 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
E-Mail me at
mmickhutch@yahoo.com
mmickhutch@yahoo.com
Biography
As a boy, I used to work with my
grandfather in his basement woodworking
shop. He had many of his fathers hand
woodworking tools including a treadle wood
lathe. It took a lot of effort to turn a project
on that lathe. In school I had my first
experience with a motorized lathe and work
became much easier. I earned enough
money during my fifteenth summer to buy a
used motorized lathe. We had a great time
turning lamps and bowls. Soon came
college, employment, and a family. All this
left little time for wood turning. After my
grandfather died, the lathe and some of his
tools moved to a corner of my basement. It
moved with me and my family over three
states and some fifty years.
Shortly after I retired, I cleaned our
basement and found the dusty old lathe. It
looked like it needed something to do and so
did I. I cleaned and oiled it and turned a
few projects. Little did I know that this
beginning would develop into a passion.
Although I still use the lathe which is one
hundred twenty years old, now there is a
new lathe and other woodworking tools.
Eight years ago I became interested in
segmented turning. Now many of my pieces
are made of many individual pieces. I try to
compliment woods which are native to
Arkansas with exotic woods from other
parts of the world . I never use paints or
stain. The natural wood colors are
enhanced with a clear finish. Each piece is
cut and glued into a multi sided ring. The
rings are then stacked and glued to form the
rough shape of the project. Then the form
is turned on the lathe to it's finished shape.
I try to complete twenty to thirty projects
each year.
grandfather in his basement woodworking
shop. He had many of his fathers hand
woodworking tools including a treadle wood
lathe. It took a lot of effort to turn a project
on that lathe. In school I had my first
experience with a motorized lathe and work
became much easier. I earned enough
money during my fifteenth summer to buy a
used motorized lathe. We had a great time
turning lamps and bowls. Soon came
college, employment, and a family. All this
left little time for wood turning. After my
grandfather died, the lathe and some of his
tools moved to a corner of my basement. It
moved with me and my family over three
states and some fifty years.
Shortly after I retired, I cleaned our
basement and found the dusty old lathe. It
looked like it needed something to do and so
did I. I cleaned and oiled it and turned a
few projects. Little did I know that this
beginning would develop into a passion.
Although I still use the lathe which is one
hundred twenty years old, now there is a
new lathe and other woodworking tools.
Eight years ago I became interested in
segmented turning. Now many of my pieces
are made of many individual pieces. I try to
compliment woods which are native to
Arkansas with exotic woods from other
parts of the world . I never use paints or
stain. The natural wood colors are
enhanced with a clear finish. Each piece is
cut and glued into a multi sided ring. The
rings are then stacked and glued to form the
rough shape of the project. Then the form
is turned on the lathe to it's finished shape.
I try to complete twenty to thirty projects
each year.
I try to create unique designs and never
dulicate a project once it is done. Each
piece is signed and dated. The forms are
quite durable. They are not meant to be
used with water or wet media. They
should be kept out of direct sunlight,
extreme heat, and moist environments.
Two of my sons have completed
turnings their time, as mine was, is
limited by jobs and family. +My grand
children show little interest in turning.
I suppose vidio games, tweeting,texting
are taking their toll on working with
ones hands.
This is the lathe which I bought at 15.
It still works as will as it did then . It is
about 120 years .
This is a bowl in the process of gluing.
The radio in the background is always
on and tuned to an "oldies station". I
like music when I work
dulicate a project once it is done. Each
piece is signed and dated. The forms are
quite durable. They are not meant to be
used with water or wet media. They
should be kept out of direct sunlight,
extreme heat, and moist environments.
Two of my sons have completed
turnings their time, as mine was, is
limited by jobs and family. +My grand
children show little interest in turning.
I suppose vidio games, tweeting,texting
are taking their toll on working with
ones hands.
This is the lathe which I bought at 15.
It still works as will as it did then . It is
about 120 years .
This is a bowl in the process of gluing.
The radio in the background is always
on and tuned to an "oldies station". I
like music when I work
