Demonstrator Showcase

We will be updating this page as we confirm our demonstrators over the next few months. Demonstrators we have secured for our 2023 show are listed below. We are working diligently to get details about our demonstrators and their planned demos for the event added.

Our demonstration rooms will feature FOUR demo rooms for the 2023 show. We will have two large capacity rooms of about 150 seats and two smaller capacity rooms of about 36 seats. Some of our demos will run twice over the weekend as well, once on the big stage and the second on the smaller stage.

Barry Gross

BG Artforms

With over 30 years of varied experience working in several diverse media, Barry Gross is an artisan who enjoys creating his fine writing instruments! He is an artisan who is inspired by nature and the rich textures of all the distinctive exotic materials he utilizes to create his one-of-a-kind fine writing instruments. His ongoing curiosity to discover more and diverse materials to create his unique pens is a driving force behind what inspires his creativity.

Planned demonstrations include:

Bespoke Pen Turning - a from start to finish look at the creation of a pen made without a kit or kit components. The only pre manufactured components are the fountain pen nib and feed. This demonstration will cover the creation of the threaded section, cap, and post components of the fountain pen.
The UV Resin Circuitboard Pen - A close look at the process involved in creating a circuitboard pen blank with instant curing UV resin with a UV light.

Emily Ford

She Turns Wood

Emily Ford has been a woodturner and content creator since 2015. She is known for her captive ring baby rattles, tops, and her delicate ornaments. Her love for woodworking was developed at a young age by spending time on jobsites with her General Contractor father. She has demonstrated all over the United States, and participated in the Woodturners Worldwide Symposium for the last three years. She is also shop assistant/instructor at the Dale L. Nish Woodturning School at Craft Supplies USA in Provo, Utah. She loves teaching people new to woodturning the basics because "If you can turn a bead and a cove you can turn anything!".

Planned demonstrations include:

Captive Ring Baby Rattles and Tops - Emily will show the ease of creating simple toys for children and grown ups alike with proper spindle gouge and ring tool use.
Hollow Ornaments - Watch a Christmas ornament come to life! See how the hollowing process of an ornament ball with micro hollowing tools followed by the creation of a delicate finial to finish the ornament.

Curtis Seebeck

TurnTex, LLC

Curtis Seebeck, a.k.a. Mesquite Man, has become synonymous with the term stabilizes wood. TurnTex, LLC has become not only the supplier of stabilizing resins but also a peerless source of information on the production of the hybrid blanks; turning blanks made from small pieces of "worthless" wood, as Curtis called it, and casting resins. Before stabilization, Curtis was an outstanding woodturner especially in the area of pen turning. Stabilization and hybrid resin blanks have extended his expertise into this new and exciting area of woodturning. His demonstrations will cover not only stabilization casting but aspects of pen turning unique to these materials. One of the most important aspects of dealing with Curtis, in whatever capacity, is his readiness to answer a question. Make sure you bring your questions with you.

Planned demonstrations include:

What is Stabilization? - Curtis will discuss the details of stabilization methods and tools needed to properly stabilize wood. Being a natural material, wood is sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity and can expand or contract, and while beautiful in color and figure, woods that are soft and punky are not typically usable unless they are stabilized.

Paul Cress

Pen Portfolios

Paul Cress, content creator behind Pen Portfolios, enables pen makers to sell their creations for top dollar by inspiring them to take better product photos. Paul's artistic and technical experience is vast and varied. Paul has been working for Adobe since 2015 and currently spends his days as a Creative Cloud Solution Consultant for government customers. He has been turning pens since 2017 and has helped with media production for multiple regional pen turner events. Prior to Adobe, he spent 8 years running his own photography business alongside being a multimedia designer for companies such as SAIC, BAE Systems, and Leidos.

Planed Demonstration:
From the Workshop to the Web

Are you tired of feeling constrained by your local market, and wish you could sell your handmade goods to customers all over the world?

With the global reach of the internet, you can sell your handmade products to customers all over the world, breaking free from the constraints of your local market. In this presentation, we'll explore the many benefits of eCommerce platforms, social media, and email marketing. We will also offer practical tips for creating high-quality product photos and descriptions that highlight the unique features of your products. Join us for an enriching discussion on some of the many tools available to help you turn your passion into a profitable online venture!

Topics in this presentation include:

Selecting the right eCommerce platform to sell your handmade goods
Creating a compelling online presence through social media and email marketing
Techniques for creating high-quality product photos and descriptions that showcase the unique features of your products
Best practices for pricing and shipping your handmade products to customers all over the world
Strategies for increasing your revenue and expanding your customer base beyond your local market

Michael Hardin

Hardin Penworks &
Stadium Pen Blanks

Michael Hardin is the owner and founder of Hardin Penworks pen company and Stadium Pen Blanks woodworking supplies company. His love of woodworking goes back over 25 years, since 1995, where he learned the basics from his godfather. In his early Navy service, he started making shadowboxes for retiring and departing military service members. He started turning in 2007, making pens, bowls, and other small items, and has never looked back. Michael still innovates within his craft to push further with his finished pen designs and documentation of historic materials. Michael enjoys his opportunities to teach turning techniques and blank creation too.

