Turners Anonymous

Who Are We?
We are Turners Anonymous, the Western Pennsylvania chapter of the American Association of Woodturners. We currently have about 75 members who enjoy woodturning and the products of woodturning. Some are professionals who exhibit in national shows, some simply enjoy the occasional turning of a salad bowl or tool handle in their home workshop. A few have never even tried turning, or haven't done so since a rather traumatic experience in Jr. High School woodshop, but are eager to have another go at it.

Turners Anonymous?
That's right! We share an addiction to the satisfaction that we find in the shaping of a rough piece of wood into a form of visual and tactile beauty using a lathe. If you haven't tried it, you should. To paraphrase an old potato chip commercial: "I bet you can't turn just one!" The basic tools can be relatively inexpensive, the material plentiful and often free, and the result of your labor - an item of pride to be cherished, given as a gift or sold for a profit.
What Is Our Purpose?

To promote and encourage woodturning as an artform
To sponsor workshops and seminars in woodturning
To provide a forum for the exchange of ideas, techniques and inspiration
To provide a network for exchanging sources of tools, materials and supplies
To encourage others to take up woodturning
To have fun and enjoy!

What do we do?

Currently, we hold meetings nine months of the year - usually on the third Saturday of the month (see calendar). We suspend regular meetings for the summer months but sometimes hold a special meeting or field trip over the summer. A regular meeting agenda generally includes a short business session; announcements of shows, exhibits, workshops, etc.; a question and answer session; a show and tell; and finally the main program. The main program is a formal demonstration or presentation, often by a member of the group, sometimes by an outside guest.

Once or twice per year, we also sponsor full day workshops by nationally known woodturners. Some recent guest demonstrators include John Jordan, Bob Rosand, Lyle Jamieson, Alan Stirt, David Ellsworth and Judy Ditmar.

Each year many members of the club participate in putting together a project to enter in the Collaborative Challange at the National Symposium. Check out photos of our members working on the 2002 Challenge and the 2001 Challenge.
Each month the Board and Officers also meet, usually on the first Wednesday of the month (see calendar). Any interested member is welcome to join and participate in the monthly Board meeting. Also, our fine publisher, John Bridges produces a newsletter each month.

Our club offers quite an extensive video tape library available free of charge for members for those who can't get enough at the meetings.

Membership Information
Learn more about becomming a member of Turners Anonymous...

Meeting Information

Meeting time, location and directions.