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View Full Version : Turner Interview: Steve Clardy



Mark Cothren
02-23-2006, 4:47 PM
Name: Steve Clardy

DOB/Age: 3-14-1951

Physical description (G-rated, please):
Tall, slim, not fat!

Location (for how long, previous locations, etc):
11 years at the rancho, farmo. Edwards, Missouir, middle of nowhere.

Family information (brag on your spouse, kids, grandkids, dog, etc):
4 sons, two dogs, two cats. Thats way too many. Sons that is!! LOL

Vocation (what do you do for a living, and what have you done
previously):
Cabinet maker, custom staircase builder. Worked on trucks, cars,
irrigation for 25 years. Got sick of it. Turned my woodworking hobby into a
job. Owned a woodmizer mill for ten years. Loved it. No time to run it
anymore, sold it, wish I still had it.

Equipment Overview (lathe, tools, etc):
Everything. Isn't is supposed to be that way? Now I need to buy a bed, tv, frig. for the house.

How many lathes have (or do) you own? Tell us about 'em.
Two lathes. 36" craftsman for small stuff. 3000# Hempel CH-12 semi-auto copy lathe for the big stuff.

How many turning tools do you have?
20 or so.

Tell us about your shop:
Big. 40x64, with a 16x64 addition last year. [It's still full]

Website? If so, what's the url?
Nope. No time for one. Get chewed on enough for the time I spend on the net.

How long turning?
1980 or so

What got you into turning?
Desperate to have some things.

What do you enjoy most about turning?
Enjoy? I do it for a living, so it kinda lacks in enjoyment.

What was your first completed turned project?
Can't remember. Been tooooo long!

What is your favorite form that you turn?
Ah. Loaded question? Round

What is your favorite form someone else turns/has turned?
Hollow forms

What is your favorite wood to work with and why?
Walnut. Just do

Have you met or hung out with any turnin' Creekers? Tell us about it. Sure. Ol Dennis Peacock, and Kevin G-waytoolong to spell.

What is your favorite individual piece that you have turned, and why?
Fluted balistors. They are a challenge.

What if your favorite piece someone else has turned, and why?

What do you not turn now that you want to - or plan to - in the future?
Thin thin thin

What brought you to SMC?
Found it on a search function enon years ago

Got any nicknames? How'd you get it?
Smoothie. Have worn a beard for years. [Hate shaving] Shaved it off one day, went to work at the truck shop, [I was foreman there] and it took 20 minutes for anyone to figure out who I was. They called me smoothie after that.

Now let's get a little deep... If you were a tree, what tree would you
be and why?
Hedge. Stout, ugly, and deep roots.

Mark Cothren
02-23-2006, 4:50 PM
I had the pleasure of meeting Steve at Terry H's BBQ last fall. Steve is a loud, obnoxious kinda guy...;) Actually, you had to look twice most of the time to make sure he was still around...:)

I can tell you this... I looked thru his photo albums of his cabinet work and staircases - spiral and other - and it was/is WAY IMPRESSIVE! Even a greenhorn rookie like me can tell great work when I see it.

The best part of that meeting was watching Terry load his nice car (was that a Ford or Lincoln?) with all the tools and goodies (including a fairly large DP) into the front seat, back seat, and trunk. I think he may have even strapped some of it across the hood...:eek: :D

John Hart
02-23-2006, 5:25 PM
Pleased to meet you Steve. You seem to be very much into your work!!! An admirable trait!!:)

Glenn Clabo
02-23-2006, 5:35 PM
I've always admired your work Steve...you are are an old school craftsman. Figure out what is needed...make it look easy to do...and something that will be admired for much longer than all of us will be around. Nice to know ya...
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Jim Dunn
02-23-2006, 5:39 PM
Hey, Hey, don't I count as a "Creeker" that you've met?;) I had the pleasure of meeting Steve for coffee and a bite to eat before the WW show. I can tell you about this, he can hold his coffee:eek:

I had a very enjoyable time too Steve. It's more of a pleasure, if that's possible, now that I've read your interview.

Oh, your not nearly as ugly as your avatar either:)

Jim

Keith Burns
02-23-2006, 6:06 PM
Nice to get to know you a little better, I think ?:D You sound like a great down to earth guy.:)

Bruce Shiverdecker
02-23-2006, 6:35 PM
Thanks for sharin' Steve. I really like your work, too.

Bruce

Cecil Arnold
02-23-2006, 6:40 PM
Nice to know more about you Steve. I like your work and appreciate the advice you give.

