Francious-Jean Escoulen

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

This fellow is coming to Japan and I can maybe go to see a demo of his.

It would be on a Saturday, which is usually a work day, but maybe I should make the time.

I looked him up on the net, he seems to be well known, anyone have the pleasure of seeing him at work?

Cheers!

[Jim Becker]

Go see him. Nice fellow and incredible turner...with both the bedan and the skew and he's well known for multi-axis. I have a "demo piece" of his on the mantel about four feet behind my head as I write this. This man is a master.

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Well I've been invited, if I go for one hour, it is free, if I stay longer they want me to become a member and pay $65, I think it will be worth it for the connections alone.

Thanks Jim!

[RL Johnson]

He came to the club last year and gave a demonstration. Like Jim says he is a master. I was so impressed with his use of the bedan that I went and and bought one. You know you can get just as bad of a catch with a bedan as you can from a skew. His multi-axis turning demo should not be missed. Go and see him, you will come away with an increase in your turning knowledge. I guarantee.

[Richard Allen]

Hi Stu

Don't you dare go. It's a fools mission!!! One hour isn't enough time to get started. You will be sucked into staying for the full show and then you will be out $65!

Good luck

[Brad Schmid]

Stu,

If you get out of there only $65 lighter, I'd say you done good :D Beware, that multi-axis chuck is tempting once you see it in action, and that man turns some beautiful stuff with it. It be many Yen;)

I vote "go"! An opportunity to see a fabulous turner like that doesn't come around often.

cheers

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

I've got the morning and early afternoon off :D

I sent the mail asking where I send my money!

Cheers!

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

OK so here is my report.

Turning Demonstration by Jean Francious Escoulen
I had the very great privilege of taking in a turning demonstration by Mr. Jean Francious Escoulen.
The demo was put on by the Far East Woodturners Society (FEWS) of which I'm now proudly a member of.
Mr. Naoto Suzuki, who runs JAWS arranged the visit
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/jfe_suzuki_san.jpg
(Jean Francious Escoulen in the middle, his daughter Emily on the left, and Mr. Naoto Suzuki on the right)
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/jfe_daugher.jpg
Here Jean and his daughter introduce themselves. Emily is a student at a university here in Tokyo, she has been here for one year studying Japanese, and I have to say that here Japanese is VERY good. Jean's lovely wife Monique also attended, and she is a world class cabinet/furniture maker in here own right.
What a talented family!

Mr. Sano hosted the demo in his amazing workshop. The demo took place in Musashiurawa station, which is about 30 minutest North of Shinjuku on the Saikyo line. I went with my friend Alex Reid, who had to travel up from Zushi, on the South coast, and must have been up very
early!
We were picked up at the station by some of the FEWS members in cars and had a quick 5 minute drive to Mr. Sano's house.
The Demo was held in a great space that Mr. Sano has, it is usually parking for his two cars, but today it was a demo space. Beside the parking area he has his workshop, and I counted 6 or 7 lathes in there!
His Bandsaw makes Big Blue look like a toy!
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/big_bs.jpg
The ceiling is a good 8 feet.
The big old planer he has is really nice too.
His collection of tools shows a lifetime commitment to woodworking, and a definite addiction to woodturning!

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/vl_200_1.jpg

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/vl200_2.jpg
In the lathe room he has two Vicmarc VL200 lathes set up on the one wall

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/beaver.jpg
A Beaver lathe set up at the end of one bench

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/jfe_hand_sharpening.jpg
Mr. Sano, our gracious host on the left, and Jean hand sharpening a detail gouge on the right

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/jfe_examples.jpg
Here are a few of the examples of the eccentric turnings that Jean brought along.

....to be continued.....

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Here are some examples I found on the web
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/escoulen_wimsical_box.jpg
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/chess_pieces.jpg
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/chess_pieces2.jpg
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/chess_pieces_table.jpg
Chess anyone?
One of the things that Alex and I both found very interesting,
to the point of "HOLY COW" was the Bedan tool that he uses so much.
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/jfe_bedan_big_small1.jpg
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/jfe_bedan_big_small2.jpg
This tool is used like it shows in the picture, with the bevel
up, when cutting a convex curve the very corner of the tool is only used. He
rolls the tool on it's axis, to raise one corner up, and this lets the cutting
corner dig in. He says it is like a skew in that respect, and if you get catches
on the skew, you will get catches on the Bedan.
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/jfe_bedan_use.jpg
Here is Jean with his daughter Emily explaining some finer points of using this neat tool.
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/jfe_bedan_pating_tool.jpg
At points, he uses it as a large parting tool, the wood chips just flies of the lathe!
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/jfe_bedan_curves.jpg
Using the corners of the tool, he very, VERY quickly cuts super smooth convex curves.

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/jfe_2min_egg.jpg
Next up he turned an egg, I swear it took less than 2 minutes, amazing!
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/jfe_2_min_egg2.jpg
Here he is parting the egg off, again, with the Bedan.
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/jfe_french_egg.jpg
Two minutes egg!
　
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/jfe_support_thumb.jpg
Using his thumb as a support on this super thin form
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/jfe_super_thin.jpg
Super thin, all done with the Bedan tool
Multi Axis Turning
Now we get into some fun stuff, the stuff that makes Jean so famous, his multi axis turnings.
He starts with a square piece of wood, he does NOT rough it out into a cylinder.
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/3_axis_drawing.jpg
Looking at the wood from the side, you can see the three axis, Jean starts with the both centers on number one
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/jfe_off_centre_1.jpg
Starting off on a multi axis turning. this one will have three axis.
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/jfe_off_centre_sanding.jpg
Here Jean sands the first axis cut, as once you move it, you will never get it quite right again.
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/1st_axis.jpg
This is what the first cut looks like when done

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/jfe_2nd_axis_explain.jpg
Here he has gone to the second axis, which just happens to run right down the middle of the blank.
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/2nd_axis.jpg
(Jean's angles were tighter than the ones I used in this drawing)
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/jfe_1st_axis_end_cylinder_talk.jpg
Here Jean is showing us where the next cut will be (and where NOT to put your finger).
　
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/jfe_3rd_axis.jpg
Making the third axis cut
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/3rd_axis.jpg
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/all_axis.jpg
Now back level you see the effect he gets (not withstanding my lousy drawing).
You can keep doing this and get many more kinks, only limited by the size of the wood blank.
After he cut the three axis, he then put a cylinder on each end.
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/jfe_3rd_axis_cutting.jpg
It was an amazing demonstration.
I had to leave early due to work, but a great experience none the less.
　
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/lathe/jfe_demo/jfe_stu_alex.jpg
A pic of myself on the left, Jean in the middle, and Alex on the right
　

[tod evans]

too cool stu! someday.........

[Jim Becker]

Very nice report, Stu!

[Brad Schmid]

What Tod said... and, what a treat:cool:

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Ya it was fun, the guy is truly a master!

He was nice as could be as well, very easy going and willing to share all he has learned.

A real treat!

Cheers!