Hello fellow turners! My name is Maggie, and I've been turning for about 1.5 years here in Santa Fe, NM. In 2023 I took my first carpentry class; though I found it interesting, my instructor kept telling the class how his wife had gone over to the "dark side" which is how he referred to the art of woodturning 🙂 Naturally I decided to find out more about this "dark side" and I haven't looked back since! My love of this medium inspired me to create my own turning shop and turn my passion into a career. I spend as much of my time as possible soaking up woodturning knowledge and trying new things. I look forward to learning more from all of you! Here are a few pieces I created:
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January Turning Challenge: Thin-Stemmed Something! (click here for details) -
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Congratulations to Scott Gordon for "Orb Ligneus" being selected as Turning of the Week for January 20, 2025 (click here for details) -
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Maggie Shapiro
- Thread starter Maggie Shapiro
- Start date
Very nice work Maggie! Don’t know about the dark side but it is highly rewarding and addictive. Welcome to the forum.
Hi Maggie. Welcome. I'm new to the forums here also. Wealth of knowledge and tips available!
Welcome to the forum. Love the look of eyes on that last piece. You might also want to look for a turning club
Hi Maggie - Welcome! These forums are a great resource. And thanks for sharing pictures of your work. Great stuff. I particularly like the second piece. Really nice curve on that one.
Thank you so much Josh! It's what I call a 'pillow platter'. Basically a curvaceous bowl-like form. This one is made from shedua!
Thank you Gerald! That one was made from curly ambrosia maple and walnut. Tons of figure in the maple! I am actually a member of the Santa Fe turning club (Enchanted Turners) though I've only attended one meeting since joining last year 🫠
Thanks Christey welcome to you as well! I plan on bugging people with a million questions, not sure about you 😅
Welcome, very nice pieces and style.
Hi Maggie, I like all of the pieces. On the first one did you use a torch on it? That is a technique I am wanting to try in the future.
Yes I did! I used a tiny propane canister and my sous vide torch to burn it. It's really fun to see the whole process unfold in front of you. You can get some really amazing texture by burning woods like oak and ash which have bands of softer grain that get brushed away. Here is the process I use: torch the wood (not too much, you don't want it all to turn to ash!), then let it cool, then use a stiff nylon brush to brush away all the burned ash and the softer grain, then apply Odie's Oil liberally using a lint-free rag or a white scotch brite pad. Make sure you rub it in completely and then voila! It'll really transform a piece. Feel free to message me if you have any questions!