MID SOUTH WOODTURNERS GUILD

November 3, 2026 The Tennessee Association of Woodturners 38th Annual Woodturning Symposium will take place on January 29th and 30th, 2027. Join many of the Mid South Woodturners Guild members for The TAW's 38th Annual Woodturning Symposium at the Marriott Hotel and Convention Center in Franklin, TN on January 29th and 30th, 2027. Registration for the event is open. Click on the green link below and be sure to scroll down the page for detailed information on the demonstr

October 31, 2026 Reminders Upcoming Bylaw Changes and MSWG Board Election Update ByLaw Changes Rick Gillespie will be presenting MSWG Bylaws modifications at the November 21, 2026 MSWG general meeting for membership ratification. He will present the actual wording changes. The intent of the modification is to make it possible for MSWG to have 9 BoD members. If you have questions contact Rick Gillespie at (901) 619-6308 or Rickgillespie1955@gmail.com. MSWG Board Election A

October 26,2026 JW Higgins - Wood Sale Event Oct 31, 2026, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM Add a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. This JW Higgins event will have unmatched prices on seasoned wood. The wood will be perfect for everything including bowls, spindles, pens, segmented turning, and more. This will be an excellent opportunity to get any wood you need for your shop and for making items you can sell at next year's Pink Palace Craft Fair. (photo courtesy

October 21, 2026 Important MSWG Board Election Update To All MSWG Membership, At the November 21, 2026 general meeting MSWG members who are present will be voting using a paper ballot for those will serve for the 2027/2028 term on the MSWG Board of Directors (BoD). This election is to determine who will serve as board members for that two year term. At the new BoD’s first 2027 meeting those board members present will elect the Board officers for calendar 2027 (President,

October 18, 2026 We are only a few day away from this year's MSWG Oktoberfest. At the NHLA on Saturday the 24th of October. From: Rick Gillespie, MSWG President Here is what we have planned: (updates follow below this section) CLUB BUSINESS 9:00 to 9:15 SHARPENING: 9:15 to 10:30 main classroom Three of the most experienced turners in our club will be demonstrating 4 different sharpening systems. Not only demonstrating but answering questions along with the pros and co

October 2, 2026 We are only 3 weeks away from this year's MSWG Oktoberfest. At the NHLA on Saturday the 24th of October. From: Rick Gillespie, MSWG President Here is what we have planned: CLUB BUSINESS 9:00 to 9:15 SHARPENING: 9:15 to 10:30 main classroom Three of the most experienced turners in our club will be demonstrating 4 different sharpening systems. Not only demonstrating but answering questions along with the pros and cons of each system. Here is your chance t

October 1, 2026 Save the Date: October 10th MSWG members have been invited to the West Tennessee Woodturners' Octoberfest on Saturday, October 10 starting at 9:30 AM. The demonstrator will be Mark Sillay for both morning and afternoon. RSVP - Adron Joyner by Thursday, Oct 8th. West Tennessee Woodturners' Octoberfest Oct 10, 2026 | 9:30 AM Join Mark Sillay for a full day of turning. Fresh BBQ cooked on site served for lunch at the Sand Dollar Ranch. RSVP by Oct 8th. Event De

September 22, 2026 THIS WEEKEND Pink Palace Crafts Fair Sept 25, 2027 – Sept 27, 2027 Location: 3050 Central Ave, Memphis, TN 38111, USA (NOT at Audubon Park) Contact Bob Wolfe (901-351-0824) or Sam Dawson (901-734-9157) for details and signup for selling and working the MSWG booth. MSWG Booth ALL MEMBERS Fair hours Fri-Sun 10:00-5:00; grounds open for craftsmen 7:00 AM Fri, 8:00 AM Sat/Sun; close 6 PM daily. The club needs your products for sale at the Pink Palace Craft

September 12, 2026 Mastering the Chainsaw for Woodturners: Full Day Demonstration This in the past this has be a very poplar and educational event. Our September demo will be by club member and professional arborist Joel Benson. He will guide us through the process of raw wood management for woodturning, different blank cuttings, and chainsaw maintenance for woodturners. September Monthly Meeting & Demo President's Chall. - Spindle Turning - (NOT A PEN) September 19, 2026

September 2, 2026 Call for 2027-2028 MSWG Board Member Candidates At the November 21, 2026, MSWG General Meeting, as per the MSWG Bylaws, members in attendance will elect four MSWG Board of Directors (BoD) members for the 2027-2028 term. MSWG will announce the slate of candidates willing to serve on the 2027-2028 BoD at the October 24, 2026 General Meeting or by email, as per the MSWG Bylaws. As of December 31, 2026, the following Board Members will be at the end of their

August 26,2026 MSWG's Workshops with Emma Cook Workshop with Emma Cook - Aug 23, 2026 Revo Reeves (Jim) Edward Ayres Joseph Voda Ken Burnette Jeff Brann Mike Jensen (not in photo) Above is a video slideshow from Emma Cook's: The Tiny Turner® workshop at Mid South Woodturners. Sunday Workshop Aug 23, 2026. Workshop with Emma Cook - Aug 24, 2026 David Caldwell Roland Lee Seldon Murray MarkManning Shaw Doc Randall Patzke Bill Bleau Above is a video slideshow of Emma Cook's:

