Featured Artist – Rich Schmid, Branchin’ Out

 

Rich is a retired school principal who has always enjoyed working with wood as a hobby.  Nine years ago he discovered the creativity that a wood lathe, chisels and a piece of firewood can inspire.

He also enjoys the continued study of vessel design, many different turning techniques, as well as the properties of different woods.  He tries to leave a piece of Mother Nature in most of his works.  He has advanced his art by incorporating carving, dying, painting, burning and filling voids with rock to make his pieces unique.

Each piece is unique in itself as Mother Nature dictates much of the shape.  Besides the many functional pieces such as salad and nut bowls, he creates many decorative pieces for the dining room table, entrance way, mantels etc.

Rich can be contacted at
  
  
 

Sorby Sandmaster Tool – VIDEO

Looking for a last minute gift for those that hard to buy for woodturner on your list :-) All joking aside, this tool allows you to sand those hard to reach spots without leaving any unsightly sanding tracks. The Sandmaster can also be used to apply oil or wax to your turning and will produce a quality professional finish.   Sorby Sandmaster An extremely handy addition to any turner’s armory, the Sandmaster is used in conjunction with a lathe to put a fine finish on turned pieces. It eliminates the unsightly lines often associated with traditional hand sanding. The Sandmaster comes complete with a Velcro covered 2" sponge pad which allows for the easy changing of abrasive discs. The aluminum oxide discs come in a variety of grits from 60 to 400. The adjustable head lets you reach even the most difficult areas. As an option for your larger turnings, a 3" head and sanding discs are also available for greater efficiency. The Sandmaster becomes an even more versatile tool when the head is removed and replaced by a pigtail mandrel and bowl mop. Made of fine grade cotton these mops are ideal for applying oils or buffing waxes to produce a professional finish. The following video is from Robert Sorby and gives a complete demonstration of the sanding and finishing process using the Sandmaster.

    Sandmaster Customer Reviews 1) Submitted by Jon, from Endicott, NY on 1/16/2008 I had my doubts when I ordered this but it’s cut my sanding time by at least 75% with better results … Works great …IMHO the biggest drawback is the limited quantity of sandpaper you get with your order. 2) Submitted by Jack, from Travis AFB, CA on 2/24/2007 Works geat, gets in to small areas, and with the variety of sandpaper takes the wood down to a ultra smooth finish. Handle could be a bit longer.