One of the benefits of belonging to AAW, in addition to being
insured when doing demos, is that you get copies of the American
Woodturner (go to www.woodturner.org if you want to find
more about membership benefits).

So I'm thumbing through it and I'm being reminded just how
diverse turning is. Malcom Tibbetts (www.tahoeturner.com)
shares how he does his amazing twisted pieces. An article on
the opening of two exhibits in San Diego - one of William Hunter's
work and the other of Binh Pho's work. Also learned that
Glaser is in fact a very clever and very innovative man - and
not something related to the trade of window installation and
repair.

And I'm thinking - turners sure head off in a lot of very different
directions - and once on The Road Less Traveled they keep going
farther and farther Out There. Now I understand that turning
is probably the least expensive form of woodworking - to get
into. Ironically, it can BECOME one of the more, if not the most,
expensive form of woodworking. And because its Slippery Slope
is not as obvious as that of other forms of woodworking, there
seems to be a LOT of people into turning. Because it inherintly
dangerous looking (I still think getting a piece of sharp steel
close to, let alone making contact with, a spinning chunk of
wood is crazy, despite my actual experience with it) - the
curious and the risk takers are attracted to it.

While other forms of woodworking follow traditional methods
and techniques - all tried and true, and documented - evolving
at a snail's pace compared to turning, turners play in what
is The Wild Wild West - willing to try just about anything that
pops in their heads.

Mr. Tibbetts turns two, or three perfectly nice identical pieces
- with 1/4" walls - and then - CUTS EACH ONE IN HALF! Why would
anyone even consider doing something like that - let alone
think of joining them back together, not in their original
shape - but with one from Column A flipped over and glued
to one from Column B and repeat the process with one from
Column C?

Can you imagine a chair maker or cabinet maker looking at
two of his or her pieces and thinking - "If I were to cut both
of these in half - than flip this part of this one over and glue
it to that one . . ."

And who in their right mind would turn a nice large piece -
and then bust it up - AND put it back together i such a way
as to make it a visualization puzzle to try and figure out
what the original shape was.

Who would turn an almost paper thin cylinder with a round
bottom - and then cut a bunch of shapes into it - then
air brush part of it to create a mini-stage set/scene - with
a theme?

What would make a turner decide to study metalurgy and
machine shop technology in order to have the gouge or
tool he wanted but couldn't buy?

Why would anyone think "I've got this big chunk of green
wood. I wonder if I could make it into a cowboy hat?"?

Who would look at a piece they'd just completed - and then
grab a propane torch and char the hell out of it - or -
sand blast it?

Are turners doing a lot of Acid or what?

charlie b
who Came of Age in the SF Bay Area during mid sixties
and am not unfamiliar with weird ideas, people and things