When my wife Ona and I first moved to Sunriver, Oregon in 2000, we did not intend living there full time. Our intension was to rent the home and travel in one of the motor homes my wife had in her motor home rental business. We did just that for about 6 years and then decided to move permanently to Sunriver.
I told her that when I retired I would get a wood lathe and rekindle by love of wood turning. I was not sure of what I would turn on the lathe. I had plenty of time to think about what to turn as when we moved in as full time residents there was no work shop, only a car port.
Since residing full time, except for some vacations, we have completely
remolded our home including the conversion of our carport to a one car garage which also serves as my workshop.
My shop/garage is small but well organized. I initially had a Nova 3000 wood lathe but have since purchased a Powermatic 2020. I began turning wood burls. I had purchased 28 burls from a vendor in California. They are all done and have all sold. I sell my wood turnings at fine art shows in Oregon and Washington.
After working on so many burls I began to think about the wasted material accumulated during the turning process. As a result of this concern I developed a method of turning which provides my art show customers with beautiful bowls, some burl material, some not, that are
designed as a free standing octagon (re-sawed burl and other wood chords) mounted on a flat bottom. My bowl octagon design and corresponding sizes and shapes was instantly recognized as a fine wood tuned creation.
I do some solid block turning, but mostly segmented octagon bowls. My accumulation of scrap shavings is far reduced with the method I use, and the ability to combine different woods together rather than being limited by a solid block structure has greatly improved by turnings.
As a result of turning segmented octagon bowls, I have invented a unique wood lathe tool rest that I use when turning this type of design.
You will see that tool, the “Double 9 D” for sale on my website as well as some magnetic knife racks that I have created.
This coming Summer 2018 I plan to start introducing my segmented
Octagon bowls to the public through my website at ETSY.
Thank you for your interest in my hobby.
Joe Glassford