Woodturners Newsletter, January 2026

West Bay Woodturners Newsletter is a monthly update on the club activities. This free resource is available to beginner and professional woodturners.

Next Meeting

Program

• Brief safety note
• Review Holiday Party Gift Exchange items
• President’s Challenge

President’s Challenge

The President’s Challenge often, if not usually, reflects the previous meeting’s demonstration. In light of that tradition, I declare “kitchen and dining utensils” as the President’s Challenge for January 2026, as apposite to the “dining demo”.

• Kitchen utensil kits available from Woodcraft or Craft Supplies
  • Bottle stoppers, can tab lifter, pizza cutting wheel,…
• Spoons, spatulas, and spurtles
• Scoops and ladles
• Coasters (for glasses or for wine bottles)
• Salt and pepper shaker or mill (for the adventurous)
• Mortar and pestle
• Kitchen mallet (for paillarding)
• Utensil pot (remember to leave some weight in the base for stability)

President’s Message

Happy New Year!

Today, the fourth of January, is a wet and drear day, which, while it does not definitely preclude my woodturning, it does dampen one’s spirits, as it were. Thus, I am paying some attention to my duties as president.

I joined this club in 2002, when I was unemployed (DotCom downturn). I had plenty of free time, I had no disposable income to invest in the requisite appurtenances of woodturning. In that early tenure, I rotated through various roles — librarian, newsletter editor, treasurer — and finally vice president and president. Thanks to all for your confidence and support in re-appointing me to this role.

Thus, the December meeting set the theme for the January 2026 President’s Challenge, which is “kitchen and dining utensils“, which was posted to Slack, and emailed to the group on 20 December 2025. The details are in those citations, as well as on the home page.

January 2026 meeting agenda is also a follow up to the holiday party. I ask that all those who gave/received a gift in the gift exchange bring said gift to the meeting. In lieu of the usual show and tell, the creators of said pieces will tell us all about it.

I ask for your patience as I get my act together as the incoming President. The club has evolved from my previous terms — the membership has changed, and the club has become a proper charitable organization. For me to become better acquainted with you, the members, and your thoughts and desires (?) regarding the club, I will soon create a survey (probably on Google Forms). Stay tuned.

In light of the group’s charter (promoting woodturning education in particular), I have been pondering starting each meeting with a brief note on safety. A recent unfortunate incident reinforced this thinking. While safety at the lathe is well covered by lots of online material, there are other aspects (chainsaw, bandsaw, table saw, sanding, finishing, et cetera) to what we do as woodturners that I think should be highlighted.

So for starters, I ask that folks review the Lathe Safety Guidelines, an article on our website. In addition, I will be asking for volunteers to do a short presentation on some aspect of safety for which they are particularly suited.

Edgar Whipple
President of West Bay Woodturners

Woodturning Book Library

Did you spot it? One of those titles comes straight from a WBW member.

Mark Gardner’s woodturning demo, 2025

In case you missed it, Laura Rhodes wrote an article about Mark Gardner’s woodturning demo in September 2025. The article includes many pictures, and it is available here.

You Didn’t Open It!

The club’s lathe safety rules are simple: read the manual, wear face shield (or at least goggles for small turnings), hearing and dust protection; keep hair, loose clothing, jewelry, gloves, tools and keys off the machine; securely mount workpieces with proper screws and verify free rotation; ensure belt guards, tail-stock locks and tool rests are tight before turning the lathe on; set speed appropriate to size and balance, stay clear of the “red zone,” and never leave the lathe running unattended; turn off power before any adjustments, sanding or tool-rest changes; maintain a clean, well-lit, dry, non-flammable workspace; keep the lathe and cords in good condition, use sharp, correct tools, and stay alert. No operating while tired or under the influence.

Please see the Lathe Safety Guidelines here for more details.

Last Meeting Review

Wednesday December 17, 2025

Woodturners newsletter notes by Laura Rhodes; pictures by Roman Chernikov.

Holiday Party:

A good time was had by all at the West Bay Woodturners annual holiday party. Many thanks to all who helped set up, clean up and/or shared a dish. Kudos to Jim Koren who cooked three (count’m three) turkeys, each prepared in a different manner.

Gift Exchange:

Angela Gunn explained the ground rules for this year’s gift exchange. Each person who brought a gift was given a raffle ticket. The first person whose ticket was pulled would give his/her gift to the next person whose ticket was picked. Then that second person would give his/her gift to the third ticket winner. This would continue until the last ticket was pulled and after receiving a gift, that person would present their gift to the very first person in the chain. There were lots of oohs and aahs as the gifts were revealed. We look forward to getting a closer look at all the gifts at the January meeting show and tell. Here are the results:

Ornament Raffle:

Thank you to all who made ornaments and all those who contributed a little extra cash to the club by purchasing raffle tickets. Ornaments included: the charming Harvey Klein signature snowmen and miniature birdfeeder; the classic Kelly Smith icicles and Christmas tree; and live edge inverted acacia bowls with decorative walnut spindles made by Laura Rhodes.

Raffle winners were Jon Bishop, Kelly Smith, Angela Gunn, Jim Koren, Alison Lee, and Roman Chernikov.

“As the Wood Turns” by David Vannier

Happy New Year! I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions. Seems like i only made them to break them. But, Angela asked a question i had not thought about. “What do you want to learn/do this year”. My first response was to explore negative space more through the piercing. I’ve accumulated a number of pieces in different shapes and sizes for this. Some i had ideas that i wanted to do. Others were just canvases for future ideas. But all have been on hold for my tremor surgery, which keeps getting delayed due to construction at the hospital. Beyond that, i hadn’t given it much thought. I usually get inspired through our demo’s and the symposiums. I decided, a New Year’s resolution, to try to participate on all of the president’s challenges.

The first one, was fine, but my wife thought the handle was a little too big. I liked how it felt, but my hands are a little larger. The blade part was ok. Next, same process, but much smaller handle. Too small as it turned out. The wood had a hidden crack, or i wasn’t looking carefully enough, and it broke in the blade. Ok, 3rd one, but his time I did it between centers. I liked how this much better. The chuck tended to make it weird on the blade unless it was flat. The handle size was right, then i messed up butting the blade on the bandsaw.

Ok, try again. 4th one i mounted, but quickly realized i cut the handle wonky, yes that is a technical term, and no way was it going to work. 5th one, good handle, blade is too thick. If i find time, I’ve still got a few pieces of wood to try again. I have an idea on how to bandsaw the blade that i want to try.

All told, this was a great opportunity to use the skew. I hardly ever use the skew. That was good for me! I’ll never settle in on one kind of work. I enjoy the learning process too much! It is all about the journey, not the destination. So this year, let all take on the challenge that Edgar puts i n front of us.

Dave

www.daves-turned-art.com – updated 1/22/24

Woodturners Newsletter Editing Notes

WBW members, please let the newsletter editors know if you have a personal website and would like it included in the President’s Challenge and Show & Tell sections of our Woodturning Newsletter. Email us at info@westbaywoodturners.com.

Board Members and Committee Chairs