Stuart Mortimer is returning to Colorado in September with woodturning demonstrations and classes in Colorado Springs, Denver, and Ft. Collins. He will demonstrate at the Pikes Peak Woodturners’ meeting on Wednesday, September 1st, 6:30 p.m. at the Business of Arts Center in Manitou Springs. He will also provide an all-day demonstration of innovative turning [...]
A few months ago, Doc Thode celebrated his 90th birthday with many of his woodturning friends. Dennis heard about the birthday party from Lee Carter, and realized that it was time to place his order for a 1/3 scale high chair for his youngest grandchild.
Doc called Dennis last week to invite us up to his [...]
Some folks have inquired about purchasing one of the natural edge bowls. Dennis makes them in batches from freshly-cut trees, so the inventory of bowls depends upon the availability of good trees. For this winter, bowls from cherry and ash are for sale in the M.A. Doran Gallery in Tulsa, OK, during the Holiday [...]
For 2009, Dennis has made a traditional icycle ornament with sea urchin shells and holly.
The urchins are a delicate seashell that has been stabilized and painted with iridescent paints. The finials are turned in three pieces too conserve holly, which is a very white, and relatively scarce wood. The ornaments are 6″ tall, with shells [...]
Dennis returned to Grateley, England with his new (woodturner) wife, Kay, to spend a week with his mentor, Stuart Mortimer. It was the Mortimer goblet with the twisted stem that first lured Dennis into the mysteries of the woodturning craft. Stuart has continued to invent, refine, and hone the skills of working with spiral [...]
Dennis will have three pieces in the ‘Quilts and Fine Woodworking’ Show at the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, opening September 25th. This is the 24th year for one of the Museum’s most popular shows. The Cherry Server and Goblet with laminated twisted stem represent traditional uses of twistwork. Dennis will also exhibit the [...]
How do you commemorate an up-and-down year like 2009? The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals chose the yoyo as the perfect gift. Dennis turned the yoyo’s from face-grain cocobolo, using a special jig developed by Nick Cook. The boxes were made by Jim McCord of Excelsior Springs, MO, and laser-engraved with the organization’s [...]
Dennis makes an English-style pepper mill learned from Allan Batty. This shape allows a good grip for grinding when held either vertically, or perpendicularly to the food. Maple is a good choice for tableware because of its hardness and durability, as well as its non-aromatic character. This is a lovely piece of tiger-striped maple.
The [...]
Dennis has used the open twist for candlesticks in the past, but this new piece is the first time he has created a tall serving vessel with a twisted base. To increase the strength of the twist, he has lengthened it somewhat. It also tapers quite elegantly as it raises the shallow bowl upward. [...]
Dennis Liggett – Skew Practice Stick (hand-out from Demonstration)
Start with a 2” x 2” x 10” piece of stock
Mount between centers, and use the spindle roughing gouge or the skew to shave it to a cylinder. Make the cuts by moving your body, not your hands! Posture is the key to all skew work.
The first [...]