Home - Ohio Valley Woodturners Guild

Promoting the art and craft of wood turning in the greater Cincinnati area

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Recent Updates:
* Wood Processing event - learn to process logs for blanks, get free wood blanks, or help clean up the loading dock at our next wood processing event on July 17 (1-5pm)
* Local events featuring OVWG members…
* Check out the June 2026 Picnic photos and “Handle” contest winners….
* Many new classes added - from boxes to bowls to ornaments to RIBBLES! - see below….
* Congratulations to John Shannon - selected as the Monthly Featured Artist at World of Woodturners.
* Have a physical limitation or joints wearing out that limit your turning? See the Turning with Physical Limitations section below and info on the sit down lathe at the Learning Center.

Save the Dates

Wood Processing Instruction & Loading Dock Clean-up

Need wood? Want to learn how to process logs for blanks? Can you help with clean-up?

Wood Processing Instruction, with loading dock clean-up: Friday, July 17th at 1pm-5pm

Here’s your chance to learn how to evaluate wood and process logs into different types of usable blanks. Some of the wood is ambrosia maple. We’re also looking for members to lend a hand organizing the loading dock area, or help with cutting wood. Attendees should bring personal safety gear (gloves, face & hearing protection, etc.) and chainsaws (if you have one).

‘Good’ wood will be band-sawed to resupply the Learning Center, members can take home ‘non-perfect’ wood for their own projects, and ‘bad’ wood will be available for home fire pits.

Please sign up for the event using the website calendar (www.ovwg.org). There is no fee for the event.Wood Processing/Clean-Up - 1pm to 5pm - 7/17/2026

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The Great Picnic - Miami Whitewater Forest

On July 18, 2026, from 4-10pm, see Gary Webster display his vintage wooden wood lathe and along with other crafter exhibits at the Miami Whitewater Forest’s Great Picnic which commemorates America’s 250th anniversary. The event includes live music, crafts, food, and a B25 flyover.

View the event details here.

Milford Art Affaire

See OVWG members John Shannon and Tom Dresch as well as over 134 artists at the Milford Art Affaire on September 26, 2026 from 11am-5pm in downtown Milford, OH. The event includes a juried fine art and craft show, live music, and food.

View the event details here.

June Meeting - Annual Picnic

You can “handle” this one!

Thanks to those who joined us for the June member meeting and Annual Picnic on June 6 from 10am - 2pm. View the details on the right.

Activities included:
- Swap Meet
- Contest
- Show & Tell
- Picnic Lunch

Get a grip on the contest that lets you make anything with a handle, from bowls to scoops, pizza cutters, mallets, mugs, tools, etc. Use a kit or be as creative as you like. Your item is just required to have a handle.

One entry was awarded the “People’s Choice Award” as voted on by all members in attendance. Additionally, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place awards were selected in each of the three divisions (Novice, Intermediate, and Masters) by a panel of judges (John Shannon and John Albachten) from our Masters division.

Volunteers made the event happen - thanks to Barb Matulionis for coordinating.

June 2026 Picnic Photos

WOW - Monthly Featured Artist

John Shannon

Congratulations to OVWG member John Shannon who was selected as the Monthly Featured Artist at the online community World of Woodturners (WOW). John was honored by WOW for his work and contributions and was highlighted for excellence in boxes. “His boxes, many done with contrasting inlaid woods, are especially well thought out and made with great attention to form, fit and finish”.

John has demoed and taught several classes for lidded boxes at the Learning Center and has a new class on September 12: Intermediate/Advanced Box Making - 9/12/2026

You can view more information about WOW and John’s artistry here: https://www.thewows.com/

Elections

Please congratulate the upcoming OVWG Board members following the recent election:

VP of Facility & Equipment - Bud Goetzinger
Secretary - Tom France
Treasurer - Barb Matulionis
At-Large - Courtney Scheeser

Turning with Physical Limitations

Turning wood is a fun hobby and physical issues need not prevent us from making shavings. If you have difficulty standing or using a lathe long enough to turn, consider the use of the sit down lathe.

At the OVWG Learning Center, the Oneway Sit Down Lathe has been re-engaged and moved to the front of the room. Members can now utilize the ability to sit while turning.

The lathe can be lowered to achieve a comfortable turning height with the center line at or close to elbow height.
The lathe can be tilted 90 degrees and use a banjo extension to place the toolrest in a conventional position in relation to the work.

When you use a seat or wheelchair, there are a number of techniques that can compensate for any inability to move sideways which you would typically do when standing.

For turning tips and lathe info, see the Turning with Limitations resource page at:
Turning with Physical Limitations

Beads of Courage by Gabriel Hoff and Ethan Hoff

OVWG members and brothers, Ethan and Gabriel Hoff, were spotlighted in the latest American Woodturner magazine, published by the American Association of Woodturners (AAW). (Woodturner.org)

The article provides a step-by-step design and build process to create segmented Beads of Courage boxes. The Beads of Courage program enables Woodturners to give back to the community and donate lidded boxes to children with serious illnesses at Children’s Hospital.

