Overview - West Bay Woodturners

We meet on 3d Wednesday of every month in Los Altos, CA. Guests are always welcome. Visit our meetings if you are interested in woodturning. We welcome all from beginners to experts.

Next Meeting

January 15, 2025, 7-9 PM at Bridges Church, 625 Magdalena Ave, Los Altos 94024.

Program

January: our traditional extended show and tell. Bring a gift from December party for review and discussion.

President’s challenge:

January: TBD

For more details email us info@westbaywoodturners.com. If you are looking for the old HTML-based website use this link.

Recent Newsletters

November Program: turning a bowl with handles by Tom Gaston. President’s challenge: Egg shape, any tool!
October Program: The exciting world of Scrapers by David Vannier. President’s challenge: turn a pen.
September Program: pen turning presentation by Jerry Galli. President’s challenge: not a bowl.

Review all newsletters.

Mike Mahoney’s Woodturning Demonstration, 2024

The article provides a detailed and engaging overview of Mike Mahoney’s woodturning demonstration, highlighting key techniques and projects. It effectively encourages readers to explore further opportunities to learn from Mike and participate in future woodturning events.

Apr 9, 2024

—

by

Roman Chernikov

in Articles, Demonstrations
Plate: chip carved, mid-century, Hutsul (Ukrainian)

This plate was among my grandfather’s items, which were mostly intarsia of his own making. It was probably given to him shortly after the second world war. The back of the plate bears an inscription, written in pencil, in English and German. It has been obscured by age, but what I can make out is:…

Oct 15, 2023

—

by

Edgar Whipple

in Articles, Projects

Eric Lofstrom’s Demonstration – 2024

On October 6, 2024 Eric Lofstrom gave an all-day live demonstration to the combined West Bay Woodturners and Silicon Valley Woodturners clubs. The demonstration was held at Maker Nexus in Sunnyvale.

Nov 20, 2024

—

by

Laura Rhodes
Hands-on Open Shop – My Take

23 October 2023 – Thanks to Claude Godcharles for making the Palo Alto Adult School wood shop available for the hands-on follow up to David Vannier’s “Grind, Grind, Grind” presentation at the October 2023 meeting, and to those who helped stage, mentor, demonstrate, explain, and clean up. About 15 to 20 people attended and participated…

Oct 23, 2023

—

by

Edgar Whipple
Drying Wood

Drying wood is a crucial step in woodturning, with techniques varying widely. Common methods include boiling, bagging, and sealing, each offering distinct advantages in reducing cracking and speeding up the drying process. Turners often choose based on wood type, available tools, and personal preference. Understanding these methods helps produce stable, beautiful wooden pieces

Oct 13, 2023

—

by

David Vannier
Food Safe Finishes

Food-safe finishes are essential for woodturning and woodworking projects that come into contact with food or drink. When selecting a finish, consider if it forms a surface film or penetrates the wood, whether it uses drying or non-drying oils, and other key factors to ensure safety and durability.

Oct 13, 2023

—

by

Edgar Whipple