PDA

View Full Version : Turner Interview: Travis Stinson (UPDATED w/ Picture)



Mark Cothren
03-15-2006, 9:10 AM
Name: Travis Stinson (http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e318/AndyHoyt944/TRU%20Permanent/Travis08.jpg)

DOB: 5-1-63

Physical description (G-rated, please): 6' 1", 220

Location (for how long, previous locations, etc)
Brookhaven, Ms, 4 years
Baton Rouge, La, 10 years
Grew up in the small community of Mt. Hermon, Louisiana.

Family information (brag on your spouse, kids, grandkids, dog, etc)
Married to my wife Susan 7 years. 15 yr. old step-Daughter Kristen is making me pay for the things I did as a teenager. 5 yr. old Son Ryan and his dog Petey.

Vocation (what do you do for a living, and what have you done previously)
Relay/ Protection and Control Technician for electric utility company.

Any other hobbies?
I spent 3 years every weekend, obsessed with something I had wanted to do ever since I was a kid........racing motocross. I had the time of my life, spent a bunch of money and broke a few bones. Had to give it up, got harder to get out of bed to go to work on Monday mornings.........So, I replaced that addiction with another, turning!

Equipment Overview (lathe, tools, etc)
The usual assortment of woodworking tools-TS, joiner, planer, bandsaw, drill press, etc., all of which now either support my lathe work or sit unused.

How many lathes have (or do) you own? Tell us about 'em.
I have 2 right now, Jet 1236 and my mustard baby PM3520. I'm getting the itch for a mini to demo with.

How many turning tools do you have?
Probably 30 or so, but I do at least 80% of my turning with a 1/2" Elsworth grind bowl gouge.

Tell us about your shop
My shop was the main selling point for me when we bought this house. It's 20' x 40', with a 10' section walled off. I need to rearrange the layout, but I hate the thought of redoing the 6" piping for my DC if I would push everything against the walls for the lathe to be in the center.

How long turning?
Just a tad over 2 years.

What got you into turning?
I made a plant stand for Susan and needed some spindles..... good excuse for a new tool, right?

What do you enjoy most about turning?
The thing I enjoy most, is seeing the beauty that Nature created unveiled before my eyes.

What was your first completed turned project?
A miniature baseball bat, of course!

What is your favorite form that you turn?
I'm really into tuning hollow forms right now, so I guess those or something that utilizes natural edges.

What is your favorite form someone else turns/has turned?
I really enjoy Keith Burns' segmented turnings.

What is your favorite wood to work with and why?
Ma....Walnut! I love the richness of the grain and coloring. I even love the smell!

Do you have a website? What's the URL?
http://myweb.cableone.net/tstin27/

Have you met or hung out with any turnin' Creekers? Tell us about it.
Not yet, but that's about to change!

What is your favorite individual piece that you have turned, and why?
Hmmm, I guess I would have to go with this Maple burl hollow form. Everything seemed to have clicked with it.

What is your favorite piece someone else has turned, and why?
That's tough to nail down to any one favorite. I really love Sparky Paessler's SW hollow forms, look forward to seeing them.

What do you not turn now that you want to - or plan to - in the future?
IF I can muster the patience, I'd like to try some segmented turning.

What brought you to SMC?
I've bounced around a few different sites and am not sure when I heard of it. I'm glad to call it home, lots of friendly folks here.

Got any nicknames? How'd you get it?
Nope, none.

(Editor's note: Ohhhhhhhhh, the temptation...:D )

Now let's get a little deep... If you were a tree, what tree would you be and why?
A very mundane Pin Oak........I'd be safe from the roving bands of chainsaw-weilding turners around here.
.
.
.

Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan
03-15-2006, 9:17 AM
The Man, the Myth, the Legend! :D

Great to get to know you better!

Love your work, keep it up, we all need inspiration!

Nice looking family!

Cheers!

Bernie Weishapl
03-15-2006, 9:24 AM
Nice to meet you Travis. Nice looking family and shop. Love your HF.

Gordon Achterhof
03-15-2006, 9:39 AM
Vrey pleased to meet you Travis. Mustard Monsters rule.

Cheers
Gordon

Keith Burns
03-15-2006, 9:51 AM
The Man, the Myth, the Legend! :D



The Trav, what can I say. Great to get to know more about you. Great looking family. Your work is always inspiring. Now, about that shop, 20' x 40' and no place to sit, whats up with that?:D

Cecil Arnold
03-15-2006, 9:57 AM
Good interview Travis. Nice family. Wish I had your shop space. Mustard rules.