Monthly Meeting Highlights

May Meeting

Dennis Fuge

Dennis Fuge is a wood turner from Erwinna, PA, who has been turning for 50 years and spent time in South Africa, Hong Kong and the USA. Dennis has demonstrated at club and national symposium events, and teaches at the Peters Valley, Snow Farm and the Arrowmont Schools of Arts and Crafts. His main focus is on deep hollow vessels, platters and artistic pieces. Some of his work will only use wood as a canvas as he creates some very eye-catching pieces using color, mixed media and carving. Some of his most interesting work includes metals such as pewter, copper and brass.

Classes at the OVWG Learning Center:

- Hollow Vessels from the Bottom Up:
Dennis Fuge - Hollow Vessels from the Bottom-up - 5/17/2026

- How to Say I Love You from the Lathe - learn about 10 ideas to show appreciation and then make 3 items:
Dennis Fuge - How To Say I Love You From A Lathe - 5/18/2026

April Meeting

All About Boxes

At our April meeting, John Shannon shared his process for turning elegant lidded boxes, offering members plenty of practical tips along the way. John begins with a blank where the grain runs parallel to the lathe bed. Using a bowl-style blank with alternating grain can create problems with lid fit, as seasonal wood movement may cause the joint to go out of round. The overall size and height-to-diameter ratio of the box are left to the turner’s preference, although John favors a lid height of approximately one-third of the finished box height, with an additional 6–7 mm added to the bottom for the tenon that fits the lid. As with many pleasing forms, the golden ratio is his preferred design guideline.

Show & Tell

March Meeting

Nick Cook

Nick Cook demonstrated a variety of turning pieces along with discussions on techniques and tool control. He is a founding member of the American Association of Woodturners and has served as vice president and conference coordinator. Nick was named the 12th honorary lifetime member of the AAW. He has written numerous articles for various woodturning publications including American Woodturner, Woodworkers Journal and American Woodworker.

Heard in the demonstration: “I’m running at 3,250 rpm because it wont go any faster”…

View the Pro Demonstrator profile and classes at:
Nick Cook

Demonstration

Show & Tell

February Meeting

Christine Smith

Christine Smith demonstrated lidded boxes and carved feathers. You can view her creations at respected institutions like the Southern Highlands Craft Guild galleries, the Folk Art Center in Asheville, John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown and the Bascom Center for Visual Arts in Highlands.

Follow her creative voyage on Instagram @Christinesmithwoodturner.

Christine’s web site: www.Christinewoodturner.com

View the Pro Demonstrator profile and classes at Christine Smith

Demonstration Show & Tell

Pat Carroll

Pat Carroll returned from Turning 2025 to provide members with a Pro Class to create a Square Box with Finial as a two-session event.

January Meeting

Matt Monaco

Matt Monaco was our featured demonstrator at the January member meeting and provided beginner-to-advanced tips & techniques on tool control, sharpening and cutting. He also demonstrates for national woodturning clubs of the AAW, and teaches hands-on & private workshops nationwide. At the center of Matt’s work is his understanding & mastery of tool control, with sharpening and cutting execution being an expression of traditionally crafted design.

Check out Matt’s website at https://www.monacobowls.com/.

View Matt’s profile and classes at:Matt Monaco

Demonstration

Show & Tell

December Meeting

Member Appreciation Luncheon

The annual Member Appreciation Luncheon was held at the December monthly meeting and included lunch & desserts (yum!), a gift exchange, member-made ornaments at the tables, great conversions, and the Turning Contest. OVWG President, Jerry Warner, expressed his appreciation for the support provided by members, volunteers, mentors, and instructors. Symposium Chair Doug Glessner thanked the many volunteers who made the Turning 2025 symposium a successful event.

Congratulations to John Richey who was awarded as the Honorary Lifetime Member for 2025.

Special thanks to members who entered the Wig Stand Contest or directly donated wig stands to help support cancer patients. The entrants demonstrated a wide variety of styles including embellishment, basket illusion, segmenting, wood burning, inside-out, multi-axis, and figurines — each one was unique.

For those who would like to make and donate a wig stand, see the how-to instructions for Wig Stands (Click here ). Basic unfinished stands are great as well - they can be painted by patients, family members or art students. Bring the stand to a monthly member meeting, drop it off at a Learning Center Open Shop, or contact Dean Devin.

Turning Contest Winners

MASTER

1st Place: John Shannon

2nd Place: Todd Carris

3rd Place: Jerry Warner

People’s Choice Award: Jerry Warner

ADVANCED

1st Place: Steve Curley

2nd Place: Lydia Hirsh

3rd Place: Dennis Reynolds

NOVICE

1st Place: Ethan Hoff

2nd Place: Bob Hackman

3rd Place: Fred Sebastian

Wig Stands from the December Annual Luncheon Contest and Show & Tell.

