Casting & Turning Platters & Bowls with Resin & Stabilized Wood with Mark Hedin August 16-20, 2021

During this week, students will learn the process where wood, and many other porous materials, can be permanently stabilized with resin then cast with other resins into blanks, thereby creating “hybrid turning blanks.” Mark will focus on platters and bowls, but his process is applicable to any size turning blank for any purpose. Mark will introduce the safe way of using high pressure equipment with various resins that make this process possible, and safe. Throughout the week each student will perform the steps necessary to create their own unique blanks with a variety of materials, as well as familiarizing themselves with the turning tools and techniques utilized to execute turnings from these blanks. The techniques of stabilizing, dyeing/double and triple dyeing, and casting resins on top of a variety of materials will be discussed and demonstrated. Everyone will have the opportunity to turn their blanks at their individual lathe with guidance and oversight by Mark. There are many structural and aesthetic impacts to creating one of a kind blanks in this manner. These simple but relatively unexplored processes will change the way you view material choice for turnings and greatly expand your repertoire of woodturning techniques. The stunning and unique turnings students will produce during the week are sure to turn heads and inspire questions about, “How did you do that?” Students will learn how to use beautifully spalted wood or woods with nontraditional inclusions, such as: burl caps, flowers, pinecones, metallic powders, or translucent color throughout the week. Taking your turning to another level is a real treat but spending the week with one of the leading experts on resins is a real bonus.