August 14, 2026 Updated Meet & Greet Emma Cook RSVP - Jeff Brann Text or Call 901-494-0349 Jeff and Lynne Brann are hosting Emma Cook for a “meet and greet” at their home in Collierville. Finger foods, wine, beer, and soft drinks will be served. Dress is summer casual. Location: 310 N Monterey Farms Cove, Collierville, TN 38017 When: August 21, 2026, 4:00 – 7:00 PM Upcoming Workshops with "The Tiny Turner" For Questions about either class contact: Doc Shaw - ‭(901) 277-7

August 8, 2026 Craig Timmerman’s IRD Video, Handouts, and Resources from July 25, 2026 MSWG's agreement with Craig Timmerman is that the video will NOT be made public and be available only in our members' area. Therefore, below is a link to the MSWG Member's area page. You will need to use your MSWG password. (Note: there is a reset password button if you've forgotten it) Look for Craig Timmerman and the tag line - "IRD - Video" As a courtesy to Craig Timmerman

August 6, 2026 Meet & Greet - Emma Cook Aug 21, 2026, 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM Originally the meet and greet was to be held at Central BBQ on Jackson Ave. BUT Jeff and Lynne Brann are hosting Emma Cook for a “meet and greet” on Aug 21, 2026 at our home in the Monterey Farms subdivision of Collierville. The address for this event is 310 N Monterey Farms Cv, Collierville, TN. Time is 4pm to 7pm but please come anytime within that timeframe. Dress is summer casual. We will have

July 31, 2026 BREAKING UPDATE from your Program Chairman about the 22-24 August MSWG Emma Cook meeting and follow-on demo and workshops. We are currently at only 50% enrollment for the workshops on Sunday and Monday. I can’t emphasize enough how exceptional an opportunity this is for our club members. Emma is a world class turner from England whose demos at TAW were highly acclaimed…with highest ratings from several MSWG woodturners in attendance…with pleas to get her to ou

At the June 2026 general meeting, Sam Dawson was recognized with the MSWG Lifetime Membership Award for his service and dedication to the club. At the time of the presentation Sam had served a total of 115 months on the MSWG board while demonstrating near-perfect attendance and participation in MSWG meetings and events. Sam chairs MSWG’s Pen for Troop program, the President’s Challenge, and the club’s annual Delta Fair event. Sam serves as co-chair for the club’s participa

Pat Carroll held two hands-on classes with MSWG - one on Sunday, April 26 and the other on Monday, April 27, Both classes were held at Rick Stone's shop. Big THANK YOU to Rick Stone for hosting Pat, the Friday night Meet and Greet, and two days of classes, Sunday April 26 class group photo left to right: Pat Carroll, Rick Stone, Ed Ayers, Bill Bleau, Jonas Nemanis, Roland Lee, and Mark Baxter.. Feedback and Comments from Sunday's students: The class was great, I’ve really

Pat Carroll held two hands-on classes with MSWG - one on Sunday, April 26 and the other on Monday, April 27, Both classes were held at Rick Stone's shop. Big THANK YOU to Rick Stone for hosting Pat, the Friday night Meet and Greet, and two days of classes, Sunday April 27 class group photo left to right: Pat Carroll, Rick Stone, Jerry Birch, Rick Horton, Doug Woodard, Everett Smith, and Larry Sefton Comments from the students: I thought the class was a good value and tha

This month, our general meeting guest demonstrator was Pat Carroll. Pat shared his expertise freely, kept everyone's interest, and all levels of woodturners learned something from him. Pat demonstrated four things during the day. During our morning meeting, he demonstrated the making of a Pedestal Bowl and a Long Stem Bowl (goblet). A short video showing Pat Carroll throwing chips. During the extra afternoon session, he demonstrated the making of a Winged Lidded Box with Fi

April 10 - 12, 2026 What a great event for MSWG. The weather was outstanding. We demonstrated pen making and made tops for youth. We did not sell product but did take donations toward our Pens for Troops program. For $25 or more guests received their pick of a pen made by one of our members. People were very generous and many did give more than $25 for a pen, including one gentleman who handed MSWG $60 for his pen. Participants included Event Coordinators Bob Wolfe and Sam

Good Day MSWG Members! Every new woodturner I have ever met (me included) will soon ask an “old hand”: “What ‘type or kind’ of wood is this?” Do not be offended if the reply includes, “You need more information, and ‘type or kind’ is incorrect – the term is ‘species’”. You have asked one of the best questions common to all new woodturners. And, the query tells the “Old Hand” you have a deeper interest in continuing your new hobby! (Does the term “mentor” come to mind?) That

Hello Fellow MSWG-ians, Well, the cold is finally starting to set in here in Arlington, and like my bear-brethren it is time to hibernate for a bit. During this time, I pull my chair near the warmth of my pc and research items of interest, which I have compiled into a list through the year. Yes, I do use a list and do not just chase rabbits down holes! Or, wander aimlessly through social media mediums! Instead I choose to offer to share with you, a newsletter I am now getting

This year's Holiday Party was held at our new meeting location (National Hardwood Lumber Association - NHLA) for the first time, and it was a big success. What a fantastic venue! Here are links and photos that will provide you with a sense of the event. This video was playing in the background durning the early portion of our Holiday Party Click on a photo to enlarge and use the arrows to index through all the pictures. (these are the low resolution versions - if you want a

Bob Wolfe did a woodturning demonstration on how to make a holiday ornament.