November 2025

Helen Bailey: Pierced Bowl

Helen Bailey is a woodturner from Newcastle Upon Tyne in the North East of England. Her work has been featured both in American Woodturner magazine (AAW) and the World of Woodturning website. Helen believes the quality seen in her work is down to meticulous planning, from the first design which she sketches out to the symmetry of the shapes. She is well known for her pierced pieces. Helen’s work is sought after by individuals and collectors all over the world. Helen demonstrated a pierced bowl, wire embellishment on a lidded trinket box, and a hand mirror (“mrrr”).

Helen’s website: helenbaileywoodturning.com/

View the demonstrator profile and meeting details at
Helen Bailey

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Did you start your wish list for Santa after Helen’s demonstration? Here’s a few resources and tips from her demo…

- Rotary tools and flexible shaft manufacturers: Dremel (https://www.dremel.com/us/en/product-categories/rotary), Foredom (https://www.foredom.net), and NSK (https://nskamericacorp.com)

- Scissors Caliper: Pat Carroll sells these on his website. Send him an email and mention Helen for US prices. https://patcarrollwoodturning.com/index.php/shop/calipers

- Carbide cutting bits & carving tools: WoodArt Products https://www.woodart-products.co.uk/4_cutters.php

- Yorkshire Grit abrasive paste: acts like liquid sandpaper and reduces the dry sanding scratches and dust. As you use it, the grinding powders break down into a finer mesh equivalent to 1000 grit. Rockler and Woodcraft

- Router Mats: use these on a jam chuck to grip the piece. Can also use to pull lid off a box if lid is too tight. Non slip pads or mats for router tables or workbenches are available from Rockler, Woodcraft, Lowe’s, Home Depot.

- Templates for drilling wire holes in box lids: use pre-cut felt craft pad circles. You can align the silver wires in the trinket lid as flowers, initials or monograms using holes drilled into the felt pads - Amazon

- Easy Inlay (Woodcraft) or Zap Flexi-Tips (Rockler): narrow spout applicator tips for CA glue bottles

- e6000 Clear Adhesive (Eclectic): waterproof clear adhesive suitable for glass & mirrors that remains flexible and expands/ contracts as wood swells - Woodcraft, Home Depot

- For the perfect circle on the chuck and the strongest grip, check the manufacturer specs or AI search. For example, the Oneway Talon chuck with #2 jaws provides the strongest bite for tenons at 1.65” and mortises (spigot) at 2”.

(Is there a good tip you picked up or tool to add to the list? Email them to webmaster@ovwg.org)

AAW November Turning Challenge Winner

Congratulations to member Bob Henrickson for winning the AAW November Turning Challenge: Wall Hangings

Bob’s entry comments: “Roughly 11"x12". Maple. India ink overall then the coloring is probably best described as 'damp brush' since there was too much paint on the brush for it to be properly 'dry brush'. Made as prep for the class I taught earlier this month.”

From Bob’s recent Wall Hanging Class:

September 2025

TURNFEST

Turnfest was the kickoff meeting of our turning year with demonstrations from eight of our members who demonstrated a skill or project.

2025 Monthly Meeting Highlights

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

2025 Monthly Meeting Highlights

New to turning or undecided about which lathe to get? Sign up for an “Introduction to Turning” session held each month, attend skill-building sessions, or join in on one or several of the many Open Shops each week at the Learning Center. See the Calendar for events or view the new member sign up information here.

SAVE THE DATES

We have a great lineup of demonstrations for the monthly meetings - save the dates and register early for the upcoming events and classes:

September 19, 2026: TURNFEST kicks off our next season.

December 12, 2026: Annual Member Appreciation Luncheon

Class Photos

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.

Wood Processing and Cutting Classes

You might say we were a “cut above the rest” at the wood processing sessions. John Westrup and his Wood team had several workstations set up to allow members to try their skills at using a chainsaw to create wood blanks from the various logs outside of the Learning Center. John provided an overview of how to cut logs to remove the pith and then section the cut for bowl blanks and spindle blanks. Bowl blanks and spindle blanks were then cut with the bandsaw for members to take home and turn or serve as projects for an Open Shop visit.

As a reference, you can review the “Bowl Roughing Process” poster in the Learning Center that displays how to cut a log for bowl blanks. See the upcoming newsletter for tips on wood processing. Logs can be a source of inspiration for designs that utilize features of the timber, such as natural edge for bowls or grain patterns.

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.

Skill Building Session Photos

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.

OVWG Learning Center is located at Kennedy Heights Cultural Campus
6620 Montgomery Road, Kennedy Heights, OH45213

The entrance to the Learning Center is on the South side of the building along Kennedy Ave., beside the loading dock.

Click here for map ---> Click here for a picture of the entry door to Learning Center--->

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OVWG is proud to be one of 350+ worldwide chapters of the American Association of Woodturners

We encourage you to join this fine organization.

The American Association of Woodturners(AAW) is an international, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.

AAW's mission is to provide education, information, and organization to those interested in turning wood.

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