TurnerInnovator,
Educator,&
American Woodturner Summer 200326
W o o d t u r n e r ’ s G a l l e r y
Innovator,Educator,&“Bonnie has
as good areputation
around the worldas any
demonstrator. “—Dale Nish
RespectedTurner
Respected
Bonnie Klein
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Copyright 2003, 2016, American Association of Woodturners. All rights reserved.
27www.woodturner.org
It’s like scooping sand out ofa sandbox.”
There’s hardly a kid alive whowouldn’t understand BonnieKlein’s description of turningcoves. This world traveler fromRenton, Washington, has apassion for teaching turning—and especially to the kids.
But it’s not all kids in Bonnie’sworld. She’s recognized for herturning skills, instructing theyoung and not-so-young,developing the mini-lathe, anddedicating time to the AAW.
For all her turning accomplish-ments, Bonnie has earned AAW’sLifetime Honorary Memberstatus. She joins a prestigiousfraternity including JamesPrestini, Bob Stocksdale,Rude Osolnik, Dale Nish,Al Stirt, Palmer Sharpless, DavidEllworth, Gary Roberts, AlanLacer, Robyn Horn, Ray Key,and Nick Cook.
Bonnie served two three-yearterms on the AAW board,including five years as vicepresident and Symposiumchairman during years of rapidgrowth in the association.
Bonnie is generally recognizedfor reinventing the present-daymini-lathe. A former dentaltechnician accustomed toworking in small scale, she feltcomfortable attempting to turndoll furniture for her daughteron a Dremel toy lathe. “It had a1"-long tool rest, 12'-long bed,and one speed,” Bonnie recalls.
She then tried woodturning ona metal lathe. After several yearsof design work, Bonnie introducedher own mini-lathe in 1986 andfollowed up with her customthreading jig in 1992. Several USAmachinists continue to manufac-ture parts for these tools to herspecifications. Bonnie and herhusband, Robert Purdy, stillassemble the lathes in theirworkshop.
To complement the small-scaleturnings, Bonnie introduced herown turning tools. She also hasproduced five videos.
The reluctant teacherWhat has the mini-lathe meant toteaching? She’s packed up asmany as a 10 lathes and tools inher “Bonnie-on-the go” van.She’s taught in classrooms withas many as 18 mini-lathes—trythat with full-size lathes.
But the leap to teaching wasn’tan easy one. Bonnie credits DaleNish for the push into a teachingenvironment.
“When Bonnie first came toProvo,” Dale Nish recalls, “she
was quiet, shy, and reluctant tosay or do much. But, she has areservoir of talent. Then shestarted to warm up. It took anumber of years to get her out infront of a crowd. Gradually, weworked her into a six-rotationschedule. And now she has asgood a reputation around theworld as any demonstrator.”
Dale’s compliments andrespect continue. “One reason isher personality. There’s nopretext, no hidden agenda. Justa solid person. She doesn’t rockany boats or antagonize anyone.She’s just being Bonnie.”
It’s a small worldWhat has Bonnie’s small-scaleturning meant to the turningworld? “I think it has opened upa huge new arena of interest,”Bonnie says. “It’s also an entrypoint to woodturning for some.Retirement people travel with alathe. One college student boughta mini-lathe and turns pens in hisdorm room.
“The mini-lathe is great forteaching children. Mistakes don’t
The threaded box incorpo-rates mopane, blackwoodand bone. Below is atop turned for thestep-by-step instructionsbeginning on page 28.
Continued
“
Copyright 2003, 2016, American Association of Woodturners. All rights reserved.
American Woodturner Summer 200328
W o o d t u r n e r ’ s G a l l e r y
Bonnie Kleinlarge-scale turning. So some peopledo start out on a small lathe todevelop skills. It’s a good way toget handy with the tools andunderstand how they work.”
The eternal studentYou wouldn’t think that aproficient woodturner would havethe interest in branching out, butshe’s also turned Corian,aluminum, cow horn, cow bone,plastics, tauga nuts, ivory—“anything you can stick on alathe,” Bonnie admits. She’s
completed a couple of metal-spinning classes, too.
