Steady As She Goes

When is a woodturner not a woodturner? When he is busy making the tools needed to hone his craft. This is something that has been done all my life. Part out of necessity and part out of the pure joy of being able to do it. I think some of the first tools created were done when I owned the music store on Long Island. String Bass clamps come to mind along with all of the other orchestral clamps that I designed and made by hand and needed with much of my string repair business. After that another handy tool was the French Horn holder that I designed and created out of compelling circumstances. If you have ever seen a French Horn then you can only guess how interesting it might be to hold and repair all at the same time. But all of that is pretty much in the past chapters of life.

Today it is mostly about woodturning and woodcarving, even though there is still an instrument or two to create or repair but maybe that is a whole other post? There was never a chance to boast about the creation of those tools and there is certainly no need to now. And do understand that it is a very understated boast. In fact it is all Debbie's fault, the boldness that is. You know, Debbie wife of The WoodArt Studio artist, Steve. So onto it now. The Woodturners of the Virginias (WoVa), had their 2012's first Quarterly Challenge- Make a Tool. So what tool better to bring then the latest and possibly the best of all the woodturning tools created…the Steady Rest.

Used to keep the wood from wobbling this one is perfect for the job. And the WoVa people thought so also and gave this tool 1st place honors at the March meeting and gift certificates to buy more tools. It doesn't get too much better than this. Thanks WoVa for thinking my Steady Rest worthy. Now onto more turning.

Until next we meet…use the right branch.

Not Just Any Tree

Let me tell you a tree story. Once upon a time, about 350 years ago, give or take a year there stood a tree, a beautiful oak  at the edge of a farm field near Mt. Meridian in Augusta County, Virginia. This tree was known as the Stonewall Jackson Prayer Tree. It has been said that after the Valley Campaign in May and June of 1862 that the General and his men had prayed under this massive oak tree.

Fast forward a bit and keep in mind based on the tree being about 350 years old that it was nearly 200 years old when General Stonewall Jackson prayed under it. Tree diseases have a way all unto themselves and this tree was no exception. On May 27, 2011, and additional 149 years after prayer services were held underneath her beautiful branches high winds that ran through the valley caused to take her down. The current owner of the farm saw fit to preserve the historical significance of the tree and donated it to members of the WoVa and the CVW, local woodturning groups of which Steve is a member of so that the tree could be turned or carved into pieces that could be sold, donated or gifted.

Steve's first turning of the tree was a huge 17" bowl (#489) that was subsequently sold via OASIS Art & Craft Gallery with proceeds being donated to the Wounded Warriors project. He has now been spending much of his artistic moments creating more pieces from this historic tree. To date there has been two ornaments, two bowls and a spoon that have arisen from portions of what was cut from the tree. There will be more that will come from The WoodArt Studio so follow us here by becoming a blog member or contact us directly.

#489 SJPT Bowl Sold

In order for you to know that you are indeed purchasing a piece that is from this historic tree each item is to be signed by Steve (when able), labeled with reference to Stonewall Jackson Prayer Tree (SJPT), numbered and registered with the WoVa who in turn will keep a database of all pieces created from the tree. A small information card will be presented with every purchased piece.

So on that branch we will head out for more turning and carving until next we meet...