meeting – Page 4 – Nittany Valley Woodturners

June 10, 2019

June 2019 Meeting

In June we had the opportunity to meet on a Saturday and see the unique setup of Joe Peachey’s Amish shop, as he demonstrated his turning techniques on his lathe.

We also had the opportunity to view and purchase burls that Joe has been collecting from local lumberjacks As well as some of his own artwork and we got to stop for lunch at the Country Village Restaurant.

It was an excellent opportunity to get a glimpse into the history of turning, to acquire some truly marvelous burls for our own turning projects, to acquire some unique art at reasonable prices, and to further enjoy the company of fellow Woodturners and their spouses in a very relaxed setting and the drive over took us through some really beautiful country!

April 4, 2019

April 2019 Meeting

The April meeting of the Nittany Valley Woodturners will feature a presentation by local wood turner, Ken Fisher, demonstrating Turning apple forms with a customized jig. A former Marine and Retired President of MCS Bank in Lewistown, Ken is a self-taught turner since 2011.

The bowl of “apples” on the lower left represents what Ken will be demonstrating. As you can see, Ken also likes to turn burls, which he gets from Joe Peachy, whose Amish shop we hope to visit in June. Time will be allotted for questions and answers for an interactive session.

In addition to the usual wood auction we will be auctioning some exotic woods recently donated to the club.

Be sure to bring pieces you’ve turned (or attempted to turn) and would like to share. We’re especially eager to have you bring pieces that may be giving you problems – whether in terms of design or tool technique. If you have a blank for which you’d like some advice regarding orientation or maximizing the available wood or the best way to mount the blank for safety – all questions are welcome.

Nittany Valley Woodturners is always looking for new members who are interested in woodturning. Our club is a chapter of the American Association of Woodturners (AAW).

We hope to see you at our next meeting on Thursday, April 4, 7-9 pm at the Mount Nittany Middle School, 656 Brandywine Dr., State College, PA

For easiest access to the school wood shop, park in the rear down the second driveway near the dumpster. You may also park in front and find the woodshop in the far left hand corner of the building as you enter.

March 9, 2019

March 2019 Meeting

Mark Mclaren demonstrated how to make a twig (weed) pot. He also shared several design principles which everyone found very helpful.

Woodturning Design
Design Elements: (things that can be manipulated or modified in some way). Common to many areas of our
environment, photography, architecture, landscaping, pottery, etc.
Color/Value: Color should suit the overall shape. Value: Light vs dark within the piece (grain, etc)
Texture: Rough, smooth, etc. Finish to be used. How does it feel in the hand
Shape/Form: How will the object appear from different angles? Does appearance change with perspective?
- Pay close attention to where flow changes shape or direction. Sharp or smooth, in between not good. o Catenary Curve: (Seen in our environment) Pleasing to the eye.
- Where does curve end, above or below horizon?
Scale: Size of object should match the intended use.
Proportion: Relative comparison of the individual elements within the object. Curves, beads, coves,
embellishments, etc
- Avoid placing a design element (bead, direction change, etc) near the center line.
- Rule of 3s. Elements or changes at 1/3 point.
- Box lid should be 1/3 of the overall dimension.
- For bowls/platters: Base should be 1/3 diameter of piece.
- For closed forms: Opening at top 1/3 diameter.
- Golden Mean: Used by Greeks and Egyptians. (1:1.618) 5:8 ratio. Used for the overall dimension of the
  object being turned.

Design Principles

Center of Interest, Balance, Harmony, Rhythm. Style: Modern, rustic, natural, wabi-sabi (organic, imperfect, dull, soft vague shapes, etc.
Plan before you turn (draw it, mark the blank, etc), visualize during turn, make changes as needed while turning.
Keep it simple, imperfections are ok and interesting, do what feels right for you.
Turn, explore, tap in to your creative side.

February 3, 2019

2019 Meetings

January 3 – Mike Lebo demos Threading Jig

February 7 – Dan Kozar goes over the Basics

March 7 – Mark Mclaren demos turning a Twig Pot

April 4 – Ken Fisher will demo turning apple forms with a customized jig

May 2 – Jim Finley goes over End Grain Turning

June 6 – TBD

September 5 – TBD

October 3 – TBD

November 7 – TBD

December 5 – TBD

February 3, 2019

February 2019 Meeting

The February meeting of the Nittany Valley Woodturners will feature a presentation by club member and long time turner, Dan Kozar, for an overview of the fundamentals of woodturning. Topics to be covered will include lathe set-up, mounting, chucks, various types of tools and their intended use, and general information and insight that will be useful and informative for the novice or experienced turner. Time will be allotted for questions and answers for an interactive session.

In addition to the usual wood auction we will be auctioning two pieces of exotic woods recently donated to the club. A piece of Leapordwood and a piece of Bocote will be auctioned.

We will also have our usual Show & Tell. Individuals are encouraged to bring your recent turnings to share with the group. Time will also be provided for group discussion of a particular challenge or success.

Nittany Valley Woodturners is always looking for new members who are interested in woodturning. Our club is a chapter of the American Association of Woodturners (AAW).

We hope to see you at our next meeting on Thursday, February 7, 7-9 pm at the Mount Nittany Middle School, 656 Brandywine Dr., State College, PA

December 2, 2018

December 2018 Meeting

Our December meeting will feature a presentation by club member, Ken Vasko, on Turning Christmas Ornaments. Ken will demonstrate his technique on a few popular themes that everyone can enjoy on their own lathes.

Join us on December 6, 2018, 7-9 pm at the Mt. Nittany Middle School wood shop, 656 Brandywine Dr., State College.

We will also be having our usual Show & Tell so please bring any items that you want to share. The club is always available to help with any challenges that you may be having in addition to enjoying the masterpieces. We will have a few special items to raffle off for the wood auction so bring some extra cash or check book with you. Also, the $25 annual dues are due this month or next. Cash or checks will be accepted at the meeting. Thanks to those who have already paid.

JoAnne Westerhaus will be providing Holiday refreshments to allow for Holiday sharing with one another. Thank you JoAnne.

It is also time to elect new officers. If you are interested in helping the club in a leadership role please let us know. If you are a member please be sure to be there to vote for our next officers

March 30, 2018

May 2018 Meeting

The Nittany Valley Woodturners May meeting was held Thursday, May 3, 7-9 pm at the Mount Nittany Middle School, 656 Brandywine Dr., State College, PA. (park in the rear of school second driveway, look for dumpster).

It was a video night with Terry showing us the David Ellsworth video on his Signature Gouge. This video is a must for new turners and an excellent refresher for the experienced turner. He had a few gouges on hand to examine and discuss in addition to the usual business meeting, wood auction, show and tell, and general discussion.

March 28, 2018

April 2018 Meeting

The April meeting of the NVW featured a Woodturner’s Shop Tour on Saturday, April, 7, from 9:00 am – 1:00pm.

We visited 3 Shops and covered topics including vacuum chucks, sharpening, shop set-up, a Teknatools lathe, network mesh (Wifi), gouges, drying technique, finishes, and lathe set-up, in addition to other questions.

Check out the member shops below, you think they are always this clean??