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View Full Version : SMC Turner Interview - Bonnie Campbell



Andy Hoyt
09-15-2007, 7:19 PM
Name: Bonnie Kaye Campbell (started putting the middle name in after moving south, it seems to be 'expected')

How young are you?
I celebrated the 25th anniversary of my 21'st birthday this year.

Physical description:
Hmmm, how about chubby and just a tad frumpy. If I have to dress up I can. But my usual attire contributes to my 'frumpy' description. I'm usually running around in sweat pants and t-shirts.

71982

Where is home?
I've lived in Natchez, Mississippi for 7 years now. But 'home' would be our cabin in Church Hill, if we ever get a house built out there. I'm originally from Minneapolis, lived there 18 years. Then married in Oregon and lived there 18 years. On my second husband now :eek:. I have almost gotten used to these hot summers down here.

Family information:
I've been married to my husband for 7 years now. We met online in a chat program. Things just blossomed from there. Unfortunately his health isn't very good now, but we get by. I've got a daughter that's married and living in Oregon. My husband Jon has 4 kids, and 6 grandchildren.

Do you have a website? If so, what's the URL?
My website (http://www.bkcturkeycalls.com/) isn't very exciting. I try keeping it simple so it isn't too much of a pain to load up for dial-uppers…..

Hey! Don't knock it, there be good stuff there.

Vocation:
I've done a lot of odd jobs in my time. Anything from animal sitting (chickens, dogs, cats and birds) to house cleaning, janitorial work, digging garlic to pickin' worms. And all the other odd jobs people can afford to get some fool to do :o Right now my job is taking care of my husband and making sure he’s happy :)

Shop Overview:
I have two lathes, a PSI midi and a (dare I say it?) Palmgren. I started with just hubby’s old table saw as peripheral, then added a small band saw, a bench top sander and a small drill press and a big dust collector. Of course they all work how and when they feel like. I know I have gremlins in my shop that dare me to expect machinery to work! I picked the PSI lathe because it seemed the most affordable at the time. I talked hubby into ordering it for my birthday a couple years ago. I told him how cheap of a hobby it would be. :eek: And I only needed a small lathe at the time because I started out making turkey calls. The shop is the storage room on the house. So it has it's own outside access. Also it had no electricity or heating/cooling. So hubby had it wired and put in a heat/ac pump.

Bonnie wasn’t too generous with photo submissions for this interview, so I’ve taken the liberty swiping some from near and far for your edification and will scatter them throughout this posting. To wit:

71983

How many turning tools do you have? Store bought; home made; favorites?
I think I have about 22 turning tools (another skew on it's way!). I've bought two of the cheap PSI midi sets and my brother sent me a big set he found at a garage sale (brand unknown). I really like the PSI size for most of the things I do. My favorite tools right now are my skews and round nosed scraper. Yeah, I probably use them wrong, but as long as I get satisfactory results I'm happy, for now.

How long have you been turning, and what got you started in the first place?
I've been turning for about a year and a half - actual time. Would have been the full two years I had the lathe, but not long after getting the lathe I slipped outside. So was in a brace and on crutches for about four months. Wow! Was that a pain. I would go sit and look at the lathe once in awhile, dreaming of all my future masterpieces :( Not that they've happened since, but I can always hope! I started turning because of getting a turkey my first season hunting them. I belonged to a hunting forum where guys were making custom pot calls. After I got my turkey using a store bought call I decided I could make a call too. So, with a lot of patient help from the guys online they had me cranking out turkey calls before long. It was a good time to get in to making the calls. It paid for all my tools, the wiring job and heat/ac.

What's your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Pecan Praline (I guess that's why I moved south lol)

MMMmmm Pralines n’cream.

What do you enjoy most about turning?
I really enjoy how fast the process can be. And I'm always amazed at the grain in woods that don't look like they'd be interesting at all in the raw state.

