Name: Ben Werner
DOB: 10/19/1989
Physical description (G-rated, please):
Short… Just a bit over 5 feet but growing steadily; and I’m fairly thin, so if I get a huge catch in a bowl, I’ll be on the other side of the shop.
Where is home? (How long have you been there? Where else have you lived?):
Hamilton, New York - Born and raised here. We did just move though, a few years ago about 3 miles out of town, due to the fact that a driving range was put in facing us. Hamilton is where Colgate University is, and it is about 40 minutes southeast of Syracuse.
Family information (tell us about your spouse, kids, grandkids, dog, etc):
Spouse? Hey I’m only 16! What type of question is that? LOL, well I’m, almost 17. Kids? Sheesh… Grandkids?? No comment. Dog? Now that I can do. At this point we have one dog and one puppy. Meg (the dog) is about 17 years old, and is part beagle. She is actually my sister Kate’s dog but she’s at college so yeah. Leo (the puppy) is currently about 10 weeks old.
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We also have Scooter, a 17-year-old cat who literally adopted us. And a bunch of fish… and deer… well not really but it seems that way seeing as they eat all SWMBO’s flowers.
Hang on there Ben, You have a SWMBO and you’re 16?
Yup – that’s my mom.
Oh, I see. So… what's it like having to share SWMBO with the old man?
Its fine… actually its better ‘cause otherwise she’d be completely harped on what I do; but with him in the mix, she’s harped on what we both do. So it’s better with Dad. Even better is when Kate is home ‘cause then the pressure is split 3 ways so less of it on me.
Do you have a website? If so, what’s the URL?
Nope, just Photobucket.
Vocation (what do you do for a living, and what have you done previously; are you retired?):
Well I’m in high-school… but I was self employed over the summer selling my turnings… so I guess you could say that my vocation is turning.
Shop Overview (size, relationship to house, list of basic tools, woodworking interests other than turning?):
Hold on a minute while I call my dad over. “Hey Dad, com’ere please.” Dang! OK lets see if I can do it by myself.Well the shop is 16 x 24, and its about… oh say 70 feet from the house. It has a propane furnace so it’s heated in the winter, and has a nice soft pine floor, I speak from experience on that one, many dents where various pieces of wood/tools have hit it. Hmmm, basic tools? Won’t be able to do that by myself. Ok he’s here now. Powermatic 14” Band Saw, Powermatic 8” jointer (not for me to use at this point), Powermatic artisans table saw (also not for my use), Dewalt 12” chop saw, Dewalt 13” planer (I don’t use this that much), Delta Dust Collector, Delta air cleaner, and lots of hand tools (Dad’s a plane-a-holic).
How many lathes do you own? Tell us about 'em. Even the ones you no longer have. Why did you choose these lathes?
One – it’s an old Delta/Rockwell with an 11” swing and 36” bed. It’s bolted to a stand that Dad made, but jumps around a lot with out of balance pieces of wood. I have no choice in the matter.
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How many turning tools do you have? Store bought, homemade, favorites?
I’d say about fifteen tools. Most store bought, (none by me personally though) and some homemade. I have three Sorby tools given to me by Mr. Tom Davis; a turning gent who helped me on my way to where I am today as a turner, and I absolutely love them. A ½” bowl gouge sharpened how Stu has his, and a pair of captive ring tools. I have a Benjamin’s Best (fits me perfectly) ½” spindle gouge, and ½” scraper on a handle I made. Craftsman 1” spindle roughing gouge and skew, ⅜” parting tool. Negative angle square end scraper that I sharpened. I also made a pointy thing that makes good V-grooves on end grain and spindle work. In addition to this I sharpened a small round nose scraper… maybe like ¼” or ⅜” that my dad gave me… dunno what its from though.
How long have you been turning, and what got you started in the first place?
Since about December 2005, but then I didn’t turn from about January ‘til about April. How did I get started, eh? Well time to embarrass my dad (you knew it was coming:So Dad was making a bed for Kate and pulled the lathe out to make the legs. Well, he was struggling away, and I was enthralled by the lathe. It just pulled me in. That spinning cherry just pulled me down into the vortex. First thing I touched a tool to was a piece of yew, sorta turned to the shape of a lamp stem. Never completed it though.
What's your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Lemme run to the freezer and check Dulce de Leche, “Caramel Ice-cream with caramel swirls”
What do you enjoy most about turning?
There are so many aspects… making something beautiful out of a normal looking piece of wood, making the shop a mess with wood chips, making six-foot long spaghetti strands.
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I’d have to say my favorite thing about turning is completing something and just having it look really good, and have the wood just shine.
What was your first completed turned project? You get bonus points for a picture of it.
My first turned piece was a Menorah
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What is your favorite form that you turn?
Now that’s a hard one… I’m still at the stage where I’m experimenting with different stuff… maybe my goblets... I dunno… hard to say.
What do you not turn now that you want to - or plan to - in the future?
Hollow Forms.
Okay - gonna break for a new page now.
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