Planned demonstrations include:

Off-Center Turning - The art of turning pens and keeping some of the original painted or charred surface of the pen blank on the finished pen.
Magic Juice Demo - The basic uses for polishing CA, Craft Coat, and resin blanks from a basic satin finish to a very high gloss glass finish.
Craft Coat Demo - The application and finish of Craft Coat (CC) on finished wood pens, bowls, and other finished items.

Kayla Cooper

Flower Girl Blanks

Kayla Cooper is a woodworker, blank maker, and the owner of Flower Girl Blanks. When I started turning a couple of years ago, I longed for pen blanks that represented my wildflower personality. After a lot of convincing from fellow turners, I finally bit the bullet and dove head first into the blank making world, and I absolutely love it! Making flower blanks has given me a creative freedom that I haven't experience yet in woodworking alone. As my blank business began to grow, people started referring to me as 'the flower girl', which blossomed the name Flower Girl Blanks! To God be the glory for it all!

Planned demonstrations include:

CA finishing by Kayla - A nice CA finish can look amazing but sometimes it is quite difficult to master. Kayla will show the basics to get a great shine every time with your CA finish.
Tube and Blank Preparation - A great blank can be ruined on a pen if you can see the tube and glue showing through. Kayla will cover the basic concepts for tube and blank painting for the best results on your finished pens.

Brian Nikitas

TBC Bushings

Brian Nikitas is a machinist that created TBCBushings specializing in Turn Between Center bushings. He makes the best bushings that you can buy. Brian started making them for hisself and soon realized that there was a market for supplying other pen makers high quality bushings. Brian also makes

templates and jigs used to size label castings and other "cut" casting materials that will size exactly to wrap the barrel.

Planned demonstrations include:

Clear Label Casting - Brian will demonstrate how to cast labels on a brass tube using the TBCBushings Template guide.

Don Ward

Modified Slimlines

Don Ward started woodturning in 1997 and turned his first pen in 1998. He creates pens that are useful works of art. Don has demonstrated his skills at woodturning symposiums in Chicago, Phoenix, Utah, Texas, and now Virginia at the Mid-Atlantic Turners Expo.

Planned demonstrations include:

Modified Slimlines: Beyond the Basics - Don will discuss the techniques of changing the lengths of the pen's barrels, eliminating the center band, adding accent rings and center bands made from various materials. Don will also discuss building blanks from sections of contrasting woods, recessing the clip and finial, using rifle shells and shaft sections of hunting arrows for pen barrels, making a one-piece barrel for the Slimline pen, and many other interesting and impressive modifications.

Tara Chapman

Turning Timbers

Tara has been working with resin for several years. Her color pour designs make simple colors really pop and show of crazy designs.

Planned demonstrations include:

Color Casting with Epoxy - Tara will cover the basics of how to mix and pour colors to make wicked cool epoxy blanks with JB Royal resin.

Markus Howell

Markus Howell volunteers at the Falcon Children’s Home Woodshop in North Carolina teaching woodturning and general woodworking in addition to doing turning demonstrations and teaching woodturning in different forums. Woodturning is Markus’ getaway and he enjoys working with natural wood, resins and mixing mediums for creating unique pieces. Markus enjoys the opportunity to teach and demonstrate woodturning to individuals and groups in hopes that others will embrace the craft.

Planned demonstrations include:

Game Call - You will learn the basics of turning a game call from start to finish.
Pepper Corn Mill - Markus will cover the turning needed to make a crush mill peppercorn mill.

Denis Delaney

Catoctin Area Turners

More than two decades ago Denis was inspired by watching a woodturning artist quickly transform a piece of wood into a beautiful bowl. Shortly after, he signed up for his first woodturning class. Denis has been fortunate to attend classes and to learn from some of the best woodturners in the world. Today he enjoys demonstrating and teaching for youth groups, women, and men of all ages.

Planned demonstrations include:

Art of the Skew - If you consider the skew chisel your enemy, can you make it your friend? Denis will demonstrate the mechanics and terminology of using a skew chisel. He will show you the versatility of a skew chisel as it makes it a handy tool to master. He will show the basics of roughing, peeling, and planing cuts with a single tool, and time permitting he can also demonstrate beads and create pommels.

Bryan Boston

Profile

Picture

Catoctin Area Turners

Details here

Planned demonstrations include:

Bowl Turning

Jason Rose

Speakeasy Pen Emporium & Supply Co.

Details here

Planned demonstrations include:

CA Finishing - Jason will show his specific technique to achieving a clear and shiny protective finish using Cyanoacrylate glue commonly referred to as just CA.
Alumilite Color Casting - Alumilite Urethan resin can produce some very amazing blanks and blocks for turning. There are some specific requirement to follow when resin casting with Alumilte Urethane. Jason will walk you through that process.