What do you enjoy the least about turning?
That would HAVE to be sharpening the chisels. Well, cleaning up the mess comes in a very close second. Right now I just use my belt sander on my chisels (hence the cheap chisels).

71984

Do you belong to a turning club?
No, there aren't any around here. But some day I'd love to sneak over to Travis' place and peek in his shop window! His work is just awesome.

How come you don't live in Wyoming?
Now who wants to live in a state without trees?!?!? I did see a bush once when we traveled through there…..

71985 71986

Hold one. Time to put in a new typewriter ribbon.

Andy Hoyt
09-15-2007, 7:19 PM
What's your favorite individual piece that you have turned, and why?
I guess my favorite piece I've turned has to be the canary wood bowl I just did up recently. My liking for it has nothing to do with any luck I had turning it, but the wood grain was so nice.

71987

What's your favorite form that you turn?
Anything that doesn't blow up on the lathe :cool:

What do you not turn now that you want to - or plan to - in the future?
I'd like to learn how to turn bigger bowls and HF.

How do you take your Moxie? (Straight up? beer chaser? neat? with corn flakes?)
I'd say straight up, using this definition of moxie lol "A quality of spirit that enables you to face danger of pain without showing fear" As a beverage, I think I'd have to pass!

And there I was thinking I had a convert. Sheesh.

What's your favorite form someone else turns?
Wow! That's a hard question. There are so many fantastic turners on this site. I couldn't pick one (well, Travis….sucking up so he doesn't call the cops on me for spying in his window!) I like all the different forms since I love variety.

71988

What's your favorite individual piece someone else has turned, and why?
Hard to pick an individual piece. I've drooled over 99.9% of what I've seen. The .1% I haven't drooled over are mine :rolleyes:

What's your favorite wood to work with and why?
Red cedar. Probably because it turns so nicely and smells good too.

What brought you to SMC?
Marvin mentioned your site to me, so I stopped in to check it out. It was so nice seeing a site where people are so helpful.

71989

What was your first post about? Or don't you remember?
Have to admit to the age-old disease known as CRS

Not to worry Bonnie. SMC keeps very accurate records of these things (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=478805#post478805).

Do you recall the first thread you started?
Probably one on a bowl?

Yup. You snuck your first and several subsequent efforts into this one (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=48753).

What's your favorite old thread on SMC?
Without a doubt! "WARNING - Do not attempt to apply the Stinson..." (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=64007) I laughed myself silly every time I'd open it to read a new post. That thread is priceless.

71990

Have you met or hung out with any fellow Creekers?
Nope, not yet….

Got any nicknames? How'd you get them?
The only nickname I recall is 'bonehead'. I got that from my brother. Typical sibling rivalry nickname (especially since I'm smarter than him!)

That’s not what he said.

Now let's get a little deep... If you were a turning tool, what tool would you be and why?
I'd have to say a skew. I'm pretty straight and to the point. And easy to get along with once people know my weird sense of humor.

If you won the Irish Sweepstakes what part of your life would change?
The part about trying to be frugal when buying wood and tools.

71991

Thanks, Miss Bonnie Kaye. “twas a pleasure to meet y’all.

Nancy Laird
09-15-2007, 8:03 PM
Great interview, Bonnie. I don't envy where you live (hot and humid), but I do envy your talent. Good job!!

Nancy (97 days)

Jim Becker
09-15-2007, 8:08 PM
Good to get to know you, Bonnie!!

Jim King
09-15-2007, 8:12 PM
It is really nice to see a lady showing her work and putting out her life for everyone to know. You are to be commended . VERY MUCH. You and a few other ladies are way out front of the pack to follow you.

Steve Schlumpf
09-15-2007, 9:04 PM
Thanks for taking the time to do the interview Bonnie! Always great to get to know a fellow Creeker just a little better!

Marvin Hasenak
09-15-2007, 9:34 PM
I have known Bonnie as "Justannie" for over a year on a game call forum, but after this interview I think I finally know a little about the real Bonnie. Great interview Bonnie.

