkers in my home shop.

Students are male and female and range from 12 to 92 years old.

The classes are in two levels. Each level is 12 hours spread over 4 days - usually on successive weekends with no more than 3 students at one time.

Turned work examples are bowls, plates, candle sticks, chair spindles, spin tops, pens, drop spindles and darning balls.
Many more bowls are available than pictured below.

I am also involved with violin building and repair and canoe building.

See the 17th century wassail bowl.

Spalted maple gnome home 10"

13" deep spalted maple bowl $180

Pin cherry Vase

Natural edge Pin Cherry bowl

Cherry salad bowls on spalted maple board

Flamed spalted lamp 10" Sold

Salt and Pepper mill

Maple Burl fruit bowl $150 Sold

Birds eye platter 14" Sold

Medieval wassail bowl for hot wine punch - 11" high from the William and Mary Acorn pattern. $180

Also purchased for funeral urn use.

Right: 4 three foot high urns now on the steeple of the East Thetford church

Birds eye french pastry rolling pin $30

Column 11.5 feet white pine - 2 of these were turned for the Strafford Town house built in 1799

Wedding present bowl - Maple burl

Spalted sphere with maple burl pen

Cedar strip canoe partially complete. Still needs many hours of sanding, more epoxie, seats,gunwals and decks and clear coat.

This is a 16 foot kit from Newfound woodworks

Another natural edge Pin Cherry bowl

Gunwals , thwart,seats, and decks are done. Inside is varnished.The final step is the clear coat going on the outside.

My local auto body expert Al Wright is helping with clear coat.

Finished boat after clear coat

This is a bunch of scraps glued together and turned. Mahogany cherry, teak and maple . 15"

Spalted maple rare 11" $210 (Sold)

White Ash with Staining 12" x 3.5" deep $120 Sold

Thin Black Cherry bowl 10.5"

Seat detail - done without hardware

Inlay platter 15" Several patterns available

Large cherry burl bowl - rare $280 diameter 15" Sold

Large spalted maple Diameter 15.5" Sold

White Ash with Stain outside 11"x4" deep $120

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