Skip to main content




        
   CHAPTER MEMBER

News / Articles

2025/01/09 - Guild Meeting - Board to a Vase with Dennis Belcher

'A Vase from a Board' - A Demonstration with Dennis Belcher
  • Thursday January 9, 2025
  • 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
Joining us, for the first meeting of 2025, is a nearby neighbor, Dennis Belcher.  Dennis resides in Hampstead, NC and is active in the Wilmington Area Woodturners Association.

For his demonstration, Dennis will be creating a vase from a board, rather than that big "chunk" of wood we are all too familiar with.  Using a board, Dennis addresses a factor many of us may face at some time and that is our "limitations".  Limitations may come in the form of physical limitations or tool and equipment limitations.  No matter the form, this project demonstration removes these limitations and allows the woodturner to design and turn an attractive and functional vase that has many opportunities for creative enhancements. 

During his demonstration, Dennis will address some of the common tools and equipment he uses to prepare a blank from just one board.  And will further address:
  - Wood selection
  - Material preparation
  - Cutting and glue-up
  - Process for mounting and drilling the blank
  - Design and shape considerations
  - Turning and finishing the vase
  - Discussion of variations such as embellishments and project size.

The beauty of this project is that this technique allows you to make functional vase forms from a single board and can be scaled up or down as desired, to make a taller or shorter vase and wider or narrower versions as well.



About our Demonstrator:

Dennis Belcher retired from a 30+ year career in the investment world to his lifelong passion of working with wood. A member of the Wilmington Area Woodturners Association (North Carolina), Dennis demonstrates for clubs and participates in juried art shows.

You may contact Dennis at Dennis.M.Belcher@gmail.com or visit his website, DennisBelcher.com  On his website, you will find, amoung many other topics, an article that covers his demonstration in additional detail.