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View Full Version : Turner Interview: Ernie Nyvall



Mark Cothren
02-14-2006, 11:34 PM
Name:
Ernest William Nyvall

DOB/Age:
10-7-1953/ I'm 52

Physical description (G-rated, please):
5' 9", 180 lb., I have a very long face which extends to the back of my head. I once had blonde hair and green eyes... I still have green eyes.

Location (for how long, previous locations, etc):
Dayton, TX for about 14 yrs. Before that 2 yrs in Memphis, TN, and before that various places in Texas.

Family information (brag on your spouse, kids, grandkids, dog, etc):
I'm now married nearly 20 years to the most wonderful and thoughtful woman in the world... sorry guys, but I got her. I adopted her 13 yr old after we married and I have two children from a previous marriage. We have three grandchildren... all boys and we keep one every weekend.

Vocation (what do you do for a living, and what have you done previously):
I've been driving an eighteen wheeler for about 16 years and training new drivers for about 13 yrs locally in Houston, TX. Before that I had a little remodeling business for a few years. Before that I spent seven years getting companies up and running on computers with their inventory form purchasing through manufacturing and shipping. That was fun, because the companies I went to were all screwed up with the IRS on their tales for loosing inventory.

Equipment Overview (lathe, tools, etc):
Lathes, 10" table saw, 14" bandsaw, 24" drum sander, 10" sliding compound double jointed miter saw, 9" drill press, 17" drill press, 8"x 75" jointer, 6" x 48" jointer, 12" planer, 13" planer/moulder dust collector... collecting dust, 3hp compressor, 1 hp compressor, 12" disc sander, oscillating spindle sander, various hand tools, 12" metal chop saw, 225 A welder, cutting torches

How many lathes have (or do) you own? Tell us about 'em.
I have two lathes. I bought the Grizzly 1495 a year ago and I wasn't happy with it for what I wanted to do, and a couple of months ago, I bought the PM 3520A, which I am very happy with.

How many turning tools do you have?
About 12

Tell us about your shop:
The shop is a 40' x 40' metal building...hot hot hot in the summer. I've got a lot of work to do on it. The previous owners left a lot of junk in there which I kept for them until this last year when I started getting back into woodworking. I reworked the electricity once but need to upgrade with the tools I now have. There are still a couple of small rooms in it that I will take out and then cinder block the whole thing and add more ventilation. I've got many cabinets to build.

Website? If so, what's the url?
No

How long turning?
13 months, although I did turn 8 legs for a couple of tables back in high school.

What got you into turning?
I've always wanted a lathe, but it was you guys here at SMC who took me over the edge and completely to the dark side.

What do you enjoy most about turning?
There's something cool about taking a piece of wood that looks like scrap or firewood and making something out of it. The look on my brother's face when I brought him a bowl from his firewood pile was priceless.

What was your first completed turned project?
AN cherry bowl 2"x8".

What is your favorite form that you turn?
One that is completely in tact when I finish. I haven't covered that many different forms and each new one that I complete is my favorite.

What is your favorite form someone else turns/has turned?
Oh gosh... here on SMC, I've seen beauty in what looks to be a simple bowl to the most complicated NE or segmented piece.

What is your favorite wood to work with and why?
I just haven't used that many different kinds however I really like the eucalyptus... easy turning and easy sanding. I do like the the mesquite too though because of it's stability.

Have you met or hung out with any turning' Creekers? Tell us about it.
Brad Schmid came over for a little while and we traded some wood. Nice fellow Brad.

What is your favorite individual piece that you have turned, and why?
A NE walnut bowl that I just finished because LOML liked it so much.

What if your favorite piece someone else has turned, and why?
There is no way I could pick one out of the many wonderful pieces I've seen here.

What do you not turn now that you want to - or plan to - in the future?
I haven't scratched the surface yet.

What brought you to SMC?
What brought me here was a hint on another forum. What keeps me here is the civil interaction among everyone and friendship.

Got any nicknames? How'd you get it?
No

Now let's get a little deep... (this is for fun, so have fun with it).
If you were a tree, what tree would you be and why?
That would be a redwood, but now that I am a tree, I can't tell you why, because I can't talk or think. When I was a kid on vacation with my family, we went through the Redwood National Forrest several times. You have to see i to believe it... the trees are just that amazing.

Cecil Arnold
02-14-2006, 11:55 PM
Hello neighbor, nice to learn a little more about you.

Dennis Peacock
02-15-2006, 12:32 AM
Greetings and thanks for the great interview. It's nice to get to know more about you and all that you've been. Thanks Ernie for the interview.

Corey Hallagan
02-15-2006, 12:40 AM
Ernie, great interview. You have a tough job in a tough business! You also turn some pretty cool stuff.

Corey

Karl Laustrup
02-15-2006, 5:04 AM
Glad to meet you Ernie.

You've only been turning a year? Coulda fooled me. Of course, the talent on this forum is phenomenal. :) Somewhat crazy, but phenomenal. ;) :D

Karl

Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan
02-15-2006, 5:52 AM
I have a very long face which extends to the back of my head.

That has to be one of the better lines I've seen in a while :D

Nice to meet you Ernie!!!

...we need pics of the shop etc, you know the rules.... ;)

Cheers!

