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

September – Larry Fox – Cork Fitted Lids specifically for Urns

Larry Fox is a Colorado woodturning artist who began his turning career with an adult education class from his son’s high school shop teacher, Dennis Korth. Dennis convinced him to enroll at Colorado State University to take the last two classes taught by Dr. Lee Carter. These classes jump started Larry into a career in woodturning and the taking of further classes and lessons from some of the top woodturners in the world.

For the next 25 years, Larry turned full time doing craft and art shows throughout Colorado, placing his works in galleries and selling online. His unique specialty was inlaying Cripple Creek and Kingman Mine Turquoise. One of the highlights of Larry’s turning career was the 8 winters he spent in Florida doing craft shows and woodturning from the back bedroom in his 37’ pull trailer that he converted into a full sized shop. Now, semi retired, Larry makes a lot of urns but claims he gives away more bowls than he sells.

The Demo:
When asked by a funeral director to make small (3”–5”) keepsake urns for family members, I struggled with getting tight fitting tops. My compression top would fit tight in my shop but by the time I delivered it to the mortuary the wood may have moved or the humidity changed and the lid was no longer tight fitting, a necessity for the ashes it was to contain. After many attempts, my ultimate solution was to use cork under the wood lid. My demo will show how to attach cork and turn it for a snap on and  pop-off top for an urn or box. An added bonus to this demo will be the turning of high density cork for bowls, boxes and urns.

October – Matt Monaco – Beginning to Advanced Usage and Application with the Skew Chisel.

Matt Monaco operates a full-time woodturning studio in the Ozark region of Missouri, making dedicated collections, signature series vessels, lidded containers, and spindle-turned items for industries of craft, interior design, and the high-end furniture trade. Matt is a Fine Woodworking Contributor & Ambassador, and is supportive of U.S. craft organizations and environments that have a desire to further integrate woodturning into wider demographics, and wish to see the craft thrive into the future.

As a full-time professional turner with 20-years experience, one of Matt’s missions is to make the highest quality products that reflect both the mastery of the tools and the functionality and timeless beauty of wooden decor in others’ lives. Matt is one of very few young modern traditional woodturners in America having apprenticed and trained as a trade professional, and has worked closely within a high-end furniture production landscape (Shackleton Thomas Furniture & Pottery), as a full-time maker/item producer.

At center of Matt’s work is his understanding and mastery of tool control, sharpening and cutting execution as an expression of traditionally crafted design as fine art — in producing forms and items that are made to be as tactile as they are sublime, and created with intent and purpose.

In Matt’s demo we will: “Learn to understand and develop an understanding, and better express usage, develop tool control, burnish surfaces, roughing & shaping with one of the woodturning’s most formidable tools”.

Matt is also teaching a class the following day on Turn a Fine Goblet.  In class you will use a range of traditional woodturning tools (not just the skew) to learn how to drastically reduce sanding, develop or advance tool control, and cut more efficiently and cleanly at the lathe while developing confidence in woodturning.

Demonstrators scheduled for 2024:

Nov – Bear Limvere, Two Handed Quaiche Bowl
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 – Each monthly meeting features 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.
• Wood Raffle – Members can bring some of their excess wood to a meeting to be raffled off.  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.