Tres amigos blackwood

I was born and raised in Colorado, my Dad was a farmer and winter time carpenter, I learned a lot from my dad, my first wood turning was in my dads shop on old wood lathe with a jury rigged step start lawn mower engine, I remember fighting with the engine more than actually turning anything. I did the 7th grade woodshop turning project, my first bowl, broke a lathe tool, I believe it was a small detail gouge, I can still see it going round and round inside the bowl, terrified me as I didn't know where it would land, it stayed in the bowl and all turned out ok. My woodworking/turning continued at Disney World in the early 70's, as a production turner on spindles, balusters and a lot of faceplate turning of radius moldings. Changed jobs and went to work for Circus world (big mistake the company went out of business) turned spokes and hubs and assembled wooden wagon wheels. I didn't turn much for a while after that, to busy making a living and raising kids, moved to California worked at Great America for a few years, worked in a cabinet shop until that company went out of business, started plumbing in the 90's and all of a sudden had more time and money to start turning again. I am still plumbing and turning as I have time. Member of the AAW, BAWA, West bay Woodturners, Ornamental turners International and Silicon Valley Woodturners.

- Dave Plemons (deceased)