Glenn Hodges
03-15-2006, 10:21 AM
Enjoyed getting to know you and your family better.

Paul Douglass
03-15-2006, 10:48 AM
It's a pleasure. Nice looking shop. I see Norm's router table back there.

How come Petey didn't get in the picture

OOPSS!! Petey did get in the picture! Didn't see him first time around!

Mark Cothren
03-15-2006, 11:06 AM
Is that a Martha Stewart Living cap you have on?

I think I recognize it because Dennis has one he wears...:D

Bruce Shiverdecker
03-15-2006, 11:19 AM
Nice to know a little more about you Travis. Thanks for sharin'

Bruce;)

PS: Like the Family Picture.
All keepers .................................................. .with a possible exception of the far right.................................Nah ain't goin' there! I'm the worst of our bunch.............................by far!:D

Ernie Nyvall
03-15-2006, 11:19 AM
A pleasure to meet you Travis. Nice looking family.

Ernie

Andy Hoyt
03-15-2006, 11:35 AM
Thor - No wonder it takes you so long to complete your turnings. Suggest you relocate the gouges a bit closer to that poopy mustard thing and save the wear and tear on your sneakers.

John Miliunas
03-15-2006, 12:15 PM
Great looking family, great shop and your work speaks volumes of how you approach turning! Thanks for the additional insight! :) :cool:

Mike Ramsey
03-15-2006, 12:19 PM
Nice to meet you Travis! Good looking family! I see one of Norms
projects behind the lathe, very nice! I always look forward to seeing
your work! It's always great!

Don Orr
03-15-2006, 12:32 PM
Great looking familiy, great looking shop, great looking work!! Major hat-trick there:D . Very nice interview, glad to get to know you better.

Don.

Dennis Peacock
03-15-2006, 1:25 PM
The Man, the Myth, the Legend! :D

Great to get to know you better!

Love your work, keep it up, we all need inspiration!

Nice looking family!

Cheers!

Travis,

Looks like Stu said it wonderfully. Ditto what he said from me.:cool:

Sparky Paessler
03-15-2006, 2:10 PM
Hey thanks Travis! I took that as a big compliment. Haven't done any turning in a while. Tied up on this big basement remodel job every evening. Great interview.

John Hart
03-15-2006, 2:37 PM
Nice interview to read Travis. Nice to meet you Mr. Stinson!

Jim Ketron
03-15-2006, 4:00 PM
Great looking Family,
Nice to know you better Travis!
Hey You gonna let Andy talk about a family member like that?:D

Travis Stinson
03-15-2006, 7:13 PM
Thanks everyone, the pleasure was all mine.
Yup, Norm's router table, from my BT days. It serves as a nice place to set the odd gouge or blank these days.;) Paul, Petey did get in the pic.:D
Mark..................................nevermind.

Dale Thompson
03-15-2006, 8:21 PM
Travis,
You do absolutely PHENOMENAL work!! :) Why have I wasted all of this time on "flat stuff"? :confused:

Whatever, it was great to meet you, your lovely family and your obvious talent for turning. :)

Question: Why doesn't MY PM 3520 work as well as yours? :confused: Do I have a Warranty problem or a Talent problem? ;) Another dumb question! :cool:

Travis, thanks much for the interview!! :)

Dale T.

Ed Scolforo
03-15-2006, 9:05 PM
Travis, a pleasure to know you better. Keep those awesome hollow forms coming, altho I don't know if my self esteem can take much more! :)
Ed

Curt Fuller
03-15-2006, 10:04 PM
Good interview Travis. I've gotta tell you, your work is an inspiration, gives me something to work towards.

doug webb
03-15-2006, 11:20 PM
Nice to meet the man that does such beautiful work. Keep them coming!

Dick Parr
03-15-2006, 11:24 PM
Very nice interview Travis, I'm glad to really meet you finally.;) That is a great family you have.

Michael Stafford
03-16-2006, 5:56 AM
Beautiful family... Beautiful work... Great guy... Excellent interview! Travis, I enjoyed the interview and can't wait for the day when we actually meet.:D

Don Baer
03-16-2006, 12:32 PM
Travis,
Nice to meet you. I have always admired you turnings.

Jim Dunn
03-21-2006, 2:17 PM
Suggest you relocate the gouges a bit closer to that poopy mustard thing and save the wear and tear on your sneakers.

Andy take a look at the length of his legs:eek: They were made for walking:)

Nice interview Travis