Name: Reed Gray
DOB: 11/22/50
Physical description
Older balding bearded (shaving is an unnatural act), horizontally challenged (thanks to Mac Davis for that one), and kind of a hippy
Location
Well, I grew up in Missery (Missouri) until it came time to go to college, and came out to Eugene, OR. Fell in love with the great Pacific Northwet, and stayed for the last 37 years.
Family information
I have a beautiful 10 year old daughter who wants to race dragsters, and an old grouchy, 6 toes on all feet, 16 lb. ginger tom cat.
Vocation
I did 30 plus years of concrete construction. I started getting into woodworking as I always liked working with my hands, and it was fun. After falling off a deck and blowing out a knee, then finding out that I had arthritis in that knee, I got a disability settlement which was just enough to get all the basic tools for a wood shop. For about another 10 years I just did the pour and finishing of concrete, and learned by reading, watching Norm and Roy, and doing. Finally while I was debating on when to take the plunge to full time, I had a really good show, and got some orders, and told the boss good bye. Now, about half of my business is furniture, and the other half is turning. I think that the turning may edge out the furniture eventually.
Website
Hopefully by the end of the year
Equipment Overview
Basic woodshop tools: Unisaw, chop saw, Laguna 16hd, PM 14 industrial bandsaw, drill press, General morticer, routers, planer, jointer, Performax 22-44 sander, routers, sanders, drill press, Oneida 3 hp dust collector, basic hand tools and clamps.
How many lathes?
I only have one lathe, a 5+ year old PM3520A
How many turning tools do you have?
I don't think I have enough because I still find more that I can't live without, but a bunch of gouges, scrapers, parting tools, skews, a boring bar to hold tha McNaughton hollow form blades, and all 3 bowl coring systems (KM, Oneway, and Woodcut).
Tell us about your shop
I have a detached 24 by 36 pole barn. It is now insulated, and totally wired. I took out the car door, and put in a double wide man door.
How long turning?
8 1/2 years
What got you into turning?
I needed a couple of mushroom shaped drawer pulls for a couple of tables that I was making from quilted maple, and couldn't buy them, so I cut the head off a screw, chuched it up in the drill press, screwed a block on, used a block of wood for a tool rest, and a bench chisel to cut with. I remember thinking 'hey, this is fun'.
What do you enjoy most about turning?
I guess it is that no two pieces of wood are the same, some times you can get the form you want, and sometimes the wood says otherwise.
What was your first completed turned project?
Well, I had Richard Raffins book, and think that I did a spindle with a bunch of beads and coves.
What is your favorite form that you turn?
I love green turning and then letting them dry and warp. I love the warped shapes.
What is your favorite form someone else turns/has turned?
That is tough, there is so much good work out there.
What is your favorite wood to work with and why?
This would have to be Madrone. It moves more than any other wood that I have ever seen, and it isn't even slightly predictable, I had one bowl turn into a triagle.
Have you met or hung out with any turnin' Creekers?
Can't say that I have, you seem to be mostly from out east, but then almost everything is out east from here
What is your favorite individual piece that you have turned, and why?
Green madrone hollow forms are something else, that stuff really moves.
What do you not turn now that you want to - or plan to - in the future?
I would like to do some segmented/laminated type pieces.
What brought you to SMC?
I can't remember if it was Kel McNaughton, and/or Bill Grumbine
Got any nicknames? How'd you get it?
robo hippy; Well, I was/am kind of a hippy. I would flip and twirl my hammer on the job, and try to do it like 'Robo Cop" and get in into my tool belt. Well, I was wearing my big metal knee brace, and one guy piped up with "Hey, it's robo hippy".
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