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Interview with Stirling, 14 year old woodturner from New South Wales.What would be your favourite part in the process of turning? Finishing. Definitely finishing. Watching a pen sanded to 2000 grit then eee is brilliant. There is no finish on it and the wood is shining on its own rights. Then applying a coat of shellax glow and watching the shine is just so cool. Is there a project you have in mind for the future but can’t complete at present? Yep, many. An example would be a vase. As yet, I do not have a chuck, there fore I cannot make a vase, but I am planning on doing one at school in the near future Why would you suggest turning as a craft for someone looking for a new hobby? Because it is a rewarding challenge that sees you turn some crap looking wood into a unique masterpiece. You can make money off it too by selling your work. Also, it is something the whole family can get into. And what advice would you give them? Buy a good lathe, not a cheapie one (otherwise it may turn you off turning). Go and get lessons and have fun Are you involved in a woodwork group? And if so what benefits do you find with it?Well, recently I was accepted into my local wood turners group, I haven't attended a meeting yet (there have been none since I joined) so I haven't seen any benefits as yet (beside the help and knowledge they provided at school). Other than that, forums on the internet have taught me lots and have given me lessons and advice that has improved my finishes and turnings out of site.  Bowls, whistle and bandsaw box What other interests do you have (besides turning)? I play many sports including hockey, and x country running. I like music and Attempt to play the guitar. I work at McDonalds and find that interesting to. Can you describe your workspace? A bit less than a 1/3 rd of a double garage. It’s
a bench (with tools and machinery on it) and my lathe and wood pile Add more tools and get more room During winter I cant get much done because of sporting commitments and work, roughly I get about 2-7 hours a week turning (plus school time). During summer, it will be a lot more. What benefits have you found the internet has for your craft? As I’ve said before, many forums have improved my abilities and can do the same for anyone What are some of the tools that you would use to turn a typical piece such as a bowl? For a bowl, I will use a roughing gouge, a bowl gouge, a spindle gouge and a round nose scraper. I will then use my rotary sander to sand it. Prior to turning, a bandsaw may be used to get rid of some of the wood, to make roughing easier and quicker.  Stirling's favourite bowl made of camphor laurel What are two tools that you could not live without? Lathe and my turning chisels (if only one chisel, it would be my oval 1" skew) What is your favourite wood to work with and why? Camphor laurel or white cedar. Both because of the
magnificent smell that comes form the shavings. 1st you cut the blank (120-250 x 15-25) in to lengths
about 5 mm over the brass tubes A lot of the time it will depend on the wood and or the kits. Some pens can take me as little as five minutes where as another pen could take an hour or so. Where do you generally buy supplies like timber? Locally or by ordering them? Of all the wood I have ever bought, I have only ever
spent $62. The rest I have got for free or a bargain like payment (I’ll
make you a pen for some wood type agreement). But I think I actually have
to buy some, I’m running out.  Camphor laurel dog dish Do you sell the any of the pieces you make? Yep. I sell any that I think is sale able. The majority of my bowls are for sale and my pens are to. Do you think that turning will always be a hobby for you or would you like to use it as a career or business in some way in the future? I use it as a form of income. I don’t sell much because I’m saving my stock up to go to a market where I will hope to sell in bulk. I see my self staying with it as a hobby and just selling pieces, not making a business from it.
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