This is the banjo I play the most. It is made from Bubinga, Wenge, and Maple. The fret board is Ebony with Mother of Pearl inlay and American Holly banding. It took top honors at the Northeast Woodworkers Showcase in Saratoga Springs in 2015

5. Half rings are stacked here to show what the assembled piece will look like before turning.

7. Rings are assembled on lathe and turned.

Musical Instruments

6. Ring halves are glued together.

4. Concentric rings are cut, resulting in the set shown above.

Zebra Wood, Wenge and Yellow Heart.

Photo Gallery

Another bowl made from Spalted Ambrosia Maple.

RAYMOND PUFFER​

Artistic Woodturner

2. Concentric rings are drawn on the "board.

BfB from Andiroba, Peruvian Walnut, Wenge, and Yellow Heart.

This is a very unique banjo, as it does not have the typical drum head. It has a domed Birdseye Maple head. The body and semi-enclosed back is made from Wenge, as is the arm rest. The neck is figured Maple. The fret board and peg head cover is Ebony with Mother of Pearl inlay. It has a very mellow tone with a unique sound. It took first place in stringed instruments at the 2018 Showcase.

Bowls from a Board, or BfB, are made from a single "board" (think of a thick cutting board) by cutting concentric rings at an angle, than assembling the rings and turning them on the lathe to make a bowl. Below you can see the process I use to make a BfB. I have taught other wood turners my process for making BfBs, most recently at the Northeast Woodworkers Showcase in Saratoga Springs, NY in 2019.

This is a Rosewood Triple O size guitar. The top is Sitka Spruce and the neck is Mahogany. The fret board and peg head cover are Rosewood.

Wenge, Maple, Peruvian Walnut, and Yellow Heart.

In recent years I have enjoyed making a number of musical instruments, including Native American flutes and stringed instruments. Below is a sampling of my work.

This one made from Bubinga, Wenge, Zebra Wood and American Holly.

3. The band saw table is set at the cutting angle.

This is the first guitar I made. The body is Sapele, the top is Sitka Spruce, the neck is Mahogany, and the fret board and peg head cover are Rosewood. It is the Dreadnought size, similar to a Martin.

1. A "board" is assembled in two halves.

8. Finished bowl after turning, sanding and finishing.

"Twister" made from Maple, Blood Wood, Wenge, Yellow Heart,  Canary Wood, and American Holly

Below you will find a sampling of my turnings, as well as other items I have made, with a title and a brief description of each item. To see the titles and item descriptions just scroll over the item with your mouse and the description will pop up. Items that are for sale are shown on the next page. If you see an item that you like in this collection, but not on the for sale page, please feel free to contact me to see if I can make a similar item for you. Your feedback is always welcome. Enjoy the show.

Bowl from a Board.

Basket Illusion...This technique results in a wood turning that looks like it could be a Native American woven basket. The process is as follows: First I turn a piece of Maple on the lathe in the shape of a platter or shallow bowl. I use a beading tool to form the many beads on both the front and back of the platter/bowl. I then remove the foot that I was using to hold the piece on the lathe. Next, I use Pyrography (wood burning) to make the weave pattern on the beads. I use fine nib India Ink pens to make the color patterns, followed by using chair cane to make the weave on the rim of the platter/bowl. It is a very time consuming process to make a "Basket Illusion" piece. I hope you like the results.