Mark Sfirri is a resident of New Hope, Pennsylvania. He is a teacher, furniture maker, sculptor and woodturner. Much of Marks work centers around lathe turned objects and shapes. Many of his pieces are turned on several axes and this has allowed Mark to explore form in a spontaneous, mathematical, and creative way. He has collaborated with other artists including painter Robert Dodge (BCCC professor) and Michael Hosaluk from Canada. Mark tries to inject humor into his work through form and surface orientation. He is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, a member of AAW and an honorary member of CMW.

Marks demonstration began with a discussion of the characteristics of his lathe (One-Way 2036) variable speed, head and tailstock cup centers and a headstock with spindle lock. He places his tool rest three-eighths inch below center. Mark uses three basic tools (he has many others): a 1 1/4 inch roughing gouge, a 5/8 bowl gouge and a ½ spindle or detail gouge. All are ground to 30 to 33 degrees. His lathe is almost at chest height and his grinder at eye level. He uses a backdrop white on one side and black on the other. This permits him to see the ghost images when offset turning. [White is used for dark woods and black for lighter woods.] Mark then distributed a reference sheet pertaining to his off center candlestick turning (attached to this write-up).

The candlestick was of walnut 12 long and 3 3/8 square. It was turned on two axes. A seven-eighths inch hole was pre-drilled in one end to accept the candle. This was drilled on an angle corresponding to the second axis. The block was placed between the first set of centers. [Mark does not use a chuck simply the cup centers.] Initially he rounded the protruding edge at each end. He then turned the center area of the candlestick. He puts downward pressure on the tool against the tool rest to avoid bouncing and a rough cut. He continued turning the center of the piece to its final shape. Mark then sanded all the round areas of the piece. He sanded to 400 grit. [You have to be careful of the ends of the piece that have not been rounded and are off center.] To prevent bumping his hands on these areas Mark placed small flags of masking tape that would strike his hands before the wood. This completed the first axis turning.

Mark then placed a plug into the previously drilled hole. The plug needed to rest on the bottom of the hole and not be wedged in. The piece was then placed on center at the bottom and off center (on the plug) at the top. The upper part of the candlestick was then formed using the rouging gouge and then refined with the detail gouge. The base of the candlestick was then roughed to form a cylinder. The base was then tapered with the detail gouge. It was reduced on the bottom and a stem left in place for the cup center to remain until completion. The upper candle receptor was then completed with the appropriate gouges. [Because this was the final axis the top portion of the candlestick could be turned as thin as you want. Mark actually turns into the dowel plug.] It was then sanded. The base was completed. The surface of the bottom was made concave. To do this he placed the tool rest parallel to the base surface. The stem was then reduced in size to as small as possible. A carving gouge was then used to clean any nub remaining on the base. It was then sanded smooth. The opening of the candle hole was then smoothed. [You need to get a separator for the hole to protect the wood from the burning candle.] This completed a very informative morning demonstration.

The afternoon session began with a very interesting, informative and amusing slide show of some of Marks work.

Mark then developed an ice cream cone form. It was planned on three sets of axes so that the scoops looked like they were falling off the cone. The special relationship of the scoops needed to be precise so that the individual ones could be developed. The bottom scoop, or biggest one, was formed first. Mark used a three and one-half by four and one-half inch poplar rectangle twelve inches long. Three planes or axes were used. The centers were made the same at each end of the piece. Mark drew a line four and one-half inches from the base. This was the center of the largest scoop. First a cylinder was formed the diameter of the largest scoop. A sphere or partial sphere shape was created for the largest scoop. Mark used a baby food jar lid and eyeballed the circular shape of the scoop. He then sanded the circular area. This completed scoop number one. The second set of centers was then used. The center of the middle of number two scoop was three inches from the top. It was then formed being sure not to hit the lowest scoop (the first one). As above a cylinder shape was then formed followed by the circular shape. Mark then spindle locked the headstock and carved the material between scoop numbers one and two. He used a carving chisel bevel up. The transition between the two scoops was carved with a rasp and the carved areas were smoothed with fine rasps (#49 & #50).

The third set of centers was then used to form the top or third scoop. The center of this scoop was one and one-quarter inches down from the top of the piece. The transition between #2 scoop and #3 scoop was formed as it had been done between #2 and #1.

The cone portion was then formed using the same centers as for scoop #3 (top scoop). The transition between the cone and scoop #1 was carved and filed. The base of the cone would then be finished with a concave shape.

The final portion of the demonstration consisted of turning an inside-out piece. Two pieces of wood (2 by 4 12 inches long) were screwed together. Two screws were counter sunk at each end three-quarters of an inch in from the ends and from the sides. The piece was then placed offset between centers. A cylinder was then formed the length of the piece between the screws using a roughing gouge and a bowl gouge. Then a cove bead cove area was developed the length of the cylinder with the bead in the center. It was then sanded. The piece was removed and the two halves separated. The piece was then positioned inside-out and screwed back together. Opposite offset centers were then used to turn the piece. A cylinder was formed, as before, between the screws. A cove was turned where the bead was previously done with beads on both sides where the coves were before. The piece was removed from the lathe and the two halves separated. The centers were marked on each end and this became the third axis. The piece was mounted and both ends rounded. This eliminated the screw holes. This completed the base of the piece. The same procedure was completed on the top of the piece. The bottom and the top would then be finished - i.e. finial on top and concave bottom.

This completed a detailed, interesting and well-organized demonstration. For anyone interested in pursuing these projects please refer to the tape which will be available in the club library in about a month.

--Bob Gunther

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