She and Robert are building aforge behind their home to sparktheir blacksmithing interests. She’seven completed three Arrowmontjewelry classes and enjoys all she’slearned about metal-smithing. “Ilove going into something rightfrom the bottom and experiencethe sense of accomplishment.”
Small turningsgain recognitionBonnie, a regular contributor to delMano Gallery’s “Small Treasures”exhibit, is pleased with therecognition galleries and collectorshave given to small turnings.Some of the validation, shesuspects, is that many collectorssimply don’t have additionalspace for larger pieces.
One of Bonnie’s regrets is thatshe doesn’t turn as often as she’dlike. “I’ve been so involved indeveloping the mini-lathe andthreading jig, plus teaching, thatI haven’t produced the volumeof work I’d like to.” But there’s always next year.
seem so big or so expensive,”Bonnie adds.
And don’t forget the socialaspect of turning. Although full-size turning often is a solitaryhobby or vocation, it’s easy totake a lathe with you to turn andtalk with a group of friends.
Oh, yes, the women, too. “It’snot a flag I wave around,” Bonnieadds modestly, “but yes, small-scale turning is less intimidatingfor beginners--men or women.
“Actually, all the cutting theoryon a small lathe is applicable to
You can contact Bonnie Klein [email protected] or at herwebsite BonnieKlein.com.At Arrowmont this spring, Bonnie demonstrates turning a lidded box to her class of 14.
A. After mounting a 2x 2" maple block toa faceplate, true the sides and face.B. With a fingernail gouge, shape the tip.Then begin removing stock for the handle,turning to about 3/4" diameter. C. Pull a chatter tool along a line to 7:30,pressing hard enough to create chatter.Experiemnt to get the feel of how lathespeed and pressure affect chatter. D. With colored pens (Bonnie prefersTombow or Staedtler pens), decoratethe top with color. E. Finally, turn down the handle to about3/16" diameter, then separate off top.
Bonnie’s colorful topsA B
grain direction
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29www.woodturner.org
Bonnie Klein has been teachingkids how to turn for nearly 20years in settings as large as 12and 14 kids. “When my momsees me teaching kids,” Bonniesays, “she describes it as threehours of bedlam.”
Over the last two decades,she has heard and seen just abouteverything. One recent example:a young boy couldn’t grasp herconcept of pulling the chatter toolto 7:30 to decorate the surface ofa top. “I have a digital watch,”he reported. Okay, time toupdate the message.
Bonnie encourages wood-turners to share their joy ofturning with kids. Here are hertop tips the next time you workwith kids—your grandkids, theneighbors, the local scout troopor 4-H club:• Keep each project short—underone hour—to hold their attention.• Stress safety in two key areas:goggles and hair. Insist that girlsand boys tuck in their ponytails.• Unlike adults (who can work attheir own pace following yourdemonstration), kids learn
quickest if you guide their handsand tool as you describe thetechnique. “Talk to them whileyou show them how to rub thebevel. ”• You’ll need at least one otherparent or assistant to keep thekids busy while you move aboutwith one-on-one instruction.• Be alert to the kids who aren’tinterested in listening. Theseturners have already made theirmind up to chart their owncourse—and they may succeed.• Don’t get hung up withtechniques—keep it fun.• Turn with a minimum of tools--just a gouge and one parting tool.• The very young can safely turnwith a roundnose scraper. “A 5-year-old had fun turning topswith just a 1/4" roundnose scraperand colored pens,” Bonnie reports.• Select a project with play value(a top or yo-yo), show-off value(something for their room) or anincentive for completion (a pen asa parent’s gift).• Aim for easy surface decoration—colored pens andchatter tools are successful.
Share the woodturning joywith the next generation
For her in-law’s 50th anniversary, Bonnieturned this set for the avid chess players.
Bonnie signs and dates all herwork.Above is the inside lid of themopane box shown on page 27.
C D E
Copyright 2003, 2016, American Association of Woodturners. All rights reserved.