Bernie Weishapl
02-23-2006, 6:58 PM
Pleased to meet you Steve. Thanks for sharing.

Jim Ketron
02-23-2006, 7:19 PM
Nice to know you better Steve!
Funny interview:D

Andy Hoyt
02-23-2006, 7:37 PM
Hey, Steve. Pleased to make your acquaintance, such as it is.

Jack Elam is one of my all time favorite actors.

He was a class act, as are you.

Ken Fitzgerald
02-23-2006, 8:15 PM
Nice to know some details about you Steve! I always appreciate your your work, your opinion........and your sense of humor!

Dennis Peacock
02-23-2006, 8:31 PM
Well Steve....try not to say too much next time. :p :D

If you haven't seen Steve's pic of his work? You REALLY SHOULD!!!! It is outstanding and talk about quality.!!!:cool:

Now...when you addin' on to your shop again? :p :rolleyes: :eek:

Mike Ramsey
02-23-2006, 9:18 PM
Pleased to meet you Mr. Clardy! We have something in common,
I'm tall, fat, not skinny either :rolleyes: . Enjoyed reading your Bio!

doug webb
02-23-2006, 9:24 PM
Thanks for taking the time to tell us about yourself. doug

Travis Stinson
02-23-2006, 10:58 PM
Glad to know a little more about you Steve.

Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan
02-23-2006, 11:04 PM
Nice to meet you Steve!!

You sure do nice work!

Cheers!

Curt Fuller
02-23-2006, 11:09 PM
Good to meet you Steve. Looked up some old posts of your work. Man, incredible stuff.

Michael Stafford
02-24-2006, 6:11 AM
Steve, I greatly admire your cabinet and stairway construction skills. You know you and I kidded around about you coming way down here to redo my kitchen. I wish it were possible. I have not seen a lot of your lathe turning but I seem to recall there were some unfortunate bowl/platter disintegration incidents and ufo reports.....:p :D Has the frequency of those strange problems diminished?:D

Tyler Howell
02-24-2006, 9:40 AM
Where's Your brother??
You are his keeper.
Great to get the details and great Email as well:rolleyes: .
Glad to call you friend.

Steve Clardy
02-24-2006, 11:59 AM
Wow!! What a surprise to see this this morning!!:eek:
Thanks for all the comments:D

Thanks for letting the doo outa the bag about me Mark:o :rolleyes: ;) :D

I've meet several creekers over the past three years, and when typing up Marks memo He sent, I was just kinda brain dead trying to think of all the names.
I have enjoyed meeting everyone, either at the woodshow, breakfasts, or at Terrys annual barbecue feasts:D

John Miliunas
02-24-2006, 12:59 PM
It's great to put a few more details behind the face of a guy who's work I've admired for a long time!!! :) It's been a pleasure, Steve and the pleasure has been all mine! :) :cool:

Dale Thompson
02-24-2006, 9:19 PM
Hey Steve,
That's a good looking picture on your avatar, man! ;) There is a lot of "character" in that mug shot! It's hard to believe that it is for real? :rolleyes: :confused:

In my younger days when all the guys in town were out deer hunting, I used to have a lot of late-night luck in the local honky-tonks. :) With that said, most of the ladies who would be seen with me would make YOU look like Paris Hilton! :) As Willie said in one of his songs, "I went to bed with a 10 at 2 and woke up with a 2 at 10!" :eek: In retrospect, that wasn't bad for a guy who is a -8! :(

Whatever, Steve, thanks for the humorous and "real-life" interview! :cool: :)

Dale T.

Ernie Nyvall
02-24-2006, 10:11 PM
Nice to meet you Steve.

Ernie

Bob Noles
02-26-2006, 12:52 PM
Hi Steve.... It is good to know more the guy behind the most famous face on SMC :eek: :D

Thanks for the great interview and many great posts.

Corey Hallagan
02-26-2006, 1:16 PM
Excellent interview. Steve, I admire people who do what you do for a living and do it well as you obviously do!

Corey

Joe Meazle
03-02-2006, 5:29 PM
Steve is very talented and a great guy. If you are ever passing through Edwards MO look him up it is worth your time. If you get to the Dairy farm you have gone too far.
Joe

Steve Clardy
03-02-2006, 5:32 PM
Thanks Joe. So how you been since you were up here?

Joe Meazle
03-02-2006, 6:48 PM
Steve,
well, I am still fat, and I bet you are still skinny. I have not gotten to see the local creekers as much as I would like, been busy with wrk and family. But I can't complain too much.
Joe