Odds and Ends: John Wessels Pictures for AW Article ...

Carl here are pictures of John Wessels pieces for the AW article.
I have loaded the pictures in the format you require for publication and have annotated them with the text that John sent me.

I have placed them here on my 'odds and ends' blog for the meantime as John does not want the pictures publicised before the AWSA Conference in April as he will be exhibiting the pieces there and obviously would like them to be a surprise at the event.

This is not my regular woodturning blog and has no links to it from any of my own sites so people would only come across it by the most unlikely chance.

I'll transfer the post to my regular woodturning post after the AWSA Conference.

Here is the info John provided me with,

"I am a retired airline pilot. I also did a degree in Aeronautical Engineering and worked for five years in this field. I flew for South African Airways for 30 years. My wife Jane and myself live on a farm on the coast near a village called Wilderness. Cape Town is five hours drive from my home. Woodturning started in my school year at the age of 15. I have always enjoyed working with wood.

Last year I turned 'Birth' and 'Lizard' for the 2006 AWSA Congress. The idea of pewter came from a local craft market where pewter was put on to candle holders. When I was ten years old, I did pewter lessons with my mother, and this all started me thinking.

For the 2007 AWSA Congress, I have made Twin 2007 and a few other pieces.

'Apples – a Baker’s Dozen' has been made to cover the requirements of Schalk’s Challenge. The use of both faceplate and spindle turning.

As a result of offcuts of the Red Ivory and veneer and a drink with Dave Stephenson, a fellow turner, at his home near ours, we came up with the idea of salt and pepper mills. Thus we now have 'Friends'. The Red Ivory 2007 bowl I made in 2000. It was re-sanded and polished and thus qualifies as a second Schalk’s Challenge piece."

John Wessels
Wilderness, March 2007.

'Schalk's Challenge' is a theme set each year by Schalk van Niekerk. This year, 2007, pieces entered for 'Schalk's Challenge' must comprise at least a faceplate turned component and two identical spindle turned pieces.

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Birth, 2006

200 mm dia x 55 mm H

African Blackwood railtie and Red Ivory with pewter

"This piece won John the award for 'best on show' at the 2006 AWSA Conference"

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Lizard, 2006

530 mm dia x 10 mm thickBlue gum burl and pewter lizard

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Close-up of 'Lizard'

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Closer-up of 'Lizard'

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Apples – a Baker’s Dozen, 2007

120mm x 480 mm

Bird’s Eye Maple, Curly Maple, Red Ivory, (Ash, Walnut, Wenge)-veneer

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Apples

50 – 60 mm H x 60 – 75 mm dia

Apples: 2 x Red Ivory, Cocobolo, Coolibah Burl, Stinkwook Burl, Wild Olive, Terbalnche. Big Leaf Maple Burl, Macassar Evony, Pepper Tree Burl, African Blackwood, Spalted Ironwood, and an unknown burl from my mother’s garden.

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Twin, 2007

55mm x 200 mm

African Blackwood railtie and Coolibah Burl with Pewter.

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Twin, 2007

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Twin, 2007

Underside

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Twin, 2007

Underside

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Twin, 2007

Underside

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Friends, 2007

320mm x 60 m (salt & pepper)

60mm x 255 mm (blowl)

Curly Maple, Red Ivory, African Blackwood (Ash, Walnut and Wenge veneer)