www.ericlofstrom.com. He has a nice summary of his presentation to our members.

by Eric Lofstrom
I stumbled upon turning in October of 2001 at a woodworking store in Sumner, WA. Attending a free woodworking demonstration on turning pens and letter openers was all it took to hook my curiosity. Creating shavings on a lathe consumed my thoughts for the next few weeks as I wrapped my brain around how a finished piece could emerge from rough materials so quickly! After hearing all the details (several times), my wife pursued this spark of excitement and set my woodturning journey in motion with a mini lathe and tool set for Christmas. Years later, my woodturning enthusiasm continues to grow.

Like many turners, my woodturning adventures began with scraps of 2×4s and “factory sharpened” tools. Several startling catches in the first few projects quickly focused me on the why and how of creating curls instead of settling for sawdust. Gaining tool control and improving my technique became a personal quest. Whether creating a fitted lid box or multi-axis turning, a translucent or winged bowl, a hollow form or exploring surface embellishments, I enjoy projects which stretch my skills and creativity.

In fall of 2002, I became a member of the South Puget Sound Chapter of the AAW and have served on the board of directors since 2005. I enjoy representing our club at woodworking shows and regularly mentor other turners at our monthly sawdust sessions. I began monthly demonstrations and teaching woodturning classes at local woodworking stores in 2006. The constant exposure to other turners continues to transform my awareness and understanding of turning fundamentals. I am increasingly conscious of the importance tool control plays in creating pieces. I believe it is not only important to know which techniques work but also why they work.

As a passionate teacher and woodturner, I hope to impact the world of woodturning by helping others build confidence in tool control and developing their own voice in woodturning!

Fluted Beams LLC produces bendable hardwood and bentwood products and fabrications using a proprietary Extreme Wood Bending™ process that produces the worlds most dramatic and ambitions bentwood parts from thick, solid hardwoods.
Fluted Beams LLC is owned and managed by Chris Mroz (BS, MSc, MBA) in Gig Harbor, Washington, USA. Mroz is Canadian, but has

been a permanent resident of the USA since 1994. With a background in Arts, Sciences and Business, Mroz invented the Fluted Beam while developing a lightweight and strong curved rail for a boat building project. The idea was scaled up to architectural sized projects including prototype projects for Frank Gehry and Martha Schwartz. Other Extreme Bent Wood products are being utilized for grid shell buildings, interior landscape designs, trellis, canopies, curved walls, curved surfaces, and other large scale architectural fabrications.

Mroz also consults with academics, engineers, architects and designers regarding his specialized field of architectural extreme bent wood fabrication, and guest lectures on the subject at colleges and universities. Recently, Mroz has spoken at the annual meeting of the American Furniture Society, the American Timber framers Guild, and at the Wood Construction Center in Seattle.

We encourage people to bring non-perishable items to the December meeting.  Any food brought will be given to our host, the Edgewood Bible Church, to be included in their collection of food for the needy.