Desert Woodturning Roundup Day 2

Yesterday was the official first day of the 2011 Desert Woodturning Roundup (DWR).  I'll post about it in a couple of days, after things settle down a bit.

Today was day 2 and the start of the demonstrations.  The one demonstration I knew I wanted to see today was Mike Mahoney's McNaughton coring demo.  I have and use the Mcnaughton set on a regular basis but I've always admired his work and knew I could pick up some pointers.    I ended up running the video camera which meant I was on stage with him and assisted him at various times.  The second half of his demo was coring this piece of Honey Locust Burl.  It was only about 10" diameter but he managed to get 7 pieces out of it.  Using my current tecnique I would have been lucky to get 3.  I learned quite a bit and got to interact on a personal basis with one of the turners I admire the most.  Pretty tough to beat that -

 Part way through the banquet we honored a couple of local turners.  What I didn't know is that everyone had gone behind my back and decided to honor me as well.  It was a complete surprise and very humbling.  I wish my wife could have been there but there was a camera taping everything so I should get a copy eventually. 

After the awards were handed out the live auction took place.  I ended up winning 2 items (I bid on a couple more that I didn't win and if I'm being perfectly honest I expected to be outbid on both of the items I won, but I'm happy that I won them).

This turned, carved, and painted square platter is by Al Stirt.  He's one of our demonstrators this year and donated this piece to the auction (as did several other demonstrators, Mahoney, Sfirri, Burchard, and Hatcher). 


Surface detail.  I might have to check out one of Al's demos to see how he does this technique.  I also won another chuck, I don't really need another one (unless it's a Nova Titan) but the price was too good to pass up, I didn't really intend to win it but that's the way things end up sometimes.

The backside of the auction piece I won.  I donated 2 items to the DWR, a framed lightning photo that went for $75 and the trio of burned hollow forms that were featured earlier this year.  That trio sold for $150, both were very fair prices.