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Upcoming Classes at the Learning Center

“To provide Information, Education, and Organization to those interested in turning wood”

October Monthly Meeting

Michael Kehs

OVWG Member Appreciation Luncheon – December 12, 2026

Celebrate Friendship, Woodturning, and the Magic of Winter!

Join the Ohio Valley Woodturners Guild for our annual Member Appreciation Luncheon on Saturday, December 12, 2026 at the Kennedy Heights Arts Center Annex, 6620 Montgomery Road, Cincinnati, OH 45213. Doors open at 10:00 a.m. and festivities will conclude around 1:00 p.m. Enjoy a catered lunch, delicious desserts shared by members, and a festive atmosphere as we celebrate another wonderful year of woodturning, friendship, and creativity.

This year’s celebration includes our popular Woodturned Gift Exchange, where members can exchange wrapped handcrafted pieces; Show and Tell, featuring members’ latest creations; and our special winter-themed contest, “Capture the Magic of Winter!”



Let your imagination transform a simple wood blank into a seasonal masterpiece—whether it’s a decorative ornament, a snowman, a snowy landscape, or another creative interpretation of winter. All skill levels are welcome, and entries may incorporate painting, embellishment, or natural finishes, as long as woodturning is central to the creation. Members are also encouraged to bring handmade ornaments to decorate their tables and individually portioned desserts to share.

Registration is required by noon on November 30, 2026, so our caterer can prepare the meals. Members must log in to the OVWG website to register, select their meal preferences, and indicate whether they are bringing a guest. We hope you’ll join us for a memorable day of creativity, camaraderie, and holiday cheer as we celebrate the people who make OVWG special! View the calendar event for details, menu, and registration.



Register for Luncheon

Volunteers Needed

The Guild is seeking volunteers to help lead key areas of the 2027 Woodturning Symposium. These coordinator positions provide an opportunity to work with a team of dedicated volunteers while helping create an outstanding educational experience for woodturners from across the region. Each coordinator is supported by committee members, volunteers, and prior coordinators as a resource.

• Auction Coordinator
  Lead the planning and operation of the Live Auction and Silent Auction. Responsibilities include securing donations, organizing auction items, coordinating volunteers, supporting auction presentations, and managing auction setup, bidding activities, and checkout.

Interested in Helping?

The position is ideal for members who enjoy organizing projects, working with people, and contributing to the success of one of the premier regional woodturning events. Training, guidance, and volunteer support are available. Contact Doug Glessner or Dean Devin if interested or to learn more about any of the symposium opportunities.

Turning with Physical Limitations

Monthly Meeting Highlights

September Meeting

TURNFEST

2025 Monthly Meeting Highlights

View the 2025 Monthly Meeting (January - December) highlights and Show & Tell Photos 

2025 Monthly Meeting Highlights

SAVE THE DATES

Traditional Pepper Mills

KC Kendall demonstrated the creation of traditional pepper mills. Turning a pepper mill is a rewarding woodworking project that combines functionality with creativity. It involves shaping wood into a cylindrical form and installing a grinding mechanism.  The design of a pepper mill impacts its functionality by influencing user comfort, grinding efficiency, and the ability to adjust grind size. Ergonomic handles and balanced weight enhance ease of use, while high-quality grinding mechanisms ensure consistent results and better flavor extraction from the peppercorns.

Wet Bowls

Jerry Warner demonstrated the basics of green bowl turning. Green bowl turning involves using freshly cut wood that still contains moisture, allowing for easier shaping and carving. It requires specific tools and techniques to manage the wood's natural changes as it dries, which can include warping or cracking.

Basic Platters

Bob Henrickson demonstrated the basics of platter turning. Methods of mounting on the lathe for turning the face and finishing the base were reviewed for members to apply on their work piece. Design options were discussed to provide opportunities for various types of later embellishment.

Peppermills

KC Kendall demonstrated how to make a peppermill from layout, shaping, drilling and assembly.

Cross Drill Ornaments with Inlays

As an intermediate class, we learned how to make a Christmas ornament using a cross-drill technique and advanced spindle turning skills. After cross-drilling a hardwood cube, the cube was turned to created a globe. Laminates (snowflakes and dog paws) were then inlayed into the cube. A cap and finial were turned to complete the ornament.

Bird House Ornaments

As the holiday season approaches, we found ourselves looking for special gifts for special people. For woodturners, small gifts that will have special meaning for others are well within reach. With a little imagination and the use of wood scraps, the class made birdhouse ornaments that relatives and friends will treasure for years to come.

Demonstrator Class: Winged Bowls

Following his demonstration at the October monthly meeting, national woodturner Jamie Donaldson guided class participants through the process of making their own Winged Square Turning and Winged Bowl. He covered the process of sharpening the tools as well.

Segmented Vessel Week

It was segmented vessel week at OVWG in August.  Jess Parrett led a two-part hands-on class that provided techniques for creating segments using a table saw sled, gluing segments into rings, and gluing rings on the lathe to create a rough vessel blank to finish at home.  Dan Gingerich, John Peters, and Terry Elfers provided instructional support and shared various techniques in making segmented pieces.

Offset Plate:

Bob Henrickson led the group in turning a different sort of plate by creating a plate using both offsets and tilts to produce a striking effect. The domed center provided a focal point for embellishment. Using a jam chuck, the back side of the platter was shaped into an ‘ogee’ curve. 

Cheese Platter:

KC Kendall provided the ingredients to create a cheese platter with a marble insert.  A tasty tip to share - repurpose a mortise.  A mortise on the top side is used to finish the bottom side of the platter.  If the marble insert in the center is set up to be removable, the mortise can also be used to hold a similar sized bowl for chip dip.

Introduction to Woodturning and the OVWG Learning Center

The latest group of new members attended the free monthly orientation to the Ohio Valley Woodturners Guild and our Learning Center. They were acquainted with a brief history of the OVWG that started back in 1988 and how we've grown as a friendly group of people who love to turn wood. The operation of the Learning Center was reviewed and how this great resource can help the journey of learning to turn wood and finding out what kinds of things you can make. 

Safety is a high priority for the OVWG in all of our activities. The parts of the lathe were reviewed and how to be safe when working on the lathe, as well as use of other tools in the workshop. An introduction to sharpening was provided as well.

Attendees used the lathes for spindle turning as a hands on introduction to woodturning by making a bead & cove stick, since beads and coves are the key design elements of many things around us every day. 

Embellishment Tools & Techniques

As an intermediate class, attendees observed the use of a variety of embellishment tools and the associated turning techniques for each, and was then able to try each out on the lathe. Demonstrated tools included the following:

• Point Tool
• Knurling Tool
• Chatter Tool
• Spiraling Tool
• Beading Tool
• Teardrop Tool
• Elf Tool

Intermediate Skills: Jam Chucks

In the July Intermediate Skill Building session, techniques using jam chucks to turn and shape round objects were demonstrated. Attendees created a jam chuck to hold a round work piece in place for turning and repositioning as needed to create a desired shape.

Intermediate Skills: Ball-and-Cup

It was time to have fun making a Ball-and-Cup toy in Bev Connelly’s Skill Building Session for Intermediate members.  In a round about way, the session started with making a sphere and then designing a cup to fit the sphere - all from the same workpiece blank.  Techniques included sphere making, hollowing with a Forster bit, caliper measure, and creating pieces that fit inside another. With Bev and Mark’s expert guidance in efficiently turning the workpieces, the biggest challenge was catching the ball in the cup.