Nova Galaxi DVR Upgrade

So I went and did it. I sold my General International midi lathe, but of course after close to three months without turning, I could not just sit there and do flat work. My sanity would have been jeopardized. I turned around to what I hope will be my last lathe. The Nova Galaxi DVR....

Update on the Lathe Repair

You may remember that a couple of weeks ago, I expressed my disappointment with General International, the power tool company. My problem with my lathe is finally solved, and has turned out well, thanks to a very efficient and knowledgeable technician. After spending about two months waiting for a main board I ordered from China,...

Turning a chess set, take 2

Turning a second chess set, maple and bocote

Gift project, napkin rings

Gift idea: Making napkin rings out of wood

A local discovery in wood species: Russian olivewood

I got a call from a friend whose tree lost a few large branches last week. It is Russian olivewood. He brought me a couple of pieces two days ago, and the rest will follow shortly.  The sapwood is very light yellow, almost white, and the heartwood is a deep chocolate brown. The grain is...

Make Toys out of Wood: Articulated Giraffe

Here is a simple woodturning project I made for my 4 y.o. niece. It is about 7 inches tall, and painted with nontoxic paint. This is another example of a very basic toy that kids appreciate more than more modern objects with bells and whistles. All comments welcome!   Patrick Savard  

Woodturning: Angel Ornaments

When my girlfriend was pregnant with my son about nine years ago, the clinic announced to us on December 23rd at 16:00 that our baby had trisomy 14, a very rare condition that would either mean that he would die the instant he was born or else that his life expectancy would be a maximum...

Make toys out of wood: My Next Puppets after Tin Man

The next three puppets I made out of wood

A Promise Made to a Beloved Friend: Wooden Under-Plates

My girlfriend`s uncle, a man I always appreciated very much for his joy and his sound advice, was terminally ill with cancer last fall. One day, I decided to do something for him: I washed and waxed his car, his last pride in this world. Seeing as he could not drive it anymore, it looked...

My next projects

As those of you who have read my older posts know, I have been spending much time on my chessboard and set lately, and now that the first one is completed, I must move on to the second one. Chessboard #2 is fairly advanced. I need to complete the drawers and the inside of the...