Author Archives: Ed Pretty

About Ed Pretty

I am a professional woodturner, specializing in gallery work, commercial work, teaching and demonstrating. I have been turning since 1958, so... a long time. I use this site to present my work to the public at large and to let people know that I am available for teaching private lessons in woodturning. Wood turning is one of my passions (the other is motorcycle touring). It is my desire to pass on everything that I have learned over the years to others so that the craft of woodturning will grow.

Turning Spindles or Replication Made Simple

Originally written for Craftsy by Ed titled: How to Turn Stair Spindles Step by Step. My last post talked about the basic concepts behind turning multiple pieces between centers on a lathe. I just completed a set of 42 spindles … Continue reading

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Beyond ABC – Tips and Tricks

Originally written for Crafty’s website by Ed, titled “The ABCs of Woodturning: The Basics” ABC. What topic doesn’t have its “ABCs”? Following the A, B and C of woodturning basics will give you the ability to control any tool to … Continue reading

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Designing Furniture Legs

Originally written by Ed for Craftsy as “Things to Consider When Designing Turned Furniture Legs”> There are so many considerations when designing a piece of furniture. Does it have to match other pieces? Is it to conform to a particular … Continue reading

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Turning a Bowl with Feet

Originally written by Ed for Crafsty as “Turn Better Bowls: How to Make a Bowl with Legs” In my last post I pointed out a few design considerations for turned forms. One primary consideration was that bowls will appear much lighter … Continue reading

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Preparing Bowl Blanks

Originally written by Ed for Craftsy as “All About Turning Blanks: The Starting Point for Every Woodturning Project” Anything turned on a lathe started out as a “blank.” Turning blanks come in various forms, but either way you cut the … Continue reading

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A Small Woodturning Project

Originally written for Craftsy by Ed titled: A Small Woodturning Project you Can Whip Up This Weekend. When describing woodturning to someone “browsing around” for a new hobby, one of the first points I like to make is that it … Continue reading

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Vacuum Chucking on the Lathe

Originally written for Craftsy by Ed, titled: “Working Under Pressure: Vacuum Chucking on the Lathe.” Chucks are commonly regarded in the woodworking world as the go-to method of holding work on a lathe when creating a bowl or platter. Typically … Continue reading

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Creating Beautiful Art From Junk Wood

Originally written for Craftsy by Ed, titled “How to Make Amazing Scrap Art: Turning a Multi Axis Vessel” Typically things turned on a lathe are round because they are shaped while they rotate around a single center. While I always … Continue reading

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How do I sign into a demonstration?

It’s safe to say that all woodturning Interactive Remote Demonstrations (IRD) are carried out using  Zoom “Meeting” or “Webinar” formats (see www.zoom.us). When presenting my demonstrations, I do so via Zoom in their Meeting format. When I schedule a Zoom … Continue reading

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Butterfly Crack Repair – IRD

This type of repair is also referred to as a “Dutchman”, “Bow Tie”, “Dovetail” or “Pewa”. The method demonstrated involves using a router to make both the recess and the patch but also includes an alternate method of creating patches … Continue reading

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