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.
A large group of members from the Silicon Valley Woodturners and West Bay Woodturners clubs poses for a photo at their joint picnic in Cuesta Park, Mountain View, on August 5, 2026, standing around a table displaying various woodturning projects.

Woodturners Newsletter, September 2026

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

Next Meeting

Wednesday, September 16, 2026, 7pm

Bridges Community Church
(second floor meeting room)
625 Magdalena Ave
Los Altos, CA 94024

Program

  • Introductions of guests and new members
  • Program – Bud Trapp and maybe Claude Godcharles will talk about the Escoulen School and chuck
  • Break
  • Reminders and updates
  • Review of “President’s Challenge” items
  • Show & Tell

President’s Challenge for September 2026

Plate, platelet, or platter

Tina stopped by the other day to pick up some billets of the recent Shamel ash haul to use in her class this weekend. I processed them by removing a thin flitch to provide a flat surface for stability while truncating the corners on the bandsaw.

One billet was particularly deep, and so would allow removing a five centimeter thick slab containing the pith. I usually recover two quarter sawn planks from either side of the pith, but in this case there was an unexpected figure that was not apparent from the pith side.

It looks like the Eye of Sauron to me, so I have decided to make a plate or platter from it as nature has conveniently centered the feature.

Pith Side
no hint of lurking pattern		Body Side
exhibits EoS pattern		Body Side
wetted with ethanol to highlight grain

This billet has not indicated a propensity to cracking so far. Wish me luck, and happy turning.

  • 28 cm W
  • 32 cm L
  • ~5 cm H (thick)
  • 3300 gm M
  • 25% moisture

Upcoming Programs

These are tentative, and yet to be committed to a date.

  • Escoulen class and chuck review (Bud Trapp and Claude Godcharles)

Last Meeting Review: Picnic at Cuesta Park

Wednesday, August 5, 2026. Woodturners newsletter notes by Laura Rhodes; pictures by Angela Gunn and Roman Chernikov.

Woodturning Picnic

Group photo of members from the Silicon Valley Woodturners and West Bay Woodturners clubs posing behind a table displaying wooden bowls and turned projects at their joint picnic in Cuesta Park.

On August 5, 2026, the Silicon Valley Woodturners and West Bay Woodturners held a joint picnic at Cuesta Park in Mountain View, CA. Members gathered under the sunny skies to socialize and showcase an impressive array of craftsmanship, ranging from intricate lidded vessels and fluted bowls to unique multi-axis sculptures. The festive day featured grilling, lively discussions about the craft, a game of croquet and a celebration of the People’s Choice award winners.

Members of the Silicon Valley Woodturners and West Bay Woodturners clubs gather around tables displaying woodturning projects, including bowls and tools, during their joint picnic at Cuesta Park in Mountain View, CA, on August 5, 2026.
Members of woodturning clubs gather around a table displaying wooden bowls and projects during a joint picnic in Cuesta Park.
Members of local woodturning clubs gather around a long table draped with a white cloth to view various turned wooden bowls and projects at a sunny outdoor picnic in Cuesta Park.
Members of the Silicon Valley and West Bay Woodturners gather around a table displaying turned wooden bowls and projects at an outdoor picnic in Cuesta Park, while a woman in a teal shirt speaks to the group.
Members of the Silicon Valley Woodturners and West Bay Woodturners clubs socialize in small groups at a sunny outdoor picnic in Cuesta Park.
A group of woodturning enthusiasts gathers around a table displaying wooden bowls, mallets, and vases, chatting at an outdoor picnic.
Sang Park smiles while grilling at the 2026 joint picnic of the Silicon Valley Woodturners and West Bay Woodturners clubs in Cuesta Park, Mountain View.

A special thank you to Sang Park, who kept the appetites satisfied at the grill. His cooking was a highlight of the day, drawing a steady line of members for his delicious burgers, bacon strips, and sausages.

Also, special thanks to Edie Chung for organizing and shopping for the picnic!

Croquet Match

Kelly Smith playing croquet at the August 2026 WBW/SVW annual picnic.
Carol Dahout playing croquet at the August 2026 WBW/SVW annual picnic while Steve Dahout and Mark Wedel look on.
Steve Dahout playing croquet at the August 2026 WBW/SVW annual picnic.
Mark Wedel playing croquet at the August 2026 WBW/SVW annual picnic.
Kevin Lee playing croquet at the August 2026 WBW/SVW annual picnic.

A new feature for the 2026 picnic was a competitive croquet match, organized by Kevin Lee. Using hand turned mallets and balls, Kevin Lee, Steve and Carol Dahout, Mark Wedel, and Kelly Smith enjoyed an exciting game on the lawn of Cuesta Park.

Peoples Choice Awards

Congratulations to the People’s Choice award winners of our joint picnic! We are incredibly proud to share the outstanding craftsmanship and creativity of Jerry Galli, Dylan McVoy, Jon Bishop, and Angela Gunn.

Jerry took third place, Jon and Angela shared second place, and Dylan took the top honors with first place.

