About Front Range Woodturners

We are the Denver area chapter of the AAW (American Association of Woodturners) serving woodturners throughout Colorado’s Front Range.

Our Meetings

We meet on the first Tuesday of every month from 6:15 PM to 9:00 PM in the basement of Rockler Woodworking and Hardware, 2553 S Colorado Blvd, Denver, 80222.

Visitors are welcome to join us at one of our meetings to see what we are all about.

Upcoming Demonstrations

July – Josh Buettner – Bent Branch Vase

In this unique demonstration, Josh Buettner shares his journey and techniques for creating “Bent Branch” Bud Vases—a form he first encountered through an online symposium with woodturner Paul Russel in early 2023. Since then, Josh has crafted over a dozen of these striking pieces using a variety of wood species including black walnut, cottonwood, ash, honey locust, elm, and his personal favorite, a Russian olive burl gifted by a friend.

Each vase begins with a naturally bent or crooked branch, allowing Josh to blend refined turning on one side with the organic, live edge beauty of the wood on the other. While the concept may seem straightforward, the process involves a significant amount of interrupted cuts, requiring precision and practice to execute safely and effectively.

Josh describes this project as ideal for intermediate to advanced turners due to its technical demands and safety considerations—but encourages curious novices to approach with care, noting that he himself was a beginner when he first took it on.

Aug – Kirk DeHeer – Bowl Turning 101

With over 25 years of experience, Kirk has an extensive knowledge of woodturning tools, equipment and techniques. Kirk has been a resident instructor at Craft Supplies USA in the Dale L. Nish School of Woodturning for more than 15 years.

This demo will help woodturners / makers create bowls that maximize the available time by turning a bowl that is aesthetically pleasing, thus being more desirable to you. Kirk is also teaching a Bowl Turning 101 class the following day.

Kirk will demo the process of turning a bowl beginning with a dry bowl blank. He will break down the turning and finishing process so that it is easy to understand. Throughout the demo emphasis is placed on how to make efficient cuts that produce great results. In addition, proper tool use, chucking the bowl while turning, and recommended methods of sanding and finishing are thoroughly covered. As always, proper sharpening techniques are covered as well. Sharp, properly ground tools are one of the keys to success in all woodturning. By learning the fundamentals of bowl turning, you too can create beautiful, functional bowls that you can enjoy every day! 

Topics covered:

• • Safety.
  • Elements of good design.
  • Tool selection.
  • Proper tooling techniques.
  • Chucking methods.
  • Turn a bowl that is designed to feel good in the hand.
    

Demonstrators scheduled for 2025:

Sep – Raleigh Lockhart – Nested Lidded Box
Oct – Cindy Drozda – Banksia Pod Ornament (IRD)
Nov – (Heather has to reschedule) Heather Marusiak (AAW’s Professional Outreach Program (POP) 2024 POP Showcase Artist) – Texture and Color
Dec – Holiday Party

Member Benefits

• Library – The Front Range Woodturners has an extensive collection of books, magazines, and videos available for members to check out at no cost.
• Demonstrations – Monthly meetings feature an exciting demo given by one of our club members or a professional turner. When available we also offer a full day hands-on class with these renowned turners at a nominal cost.
• Brown Bag Demo – Bring your lunch and watch a free in-person mini demo on a variety of topics in a smaller, more relaxed setting.
• Wood Drawing – Members can bring some of their excess (good) wood to a meeting so it can find a new home with a different member.  You can never have too much wood!
• Group Buy – Do you want to save money?  We have vendor discounts with Internet suppliers, local suppliers, tool and steel suppliers and wood suppliers. Through our deals with these vendors our members can easily earn back the cost of membership!
• Ladies of the Lathe – All female members of the FRW, aged 18 or older, are invited to join the Ladies of the Lathe. LOTL is intended to provide a comfortable, easy-paced, and non-threatening environment for women to learn and advance their skills in turning.
• Mentoring – Members have access to several programs to help increase their woodturning skills. Group sessions are held monthly and one-on-one mentoring on various topics can be arranged with experienced FRW volunteers.
• PHEOG – The Pete Holtus Educational Opportunity Grant program provides grant money to members through an application process. Applicants may request money for woodturning related classes, workshops, or symposium fees.
• Workshop Tours – monthly tour of members workshop. Get ideas and get inspired!