Woodworker's Journal 2008-32-5, страница 33

has a vast collection of small-scale objects, all less than 7" in size. As a hobby, he also turns miniatures.

Joe started turning in 1998. Although he had been collecting for years, he didn't initially try turning himself because he thought he would hate sanding. Well, he does hate it, but with small pieces, sanding is minimal. He joined the Bucks Woodturners chapter of the American Association of Woodturners in 1995. They had a loaner lathe he borrowed, and he took a few lessons. He got hooked.

Now, a number of his friends have collections of his work, which pleases him greatly. He derives pleasure from turning and then giving.

Joe's favorite woods are boxwood and pink ivory because they turn so well. He also likes highly figured woods or those with a sharp contrast of sapwood and heartwood. Joe decided to use boxwood for this project. The piece he selected had two attractive knots, so he incorporated them into the finished pieces. He turns most of his objects endgrain-fashion, so that the stem of the goblets have the strength of the long grain. I love the way the grain pattern on the small plate subtly follows the curve of the plate's edge.

Joe is a professor of management at LaSalle University in Philadelphia. His profession has little to do with turning or collecting, which is his hobby and passion. He is the vice president of the Collectors of Wood Art and also VP of his local chapter of woodturners. He's on the steering committee of an event called Echo Lake, held every other year. A group of woodturners get together to turn, create and let ideas flow between participants. This year, they held their 10-year retrospective at the Wood Turning Center in Philadelphia.

Joe's advice for people interested in turning small items is to buy some small tools. He likes the Klein gouges and scrapers and the Sorby mini-turning tools. Scrapers can be ground to different radii. Attach the

Jennifer Shirley couldn't resist decorating her mini canteens. She used a wood burner for the designs and added texture with an electric engraver, modified by inserting a dull tip into the end.

wood to the lathe using a faceplate with a waste block or use a chuck with small jaws.

Jennifer Shirley

Jennifer has two lathes, a full-size General and a JET mini-lathe. Years ago, her son, Weston, learned how to turn using her mini-lathe. Jennifer works in a one-and-one-half car garage converted to a studio.

Jen primarily uses native Indiana hardwoods, often rescuing timber that might otherwise find its way to a fireplace or landfill. The wood she used for her spice canteens is pear wood, given to her by a friend ... actually, given to her by two friends. I live about two miles from her in Indianapolis, and a little over a year ago, I helped myself to a couple of those small pear wood logs stacked in her backyard, sawed them up and dried them. I gave a hunk back to Jen for this project. It's a lovely wood to work!

An educational grant from the American Association of Woodturners allowed Jen to attend a turning class at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Craft in 2002. In 2006, she studied for a week at the Appalachian Center for Craft. Learning new skills helped Jen launch her own career as a teacher.

Jennifer is in regular demand at Marc Adams Woodworking School as a studio assistant. This year, she will teach her first class there,

a weekend session on embellishing turned objects.

Jen's initial thought for this project was to make two decorated hollow forms; however, after remembering some little chili containers that Alan Lacer brought to a class at Marc Adams, Jen decided to make her own version, calling them spice canteens. Her recent interest and activity in cooking has introduced her to a variety of new spices.

The piece of pear wood was just large enough to make two canteens. She hollowed them with a mini hollowing tool made from a piece of drift key and a tiny HSS cutter, brazed on with silver solder. Jen enjoys the challenges of making her own small-scale turning tools.

The canteens are ready to fill with your favorite blend of spices, tuck into your pocket or purse and head to your favorite restaurant or pub!

Jen has always been intrigued with tiny objects and miniatures that resemble their larger counterparts. When she was a kid, she loved Matchbox® toy cars and wished she could fit inside them. She sums up her participation in this challenge by saying, "the world of turning small-scale is very exciting and challenging, and this project was really a treat to be involved with!"

Betty Scarpino and her stash of pear wood reside in Indianapolis. The pear wood is well hidden from the stray eyes of visiting woodturners!

Woodworker's Journal October 2008

33