Four smiling people stand outdoors at a picnic table in Cuesta Park, holding wooden turned bowls and ribbons, celebrating their People's Choice award wins at a 2026 joint woodturning club picnic: Jerry Galli, Dylan McVoy, Jon Bishop, and Angela Gunn.
A polished burl wood hollow form by Dylan McVoy.
Burl hollow form by Dylan McVoy
A turned wooden bowl with rich, reddish-brown figured grain, created by Jerry Galli.
Large bowl by Jerry Galli
A dark wooden bowl featuring vertical flutes and a scalloped rim, turned and carved by Jon Bishop.
Bowl with flutes by Jon Bishop
A wooden multi-axis turned sculpture of a dog's head with dark inset eyes and lighter-colored floppy ears by Angela Gunn.
Multi-axis turning by Angela Gunn

Show & Tell

A long table covered in a white cloth displays a variety of woodturned items, including a large dark bowl, a light wood bowl, a carved dog head, a mallet, a small lidded box, a dark vase, plates, and a tall amber vase. A platter with food sits on the far right.

Daniel Saal

A dark, turned wood platter made by Daniel Saal, filled with a pile of square-cut nut bars.

Daniel Saal brought a large walnut platter to the picnic, serving as both a display piece and a serving tray for pecan cookies. The combination of fine craftsmanship and delicious treats made his station a natural gathering spot, sparking many interesting discussions about woodturning throughout the afternoon.

Kelly Smith

Kelly brought a hand-turned platter featuring a small bead around the rim. It was refreshing to see a piece not just on display, but in active use, highlighting the practical side of the craft. He also brought a cherry platter for the display table.

At a joint picnic for the Silicon Valley Woodturners and West Bay Woodturners in Cuesta Park, Kelly Smith, a smiling man with a mustache, holds up a round wooden plate. In the background, other members gather around a table laden with food and dessert.
A turned wooden platter with a smooth, glossy finish and rich, swirling brown grain patterns. Turned by Kelly Smith from cherry wood.
Cherry platter by Kelly Smith

Alison Lee

A round, reddish-brown wooden lidded vessel by Alison Lee.

Alison’s small lidded vessel is a great example of simple, utilitarian design. Turned from wood with a lovely grain, the piece highlights how a functional object can be both elegant and effective.

Kevin Lee

Kevin made a matching set featuring a platter, spoon, and fork, all made from Bay Laurel wood. He noted that the original piece of wood was large enough that he could use the off-cuts to create the utensils. He turned the handles as well.

Kevin Lee holds a woodturning project consisting of a wooden plate and utensils. Inset images show close-up views of the finished woodenware.
Kevin Lee's turned wooden platter with a matching wooden spoon and fork from Bay Laurel wood.

Jon Bishop

Jon Bishop holds a dark, ribbed wooden bowl at a woodturning club picnic, wearing a wooden name badge and a red 2nd place ribbon.

Jon’s walnut bowl features a pleasing shape and precise flutes created with his own handmade router jig. We congratulate him on winning second place in the People’s Choice award with this piece. If you’re interested in learning more about his process, feel free to ask him at one of our meetings; Jon is always happy to share his knowledge and experience.

David Vannier

David often blends turning with carving and is well regarded for his pierced vases. For this project, he combined turning, dyeing, and carving to create a unique vase with embellished leaves. You can explore more of David’s work on his website.

David Vannier, wearing a blue Minion T-shirt, holds a dark, textured wood-turned vase at the woodturning club picnic in Cuesta Park in 2026.
A dark, turned wooden vessel featuring a detailed carving of overlapping leaves covering its entire surface. Turned and carved by David Vannier.

Beyond the impressive displays of craftsmanship, the day was defined by a genuine sense of community. It was wonderful to see members from both clubs chatting, smiling, and simply enjoying the company of fellow turners under the summer sun.

Dennis Lillis (left) and James Craig (right) sit at a picnic table outdoors, smiling at the camera. Dennis wears a brown wide-brimmed hat and a palm-tree-print shirt, while James wears a straw hat and a dark blue T-shirt.
Dennis Lillis & James Craig
Jon Bishop (left) and Tom Mandle (right) pose for a photo at the joint Silicon Valley Woodturners and West Bay Woodturners club picnic in Cuesta Park. Jon wears a hat and a wooden name pendant, while Tom holds a water bottle.
Jon Bishop & Tom Mandle

Woodturning Book Library

A large library of woodturning, woodworking, and carving books is available to WBW members as part of our partnership with the Santa Clara Valley Carvers. Browse the online catalog, reserve a book or two, and pick them up at our next meeting. Some books feature galleries for inspiration, and some describe hands-on turning techniques.

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

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

President: Edgar Whipple
Vice President: Jon Bishop
Treasurer: Jim Koren
Secretary: Alison Lee
Member at Large: Bob Bley
Meeting Program Coordinator: Unfilled
Visiting Artist Coordinator: Dean Caudle (acting)
Anchor Seal: Dennis Lillis
Craft Supply: Tina
Librarian: Kelly Smith and Roman Chernikov
Audio Visual: Curtis Vose
Website: Roman Chernikov
Woodturners Newsletter: Angela, Edgar, David, Laura, and Roman

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