Name 3 Turners Who Have Influenced You The Most

[Wally Dickerman]

I think that just about all of us can remember someone who influenced us the most in our woodturning hobby. I had been turning on my own for many years before I ever met another turner, so in my early years I was influenced only by my own fascination with making things round.

I can remember in about 1979 an article in Fine Woodworking about David Ellsworth and his thin-walled, small opening hollowforms. I saw those photos and vowed that someday I would be able to do that. I was delighted when at the first AAW symposium in 1987, David critiqued one of my HF's.

After starting woodturning as a teenager in 1936, I never saw another turner at the lathe until about 1983, when Dale Nish did a demo at a wood store in Seattle. First time I'd ever seen a bowl gouge. I don't think that anyone else in the audience had either. What an eye popping sight to see those curls of wood flying from Dale's tool. Since then Dale has become a good friend.

Rude Osolnik became a good friend and influenced my turning a lot back in the late 80's. He was teaching at the traveling wood show and stayed with me and my wife when the show came to Seattle. We spent time together in my shop.

There have been others of course. Can you think of three people who have influenced your turning the most?

Wally

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Keith Rowley, Bill Grumbine, Alan Lacer and Richard Raffan.....yeah...I know ....that's 4....

When the idiot turners here decided to send me a lathe, tools and wood....I didn't know there was another turner in the state of Idaho.

Keith Rowley's book and videos by Grumbine, Lacer and Raffan were my instructional tools.

Rowley has since died. I hope someday to meet the others and thank them for the help they unknowingly provided.

[bob svoboda]

I have also been influenced by the works of Bill Grumbine, John Jordan and the like. My biggest influence was a local gentleman by the name of John Hampton. When I first became interested in turning (and didn't have any idea what a vortex was) he invited me to his home, cut the end off an alder log, created a blank, and turned a bowl while giving me a wealth of information and some hands-on experience. People like John are what give turners a good name (and also create more turners).

[Jim Burr]

Raffan, Mahoney and Mr Grumbine.
I have DVD from all of them and a few others. That is the only education offered around here and those 3 continue to challenge me on a piece by piece basis

[Art Kelly]

Bill Grumbine, Rude Osolnik, Richard Raffan.

No particular order--each has their specialty.

Art

[Thom Sturgill]

Jimmy Clewes, Alan Lacer, Bill Grumbine. Clewes is the only one i've seen in person, the others are via DVDs.

[George Guadiane]

Paul Petrie
Don Orr
Steve Sherman

[David E Keller]

Clewes, Raffan, and Randy Privett... I don't know how much turning Randy does, but his monster tools have helped me considerably. Raffan has influences me through his books and DVDs. Clewes is perhaps the most influential because I was able to get some individual instruction from him, and I own all 11 of his DVDs.

[Richard Madden]

Mike Mahoney
Cindy Drozda
Stuart Mortimer

[Wally Dickerman]

Paul Petrie
Don Orr
Steve Sherman

George, that has to be the shortest post you've ever made.

Wally

[Steve Kubien]

Richard Raffan because of his variety of work, shapes, projects and books/videos.
Bill Grumbine for the best bowl-turning dvd I have ever seen. Hell of a great guy to break bread with too.
Bill Neddow for his bowls. There are more of his bowls in my collection of oh-my-g*d-this-is-perfect pictures than anyone elses.

[charlie knighton]

Terry Mitchell
Nick Cook
i seen many other rotations, all of it is mixed up and comes out at different times

[Peter Hay in Aus]

Happens Richard Raffan is both a friend and an extremely active member of our A.C.T. Woodcraft Guild. I have never met a demonstrator like him first there last to leave and he helps set up and clean up, gets peaved when folks take 1 1/2 hr lunches etc feels he wants to give best value.

How fortunate are we. Last Wednesday he conducted a slide show of simple and not so great selling small projects to make for Xmas sales giving suggested prices for everything, quite humbling for those who feel he is out of their reach. He described how in England he lived of the returns from production turned scoops etc.

A mate at the club makes wooden cars and trailers fit for Museums IMHO and after his talk said in jest how about signing some of my work? brought the house down. Years ago he said to me he may never make a pen so horses for courses.
Regards Peter.

[George Guadiane]

george, that has to be the shortest post you've ever made.:d

wally

~~ so?? ~~

[Tony De Masi]

Bill Grumbine = great videos and a wonderful teacher
Richard Raffan = books and videos are great
Trent Bosch = first professional turner I saw in person and was just wowed.