Chris Barton
02-15-2006, 6:37 AM
Great interview Ernie!

doug webb
02-15-2006, 6:41 AM
Thanks for sharing, great interview. doug

John Hart
02-15-2006, 6:47 AM
Pleased to meet you Mr. Nyvall! I already knew you were a nice guy...now it's in print.;)

Travis Stinson
02-15-2006, 7:05 AM
Yeah.........where's the pics?:(
Good to know you a little better Ernie.:cool:

Jim Dunn
02-15-2006, 8:23 AM
Mr. Nyvall the pleasure of meeting you is all mine.

Keith Burns
02-15-2006, 8:23 AM
Ernie, great interview and it's nice to know you better. :) Thanks!

Andy Hoyt
02-15-2006, 9:57 AM
Well it's about time we were formally introduced. Pleased to meet you, Mr, Nyvall, I'm sure.

Now - where are the pics? Family, shop, firewood pile, scrap bin, lumber hauler, bank account number.

Paul Douglass
02-15-2006, 10:56 AM
Nice to meet you. Long face? I have a simular proplem. I must be growing again, right up through my hair. Only problem I'm still only 5' 7"

How about posting a family picture with this (and the other) interviews?.

Jim Ketron
02-15-2006, 1:56 PM
Nice to know ya a little better Ernie!
Im with the rest where are the Pics?:D

Bernie Weishapl
02-15-2006, 2:03 PM
Pleased to meet you Ernie. Great interview.

John Miliunas
02-15-2006, 2:49 PM
Hey Ernie, great meeting you (again!).:) And, I'm all over your answer about your "favorite form"!!! :D Great interview, but we really could use some pics!!! :D :cool:

Brad Schmid
02-15-2006, 4:38 PM
Nice to meet you (again) Ernie;) Nice interview!

Glenn Clabo
02-15-2006, 6:45 PM
Got any nicknames? How'd you get it?
"No"

Is that a challenge?

Nice to met ya...

Ernie Nyvall
02-15-2006, 6:54 PM
Well it's about time we were formally introduced. Pleased to meet you, Mr, Nyvall, I'm sure.

Now - where are the pics? Family, shop, firewood pile, scrap bin, lumber hauler, bank account number.

Yea right... you think I'm stupid or something? I'll give you my bank account number, but that's it. 827463222222908732-1

Ernie

Glenn Clabo
02-15-2006, 6:59 PM
It appears that you have either mistyped your information or there are insufficient funds to cover the purchase the customer named SMC has requested.

Mike Ramsey
02-15-2006, 10:10 PM
Nice to meet you Ernie! Enjoyed reading the interview!

Ernie Nyvall
02-15-2006, 10:30 PM
Thanks everyone.

Pics of my shop will have to come when I'm a little further along on getting it organized. It is quite the mess.

Ernie

Curt Fuller
02-16-2006, 9:12 PM
Good to know you Ernie!

Jim Dunn
02-16-2006, 9:44 PM
Ernie messy is OK. I promise not to think any less of ya with a messy shop:)

Michael Stafford
02-17-2006, 6:51 AM
Ernie, I really enjoy these Creeker interviews as they help us to get to know people better. I enjoyed yours as I learned a lot about a great guy. Only 13 months turning, huh? Well, you have come a long way in that amount of time.:D

Pat Jeddy
02-19-2006, 11:27 PM
Wow! These interviews are like being introduced to the whole family!!! Ernie, driving trucks, teaching truck driving, etc., a tough biz, no doubt. Glad your home to enjoy your kids and grandkids. Seems like you and your wife are WAY TOO YOUNG to have any grandchildren...oh wait, that's just me realizing how old I am..... sheesh!:eek:

Glad to meet you!

Bob Noles
02-21-2006, 5:42 PM
Ernie,

Thanks for a really great interview and sharing your personal side. I have enjoyed your posts since finding the turners forum and look forward to them even more now knowing a little more about you.

Ernie Nyvall
02-21-2006, 8:26 PM
A few pics. The first is LOML and I over our newest grandson. The next is my middle grandson helping me fix the dryer... he's the little guy who got me back into woodworking when my daughter asked me to build the baby bed in the next pic. I had a table saw at the time and said yes before I realized what all I needed. I got tools before my shop was actually ready to receive them so they are just kind of thrown in there. The next is my dog Grizz... he's a little camera shy. So that's family and the next post is shop and wood.

Ernie

John Hart
02-21-2006, 8:51 PM
Nice family Ernie!

Ernie Nyvall
02-21-2006, 9:15 PM
More pics. Here's some walnut outside, and then a pile of box elder and cedar. Then in the shop is more walnut, mesquite in the corner, white oak against the back wall and cherry on the wood rack.

Yes, my shop is in total disarray. Up until about a year ago it was full of stuff from the previous owners and I built the bed in about a 10' x 10' area. I've removed most of their stuff and and was coming along really good until I bought the lathe. There are two rooms on the left that will come out and part of the area will be a new finish room. Then there are cabinets to build. There is a wood stove to the left of the bench that I will install, but I have to have some cabinets done before I have the room to install it where I want it. I'm going to replace the steel siding with cinder block and put more ventilation and some day hope... no, will have a shop that I can teach others in. I was on my way to be a teacher once and I think that is where I need to be.

Thanks for looking.

Ernie

Bruce Shiverdecker
02-22-2006, 8:10 PM
Glad to make your acquantance Ernie. I enjoyed your interview.

Bruce

Glenn Hodges
02-23-2006, 2:09 AM
Enjoyed the interview and pictures. Glad to get to know your better.

David Duke
02-23-2006, 4:28 PM
Nice to get to know you Ernie, great looking family and the makings of a great shop. Its nice to here from someone in my neck of the woods.