After seeing a display of turned objects by some local woodturners in 1999, I was intrigued and thought I might give woodturning a try.
Since then I have tried to improve my turning skills, learn what each turning tool does, what it is used for, and how to use it to full advantage on the wood lathe. I have turned about two dozen
species of wood in the past years, from freshly cut... to bone dry timber, and have found that each kind has its own personality.
Turning wood has been a real learning experience for me. Early on, when I finished a bowl or pot, the wood by itself was very beautiful. But I thought I might improve the piece a little more, so I started experimenting with many different finishes. I finally settled on oil or polished laquer as the ones I liked the best. They seem to really bring up the beauty of the wood.
Dyes and airbrushing are also something I also experimented with. Some woods turn beautifully, but are fairly lifeless when sanded. Analine dye and the airbrush seemed to be the answer for me.
Today I turn mostly hollow pots from wood taken from dead or fallen trees. My favorite and my most challenging woods to turn are spalted birch, spalted maple and box elder burl.
In 2005 I was fortunate enough to have one of my turnings chosen for display at the National Woodturning Gallery.
Jon Normann
