Turner Interview: Dennis Peacock

[Mark Cothren]

Name:
Dennis Peacock

DOB/Age:
12 June 1959 - 46 years young

Physical description (G-rated, please):
5' 9" tall, standing up or laying down

Location (for how long, previous locations, etc):
Conway, AR - 6 Years
Hazel Green, AL - 7 Years
Huntsville, AL - 11 Years

Family information (brag on your spouse, kids, grandkids, dog, etc): The LOML - Tracy
4 Kids - Samuel - 15, Amanda - 14, Joseph - 11, and Daniel - 8
No Dawgs or cats...just a Guinea pig for Amanda

Vocation (what do you do for a living, and what have you done previously):
Unix Systems Engineer since 1985

Equipment Overview (lathe, tools, etc):
Lathe - Powermatic 3520A and a Jet 1236
Tablesaw - Jet 10" Left Tilt Cabinet Saw
12" DeWalt CMS
Robland X-31 Euro Combo Machine - now sold
2 Floor type Drill Presses
EZ Guiderail setup
Festool Guiderail system with vac
Festool Sanders - I love those things
Performax 16/32 - to be upgraded to a Woodmaster 38" drum sander PC,
Hitachi, Makita routers Laguna LT16HD Bandsaw Bill Pentz Design 5HP Cyclone setup
Way too many other items to list here

How many lathes have (or do) you own? Tell us about 'em.
2 Lathes
My starter lathe Jet 1236. Very good starter type lathe.
My "serious" lathe, PM 3520A. This baby ROCKS!!!!!

How many turning tools do you have?
I have about 14 turning tools.

Tell us about your shop:
My shop is a metal building. 30' by 60' and I really could use another 1,200
sq ft. It's heated via natural gas heater, cooled via two window A/C units. Inside bathroom, phone and dual garage doors.

Website? If so, what's the url?
I have a personal web site: www.beautifulwood.net

How long turning?
Been turning for almost 3 years now...off and on.

What got you into turning?
Ken Salisbury got me started in turning for just making pens. The rest is
"history".

What do you enjoy most about turning?
Freedom of form. Relaxing at the quiet hum of the lathe and the sweet sound of wood under my gouges.

What was your first completed turned project?
I made a bowl, my very first with dull turning tools and NO Bowl Gouge out
of a laminated Pine blank from my BIL's house that he was having built. They still have it today, almost 10 years later.

What is your favorite form that you turn?
Round!!!!! Other than that? Bowls and Platters

What is your favorite form someone else turns/has turned?
Hollow Forms that I don't have money for the HF tools. Maybe in the next 2 years I can get them.

What is your favorite wood to work with and why?
Maple and Pecan. Turns very nice and finishes like a dream.

Have you met or hung out with any turnin' Creekers? Tell us about it.
Yes.
Mark Cothren - Very good friend of mine.
Joe Meazle - Another very good friend of mine.
Terry Quiram - Excellent turner and friend.
Bill Grumbine - The best I've ever seen.

What is your favorite individual piece that you have turned, and why?
Maple Burl shallow bowl/platter. Just because it is highly figured and the
LOML really likes it.

What is your favorite piece someone else has turned, and why?
I highly value any turned piece or not sent to me of any of my fellow
woodworkers. To me, no amount of money can take the place of a handcrafted item by those your fellowship with.

What do you not turn now that you want to - or plan to - in the future?
Hollow forms. Like everything else in the world, it takes money to purchase the tools and with 4 kids and 3 sets of braces, who has money for turning tools any more.

What brought you to SMC?
I came to SMC when Badger Pond closed it's doors. I've been here ever since.

Got any nicknames? How'd you get it?
Termite is a current nickname, because my kids said that I sometimes look
like a termite with all the Wood dust, shavings, and lathe curlies I wear in the house.

Now let's get a little deep... If you were a tree, what tree would you be and why?
I guess I'd be a Sweet Gum tree. I produce fruit in the form of excellent
friends and family AND I can be pretty prickly at times when I'm backed into a corner!!!!