Marvin

Pete Jordan
09-15-2007, 9:40 PM
Thanks for the great interview Bonnie!

Your turkey calls are very cool!

Dennis Peacock
09-15-2007, 9:57 PM
Excellent interview Bonnie.!!!! Nice to know more about you!!!! We pass by the Natchez Trace every time we go back to 'Bammy to sit with the relatives fer a spell. Maybe we can look you up one of these days for a quick visit. :)

Bonnie Campbell
09-15-2007, 10:02 PM
Thanks everyone :)

I know this is one of THE best sites online. Everyone is so helpful (and I don't hear... "Do a search" when I ask an old question) ;)

Just give a yell Dennis, it'd be good meeting you.

Bernie Weishapl
09-15-2007, 10:02 PM
Great interview Bonnie. Glad to know you better. Great looking calls.

Tom Sherman
09-15-2007, 10:20 PM
Cool interview Bonnie, nice to get to know you better.

Travis Stinson
09-15-2007, 10:33 PM
Great to know more about you Bonnie. You have a standing invitation to come INSIDE the shop and do a lil turning anytime you get over this way. I might be doing the Fall show at the Natchez Convention Center, come by and look me up. ;)

Ken Fitzgerald
09-15-2007, 10:38 PM
Nice to know more about you Bonnie! Great interview.

Bonnie Campbell
09-15-2007, 10:43 PM
Cool Travis, let me know if you do the show. I'll make sure I stop by :)

Larry Marley
09-15-2007, 10:54 PM
Thanks for taking the time to do this.
That was a fun read

Barry Stratton
09-15-2007, 11:19 PM
That was one fine interview!!! Thanks for sharing.

Curt Fuller
09-16-2007, 12:26 AM
Great interview and nice to know more about you. Those turkey calls are some real beauties. But not knowing anything about calling turkeys I've always wondered how those work.

Jude Kingery
09-16-2007, 1:01 AM
Hey Bonnie, so enjoyed reading your interview and seeing your pictures; and yep, Marvin's the best. He, too, introduced me to this site and it is one of my two favorites I like to visit each day and see what folks are up to! Nice to read about you and your excellent work! Jude

Bill Wyko
09-16-2007, 1:07 AM
Bonnie, I like your work. Keep it up and post often. Don't forget pics.:)

Joyce Baldauf
09-17-2007, 5:40 PM
Great to meet you Bonnie. Thanks for the interview and the pics. You do really nice work.:D

Bonnie Campbell
09-17-2007, 6:21 PM
Great interview and nice to know more about you. Those turkey calls are some real beauties. But not knowing anything about calling turkeys I've always wondered how those work.

The 'striker' is used to play the call. You hold it as you would a pencil and make straight to circular motions on the call surface. Changing the motion and pressure, you get different turkey call sounds.

Thanks for all the nice comments. I sure enjoy my time on this site :)

Shane Whitlock
09-17-2007, 9:03 PM
Great interview Bonnie ... Great to get to know ya.

Happy Turnings,
Shane Whitlock

Pat Doble
09-17-2007, 11:18 PM
Great interview Bonnie - love the calls. One of these years I'm going to get around to trying my hand at turkey hunting...

Don Orr
09-18-2007, 3:24 PM
... real nice interview. Thanks for sharing more about you and your work.

Bobby McCarley
09-20-2007, 1:29 PM
Great interview Bonnie, thanks for the info. Checked out your web site, nice. I have had a pattern to make a turkey call for over a year now, but just haven't gotten around to it. Don't really do any hunting but have friends and realitives that live by it. A couple of them hunt turkey.

If y'all ever make over to the Baton Rouge area, give me a yell. We'll make a few shavings in the shop.

Bobby
Louisiana

Bonnie Campbell
09-20-2007, 11:24 PM
Thanks for the invite Bobby :) If we're ever down in your neck of the woods I'll definitely give a yell.