West Bay Woodturners

Promote woodturning education and woodturning as an art form

Logo of the American Association of Woodturners (AAW). West Bay Woodturners is an official chapter of AAW.

Join us on the third Wednesday of each month in Los Altos, CA! Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, our doors are open for all who love woodturning. Guests are always welcome to explore and learn with us.

Next Meeting

July 16, 2025
7 PM – 9 PM

Bridges Church (2d floor)
625 Magdalena Ave
Los Altos, CA 94024

A building where members of West Bay Woodturners meet monthly. Bridges Church in Los Altos, CA.
Click to see map

Program

July: Reciprocal Motion Lathes / Spring Pole Lathe.

Laura Rhodes will be giving a slide show and demonstrating a spring pole lathe she has made.

Pole lathe

President’s challenge:

July: Name Tags! Everyone will be encouraged to bring a name tag.

Name badges: two handmade by David Vannier. One is printed.
Name badges by David Vannier
Name tag that is turned from oak and woodburned.
Name badge by Edgar

Read the most recent newsletter or email us at info@westbaywoodturners.com for more details.

If you are looking for an old HTML-based website, use this link.

West Bay Woodturners (WBW) has promoted woodturning education in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1994.

Since 2013, WBW has proudly maintained its non-profit 501(c)(3) status. Your donations will help in our mission.

Quick Links

Logo of the American Association of Woodturners (AAW)

American Association of Woodturners (AAW)

AWW is dedicated to advancing the art and craft of woodturning worldwide through education.

Silicon Valley Woodturners Logo

Silicon Valley Woodturners (SVW)

SVW is dedicated to woodturning education and teaching the members the art and craft of woodturning.

Logo of Santa Clara Valley Wood Carving club: a woodpecker on a tree.

Santa Clara Valley Carvers is a local woodcarving club with a long history of collaboration with WBW.

Recent Newsletters

  • June Program: informal question and answer session. President’s challenge: Turn a punky piece of wood and avoid tearout.

    Woodturners Newsletter, July 2025

  • May Program: Avoiding tearouts by Jon Bishop and Tom Gaston. President’s challenge: turning to a charitable cause such as a wig stand, beads of courage, pens for troops, or another organization.

    Woodturners Newsletter, June 2025

  • April Program: turning Wig Stands and building Beads of Courage Boxes by Angela Gunn. President’s challenge: turn and texture any piece. Extra credit for unusual approaches!

    Woodturners Newsletter, May 2025

Review all newsletters.

  • A Day at Woodturning Shop in Santa Cruz Mountains

    A Day at Woodturning Shop in Santa Cruz Mountains

    A successful sawdust session was held at Dennis’s woodturning shop in the Santa Cruz mountains in January 2025. Seventeen members learned about sanding strategies, wood processing, and shop setup and enjoyed good company and beautiful scenery.

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    by

    Roman Chernikov
  • Drying Wood

    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

    —

    by

    David Vannier

  • 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…

    —

    by

    Edgar Whipple
  • Plate: chip carved, mid-century, Hutsul (Ukrainian)

    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:…

    —

    by

    Edgar Whipple
  • Food Safe Finishes

    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.

    —

    by

    Edgar Whipple
  • Lathe Safety Guidelines (AAW)

    Lathe Safety Guidelines (AAW)

    Follow American Association of Woodturners’ safety guidelines for a safe turning experience. Wear protective gear, check equipment, and exercise caution with damaged stock. Familiarize yourself with these essential rules to minimize risks and ensure an enjoyable woodturning experience.

    —

    by

    West Bay Woodturners