Home - Woodturners Guild of North Carolina

50 ways to Mount Wood on a Lathe - with Steve Criscenzo, Michael Earley and Ted Ross

Thursday May 8^th
Hybrid: Live at NCSU Crafts Center and by IRD Broadcast via Zoom
Zoom call opens a 6:15 for socializing
Meeting begins at 6:45 PM
Demonstration begins at 7 PM

Have you been challenged trying to mount a piece of wood on your lathe? Or maybe you saw someone create a vessel but had no idea on how they mounted it? Or what different methods might be available to mount a blank that you are not aware of?

Well you’re in luck as this demo will review several different methods and tools for mounting pieces on a lathe. This will give you the opportunity to see first-hand a mix of techniques and real-life experiences you may not have seen before.

This month our WGNC demonstrators will provide us a demo on a mix of different methods to mount a piece, the pros and cons of each and how they work to hold a piece securely on a lathe.

This demonstration will explore:

> Several ways to mount between centers
> Faceplates and when and how to use them
> Chuck jaws and screw chucks
> Vacuum chucks and setup
> Mountiung for final tenon removal
* Jam chucks
* Cole jaws
* Longworth chuck
* Rubber chucky mounts

Click here to read more.

Workshop Photo Recap - Finding Your Way to Hollowing

Sunday's workshop participants Bob Reuss, Clarke Limbert, Michael Earley (workshop leader #1), Fred Burke and Donald Heppner. Photo provided by Ted Ross (workshop leader #2).

On Friday April 11th and on Sunday April 13th Michael Earley and Ted Ross led partiocipating Members in a hollowing workshop. Members were shown and then practiced the hollowing skills and techniques needed to take their hollowing to the next level.

The workshop followed Trent Bosch’s Thursday demonstration on hollowing and reinforced his techniques. The workshop leaders demonstrated various skills and techniques and then coached participants in practicing what they learned. The goal was to have participants walk away with a thorough understanding of hollowing and to feel comfortable using hollowing tools.
Based on the photo above and the slide show below, it appears the workshops accomplished it's stated goals with much success.

For anyone interested in seeing Trent Bosch's Thursday demo, please click here to be taken to all past Demos and Show & Tell Videos .

Saturday, April 26th, 2025

9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Bond Park - 801 High House Rd, Cary, NC

Join WGNC at the annual Spring Daze Arts Festival in the 310-acre Fred G. Bond Park in Cary, North Carolina. With winding trails, a lush-forested canopy and a pristine lake, Bond Park provides an outstanding setting for this annual festival. And amoung the trees and trails, look for the WGNC booth where members will be showing and selling their turnings for a first time at this particular event. What better way to enjoy a spring day. Bring the family, stop by and say hi and enjoy a day in the park. We hope you will join us!

And in other news:

New Videos:
The April Demonstration and Show & Tell videos are now available.
To view current and past videos click here

New Galleries:
The April Show and Tell Gallery photos are now available for viewing 04 - Apr 2025 - Show & Tell

Breakout: Let it burn!

The Saturday February 22nd breakout session was a sell out. This breakout, led by Lars Nyland, featured multiple ways a turner might add embellishments using "fire". Some of the hands on tools used were blow torches and burning units that use attached hand held pens to burn surface designs. While everyone had fun and were able to try their hand at burning, the best news of the day was our host, Ted Ross, still has an unscorched shop to work in!

Above is a slide show of some of the fun.

For additional reference material for this session see Burned Turnings

Breakout: Women in Turning

The WIT breakout sessions continued on Saturday, March 15th. This breakout, hosted by Ted Ross and featuring a wig stand project, had Eddie, Lydia, Tiffani and Ellen fully engaged for ther entire day.
Nice work ladies!

Breakout: Comments

Below are a few comments regarding the "Let it Burn!" breakout:

Lars Nyland:

Great day yesterday watching all of you burn your pieces! The transformations were amazing!

I was shocked at the end of the day how much carbon had accumulated in the rinse water; I've never seen anything like it.

Here is a link to the slides I made. If you care to, you can take some time to look into each artist and the techniques they use.

Stephan Moll:

Thank you very much for having hosted such a wonderful breakout session. Not only was Lars” presentation great and relevant, but opening your workshop for us, the setup outside, the cookies and donuts - it all made for an educational, worthwhile, well organized, fun and peaceful day. The great weather, of course, helped, too.

David Chapin:

Today was a great day. Lars, it was wonderful to get the benefit of your experience, combined with a chance to experiment for ourselves.

Thanks so much!!

Karl Koch:

Thank you for sharing with us today Lars! I have been thinking about all the new ideas that I was exposed to today. And thank you Ted for hosting us in your shop and yard!

It was a good day! Which is never something to be taken for granted.

Much appreciated,