[John Hart]

Nice to meet you Mr. Peacock!! What a nice interview. I like your viewpoints and your description of the tree is very telling!:)

[Jim Dunn]

Nice informative interview. Sweet Gum huh? I'd have thought an osage orange. Tough on the outside and still tougher on the inside. That's in regards to living in Arkansas:) And with 4 kids, two of which are teenagers, you got to be tough.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Pleased to meet you Mr. Peacock. Nice interview Dennis.

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Hey Dennis, nice to meet you!

You need another 1200 square feet...?

I have only 320...

Cheers!:D

[Jim Ketron]

Nice to know you a little better Dennis!
Great interview!

[Greg Heppeard]

Hey Dennis...almost missed you under all those wood chips. Even if I haven' posted...I really like all the round stuff you've been coming up with.

[Andy Hoyt]

Hey Dennis! Welcome to Sawmill Creek!

There's a new Orientation thread in the Support Forum for newcomers that you might find helpful. :D

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Dennis.....I enjoyed reading your interview! Don't pay any attention to Andy....I think he's sniffing those exotics again!:D

[David Fried]

Nice to learn there is more to Dennis than that intimidating avatar picture.:eek: I didn't know you were a unix!

Dave Fried

[tod evans]

having had the pleasure meeting dennis face to face all i`ve got to say is he`s a big hearted ol` softie! so disregard his "prickly" analogy:) .02 tod

[Corey Hallagan]

Mark, I like this type of interview thread. Very nice Dennis. You have some great equipment. Didn't know you had 2 lathes and you need another 1200 SF?

Corey

[Glenn Clabo]

"5' 9" tall, standing up or laying down" - I love it!

Nice to know ya Mr. P...

[David Fried]

"5' 9" tall, standing up or laying down" - I love it!


I think he's bragging!

[Mark Cothren]

Well, I'm gonna add a bit to this thread/interview...

We have worked at the same place for several years, but we only met a little over a year ago. The first time I e-mailed Dennis at work he invited me over to help me build a little box and teach me whatever I was inclined to learn. The first time at his house he opened his shop and house to me and welcomed me in. I still have the bowl and pen that he gave me that night.

Well you could have buttered my behind and called me a biscuit, cuz I was hooked. I spent 2-3 nights a week over at Dennis' house for the next several months learning ww'ing skills from him. He let me turn on his lathe until I couldn't stand it any more (I think he secretly owns stock in Powermatic and covertly works to get folks addicted) and we built me a shop and I bought me a lathe.

I could go on and on, but I'll stop now.

I'll leave it at this. Dennis is good people. He'll give you the shirt off his back and he'll even blow the wood chips off it first...:D He's a great friend and any of you guys that haven't yet had the chance to meet him are just missing out.

[Curt Fuller]

Well, you seem like a nice enough guy. But the fact that you turn wood always leaves a little room for doubt;) ;) .

Nice to meet you! And I love the nickname "Termite".

[Travis Stinson]

Nice to know you a little better Dennis, looking forward to meeting you.:cool:

[John Bailey]

Dennis,

Nice interview. Mark, I like these interviews, please keep 'em coming.

John

[John Miliunas]

Four kids and only one pet??? Whew! How did you pull that one off???:confused: :D Nice getting to know you a bit better, Dennis! Thanks. :) :cool:

[Keith Burns]

Nice to know you a little better Dennis. Looking forward to meeting you in person someday:)

[Pat Jeddy]

It's so nice to meet you Dennis. How do you have time for turning with all those kids? I hope at least one of them carries on in your footsteps. It's really cool to learn about other folks from all parts of the country (world actually). Keep up the good interviews!

[Karl Laustrup]

Another great interview. Thanks for allowing us the insight into your life Dennis and introducing us to your family.

Karl

[doug webb]

Great interview. They help to put a personality to the posts I read. Thanks Dennis for sharing. Take care, doug

[Sparky Paessler]

Great interview Dennis! Good to meet another Unix guy. Wow a 30 x 60 shop, you could fit 4 of my shops in there and you still need more room!

[Dennis Peacock]

Thanks for the kind words everyone.

Some interesting Notes about me?

