My Favorites From The AAW Symposium

Burlkraft · June 26, 2008, 08:20:29 PM

I just got back from the 2008 AAW symposium in Richmond, VA.

I took a few shots in the gallery of some of my favorites.

I thought I would share them with you ;D ;D ;D

This one is a hollow form. VERY hard to do on a hunk of burl like this

This piece is outstanding...It was called the rising sun burl. It was my favorite of all of them ;) ;)

It seems that most of the ones that I like were made from some sort of burl.........

I wonder why that is ??? ??? ??? :D

Mooseherder · June 26, 2008, 08:36:55 PM

There's some talent right there.

Dave Shepard · June 26, 2008, 10:35:19 PM

I like them all, but the last one made me think for a minute. I think it must have taken a good imagination to see that in a burl. 8)

Dave

low_48 · June 26, 2008, 11:12:10 PM

I don't think that last one is a burl. It is an endgrain vessel. The lobes on the rim are the lobes around the irregular trunk of the tree. Very nice work!

Left Coast Chris · June 26, 2008, 11:29:51 PM

The second to the last looks alot like a manzinita burl.

Or maybe Chrerry burl?

submarinesailor · June 27, 2008, 06:42:43 AM

Ok, Ok, Ok – I have 2 questions:

1. What is the AAW
2. Why did you come to Virginia and not any of us good old boys here in Virginia that you were coming?????

I would have taken you just down the road to WIlliamsburg to eat some BBQ or to Captain Georges for some sea food.

Bruce

Burlkraft · June 27, 2008, 07:21:06 AM

Quote from: submarinesailor on June 27, 2008, 06:42:43 AM
Ok, Ok, Ok – I have 2 questions:

1. What is the AAW
2. Why did you come to Virginia and not any of us good old boys here in Virginia that you were coming?????

I would have taken you just down the road to WIlliamsburg to eat some BBQ or to Captain Georges for some sea food.

Bruce

I knew I was gonna be in trouble for this :D :D :D

The AAW is The American Association of Woodturners

The reason I didn't set up any FF visits is that the time I spent was pretty much filled up.
They have turning demos and meetings from 8 am all the way up to 10 pm. The demos are in 90 minute blocks and are done by the best turners from all over the world. It ran from Friday to Sunday. It was held at the Convention Center in Richmond. I flew into DC where another turner picked me up and took me to Richmond. I stayed at the Marriott at the convention center and I never got out to see downtown Richmond at all :

:

I spent quite a bit of time sitting on my butt listening and taking notes.
One of the more interesting demo's I went to was done by a Oregon production turner by the name of Doug Nelson. He cuts his own trees and his own blanks. His demo was on reading the tree. Pretty interesting how went about grading the material in the tree for the most figure in a finished bowl. I've cut a lot of bowl blanks in my time, but never a whole tree.
He had a story about his b.i.l. calling him (he's a logger) and telling him they had a 9000 lb. madrone burl on the landing for him. All he had to do is pick it up ;D ;D ;D It took about 5 days to get the guy's with the equipment to haul such a beast. Called the b.i.l. to let him know they were coming and he said, "Oh, we pushed that on the slash pile yesterday and burned it. I thought you didn't want it!" A 9000 lb. BURL

:'( :'( There outta be a law against that :D :D :D

The next time I get out that way and have some time, I'll be lettin' everybody know.....They got any heart healthy food at that BBQ place ??? ??? ;D ;D

TexasTimbers · July 06, 2008, 02:59:18 PM

I think I would have cried over the burl going up in smoke.

That rising sun is something to see.

WDH · July 06, 2008, 11:51:55 PM

Beautiful Steve! Thanks for sharing.

What did you learn?

OneWithWood · July 07, 2008, 12:59:54 PM

Real artisans, to be sure 8)

Just seeing those would be worth the price of admission.

SwampDonkey · July 07, 2008, 02:26:14 PM

Super, fantastic work. Doesn't seem to be such type shows here and I think folks from up here go to places like down there to show their stuff. We just don't have the high end market up here. You can go to some turning shops if you wish here, but there are no regular gatherings for turners that I know of.

Too bad the burl got roasted, crying shame. Almost criminal.

Great pictures Burlkraft. 8)

bck · July 08, 2008, 02:37:13 AM

That rising sun burl is one of the best I have seen. thanks for the pic.

scsmith42 · July 08, 2008, 08:14:19 AM

The thing that is most incredible to me is how someone can look at a chunk of log and envision something as beautiful as what is in those photo's.

That is a gift that I just don't have...

On a side note - Steve - if you ever come to Raleigh and not let me know that you're in town, I can guarantee you that there's gonna be an a** whuppin due... :D :D