Baxter Smith
10-14-2011, 2:39 PM
In early August, my wife and I spent 5 days traveling around Prince Edward Island. Our first stop at the visitor center had a small display of work by a resident turner named Wilfred Thompson. A visit to his shop/studio went on my to do list! (Didn't think I should make it the first stop though!:)) We didn’t end up there till the evening before we left, but it was a fascinating visit when we did.
He does a lot of work with birdseye maple and has been getting into segmented work over the last several years(including a full size Stanley cup trophy for his grandsons hockey team) All his turning is done with faceplates and glueblocks on a VS homemade lathe. His bowl drying room with more than 500 roughouts and a 3’ high stack of roughsawn birdseye lumber for segmented work was pretty impressive too. After learning that we had honeymooned on PEI and were celebrating our 25th, he gave me a small birdseye roughout. He also gave me directions to where I might be able to get some birdseye lumber in New Brunswick on the way home!:)
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Finish turned about 3 weeks ago but left something I needed for it in Maine, so had to wait until I could retrieve it.;)
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We had found London Lumber (just outside of Moncton New Brunswick) on the way home and I picked up a couple birdseye boards. First time I ever spent money on wood to turn. The wife said just do it!
So I made a lid and stuck it on top.
210087210088
While Walking along the beach at WestPoint light,
210083
my wife found this rock and gave it to me.
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Makes a nice souvenir.
210081
6 1/4 x 4 high to the top of the dyed birdseye knob. Finished with 3 coats of polymerized tung oil. The bowl has been buffed and in the light for 3 weeks. The lid got its last coat of finish yesterday. The sapwood in the lid and bowl may become a slightly better match in time.
I sent Wilfred a couple of Holly roughouts in thanks and will send these pictures as well. Had an email from him last week saying he had purchased 5 birdseye logs back in September and had them about half done. (150 bowls) When I was there he told me there was a place in New Brunswick he goes to buy birdseye. They are loading the logs into containers to ship to Japan. The rejects he buys for a song and hauls them home. He has been turning for 40 years and said he has been to three AAW national symposiums, so some of you may know him. PEI is a beautiful place and if you ever travel that way, he is only about 20 minutes from the bridge.
Comments and advice are always welcome!
He does a lot of work with birdseye maple and has been getting into segmented work over the last several years(including a full size Stanley cup trophy for his grandsons hockey team) All his turning is done with faceplates and glueblocks on a VS homemade lathe. His bowl drying room with more than 500 roughouts and a 3’ high stack of roughsawn birdseye lumber for segmented work was pretty impressive too. After learning that we had honeymooned on PEI and were celebrating our 25th, he gave me a small birdseye roughout. He also gave me directions to where I might be able to get some birdseye lumber in New Brunswick on the way home!:)
210082
Finish turned about 3 weeks ago but left something I needed for it in Maine, so had to wait until I could retrieve it.;)
210084210085
We had found London Lumber (just outside of Moncton New Brunswick) on the way home and I picked up a couple birdseye boards. First time I ever spent money on wood to turn. The wife said just do it!
So I made a lid and stuck it on top.
210087210088
While Walking along the beach at WestPoint light,
210083
my wife found this rock and gave it to me.
210086
Makes a nice souvenir.
210081
6 1/4 x 4 high to the top of the dyed birdseye knob. Finished with 3 coats of polymerized tung oil. The bowl has been buffed and in the light for 3 weeks. The lid got its last coat of finish yesterday. The sapwood in the lid and bowl may become a slightly better match in time.
I sent Wilfred a couple of Holly roughouts in thanks and will send these pictures as well. Had an email from him last week saying he had purchased 5 birdseye logs back in September and had them about half done. (150 bowls) When I was there he told me there was a place in New Brunswick he goes to buy birdseye. They are loading the logs into containers to ship to Japan. The rejects he buys for a song and hauls them home. He has been turning for 40 years and said he has been to three AAW national symposiums, so some of you may know him. PEI is a beautiful place and if you ever travel that way, he is only about 20 minutes from the bridge.
Comments and advice are always welcome!