I used to be an explosives expert way back when. :eek: :D
I spent 5 years in the Future Farmers of America.
I used to be my high school's #1 small engine mechanic.
I'm a farmboy at heart.
I'm an encourager and a peacemaker.
I used to wrestle calves just for the "fun of it".
I was benchpressing 450 pounds when I was in high school football.
I hated hauling hay in August in Alabama. Actually I have _never_ liked hauling hay. :)
I have owned/rode 18 motorcycles since the age of 6.
I've been shocked at age 9 while "easing my mind" too near an electric fence!!!! :eek:

[Zahid Naqvi]

Some interesting Notes about me?
I used to be an explosives expert way back when. :eek: :D
I've been shocked at age 9 while "easing my mind" too near an electric fence!!!! :eek:

Well that explains a lot ;-)

I am also one of the victims of Dennis' helping nature, he pushed me over the edge about a couple of years ago. But I fell on the wrong side of the ridge, the neander side.
Good work Mark on these interviews, I think we need to do some on the other forums as well.

[Mike Ramsey]

Nice to meet you Dennis! Nice interview! I noticed that by the total
of years you lived in different places that you're only 23 yrs old! And
to have 4 kids at such a young age Wow!! :) ...

[Dennis Peacock]

Nice to meet you Dennis! Nice interview! I noticed that by the total
of years you lived in different places that you're only 23 yrs old! And
to have 4 kids at such a young age Wow!! :) ...

Mike,

I just didn't mention that I was 100 years old when I started having kids. :eek: :rolleyes: :D

[Don Baer]

Dennis,
Great to hear about you and your family.

[Ernie Nyvall]

Good to meet you Dennis. Nice fellow.

Ernie

[Karl Laustrup]

I've been shocked at age 9 while "easing my mind" too near an electric fence!!!! :eek:

I don't really think this is something just you have experienced Dennis. I think it would be a safe bet to say the majority of you spinny people have been too close to an electric fence. ;) :eek: :D :D

Karl

[Paul Douglass]

Nice to meet you. Bench press 450#! Very nice to meet you!

[Ed Scolforo]

Nice knowing more about you Dennis. I have a brother, also named Dennis, as my parents allowed me to name him after a good friend of mine. BTW, I'm really jealous about your shop space!
Ed

[Michael Stafford]

Dennis, I felt like I knew you; after all we have chatted and corresponded and even talked on the phone. But somehow the part about being shocked by the fence when you were 9 was never mentioned before. Just why were you trying to get out of the pasture in the first place?:p :p :p It explains a lot.....You are one of the good guys.:D

[Bob Noles]

Dennis,

Sorry to be slow on my reply, but as Andy has already stated, I am known for my low gear speed :p

A great interview with a person I have much admiration for and have looked up to since joining SMC.

Thanks for sharing your personal side with us wild and crazy turners.

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

Thanks for sharing, Dennis. Great interview and wonderful web site. I'm going back there to learn somethings. Glad to see that SAWMILLCREEK has first position in your links.

Bruce

[Glenn Hodges]

Glad to get to know you better Dennis.

[Tyler Howell]

I'm the proud owner of Mr. P's handy work. My "So. Bro." has been quite and inspiration from knife boxes, to pens, to suffering through shift work.
Glad to call you friend;) .

[Randy Moore]

Thanks for the kind words everyone.

Some interesting Notes about me?

I used to be an explosives expert way back when. :eek: :D

I used to wrestle calves just for the "fun of it".
I was benchpressing 450 pounds .............!!!! :eek:

Dennis, SIR,
You are shorter than me, younger than me but if you could benchpress 450 and play with expl:eek: sives you deserve to be called "SIR".

I have PMed you a time or to, so I don't know you very much. However after reading your interview and some, I can't read 'em all, posts you have inspired me in many ways. You do some very beautiful work!

Between you, Mark C and Terry Hatfield I feel the need to get off the Kansas/Missouri line and get down to Arkansas and see you three. Hopefully sometime soon we can get together. I need/want to see tod over in Mountain Home too.

Randy

[Steve Clardy]

Great interview!
I've met Dennis three times now. Great guy!!
Just a cool, easy going down to earth person.