Michael Dzien

Bear Dog Pens

Details here

Planned demonstrations include:

Bottle Stopper - Using a Niles stainless steel bottle stopper, Michael will show you how to prep, turn, and finish a bottle stopper.
Tool Handle Turning - Pizza Cutter

Niels Mathiasen

The Classic Nib &
Arizona Silhouette

Details here

Planned demonstrations include:

Fountain Pens - Niels with show you how to care for your fountain pens and their maintenance for everyday use to keep them in precise working order.

Kate Harrow

Bullseye Turning Supply

Kate is a storyteller, a maker and the founder of Bow & Harrow Workshop, Bullseye Turning Supply, and the SoCal Turners Expo. She has a background in theatre & design - as well as being a former Imagineer - which led her woodworking to have an emphasis on using materials that have their own story to tell. She focuses on using woods reclaimed from filming locations, urban lumber, and HempWood.

Planned demonstrations include:

Custom Tool Handle - Kate will be sharing her expertise with customizing the Xacto Knife to fit her own style with a new customized tool handle.
Closed end turning with tube-in blanks - Paired with Jason Robinson, Kate and Jason will show you how to leverage pre-tubed blanks with closed end pens featuring the Apollo Pen Kit.

Scott Vaughan

Leaping Lemur Craftworks

am the grandson of a cabinet maker/contractor and one the the original Seabees - a Chief Carpenter’s Mate that served in the South Pacific. I grew up watching him work on all sorts of projects around our house. By the time I graduated high school I had 5 years of shop class under my belt. I got reacquainted with the lathe in November of 2015 and attended my first “Pen Gathering” in Augusta Ga the following spring.

Planned demonstrations include:

Carving Mallet - Scott will be turning a carver’s mallet for finer detail work that allows 4 different grips for various levels of control. He will share some tips and tricks along the way and how to stretch your “Wood Dollars” by being creative and planning ahead.

Jason Robinson

Blankwerks

Jason Robinson has been turning since 2009. He has been making blanks since 2016. He is currently the owner and designer at BlankWerks, where he produces one of a kind pieces with a variety of materials and a little creative innovation.

Planned demonstrations include:

Closed end turning with tube-in blanks - Paired with Kate Harrow, Jason and Kate will show you how to leverage pre-tubed blanks with closed end pens featuring the Apollo Pen Kit.

Vince Casey

Turning Timbers

Details here

Planned demonstrations include:

Bottle Stopper - Vince will be showing off the methods he uses to turn the bottle stoppers components from Stainless Steel Bottlestoppers.
Ice Cream Scoop - Vince will be showing off the methods he uses to turn the handles for the ice cream scoop components from Stainless Steel Bottlestoppers.

Jim Godoy

Cocoon Blanks

Jim Godoy is the co- owner of Cocoon Blanks which was established in 2018.

Many years prior, Jim started as a hobbyist turning pens and segmenting his own pen blanks. This led to receiving custom blank orders and formally starting Cocoon Blanks.

Overtime, Jim has refined the segmented pen making process and he is always willing to help others learn more and grow in the pen turning community.
Write to Jim Godoy

Planned demonstrations include:

Blowout Repairs - Jim will cover some basic segmenting techniques to aid with repairing blank blowouts. Learn to salvage a blank and let the original blank survive as a newly designed pen.

Ken Poirier

Profile

Picture

Catoctin Area Turners

Details here

Planned demonstrations include:

Lidded Bowl -
Platters -

Demonstrator Showcase

We will be updating this page as we confirm our demonstrators over the next few months. Demonstrators we have secured for our 2023 show are listed below. We are working diligently to get details about our demonstrators and their planned demos for the event added.

Our demonstration rooms will feature FOUR demo rooms for the 2023 show. We will have two large capacity rooms of about 150 seats and two smaller capacity rooms of about 36 seats. Some of our demos will run twice over the weekend as well, once on the big stage and the second on the smaller stage.

Barry Gross

BG Artforms

Planned demonstrations include:

Bespoke Pen Turning - a from start to finish look at the creation of a pen made without a kit or kit components. The only pre manufactured components are the fountain pen nib and feed. This demonstration will cover the creation of the threaded section, cap, and post components of the fountain pen.

The UV Resin Circuitboard Pen - A close look at the process involved in creating a circuitboard pen blank with instant curing UV resin with a UV light.

Emily Ford

She Turns Wood

Planned demonstrations include:

Captive Ring Baby Rattles and Tops - Emily will show the ease of creating simple toys for children and grown ups alike with proper spindle gouge and ring tool use.

Hollow Ornaments - Watch a Christmas ornament come to life! See how the hollowing process of an ornament ball with micro hollowing tools followed by the creation of a delicate finial to finish the ornament.

Curtis Seebeck

TurnTex, LLC

Planned demonstrations include:

Paul Cress

Pen Portfolios

Planed Demonstration:From the Workshop to the Web

Are you tired of feeling constrained by your local market, and wish you could sell your handmade goods to customers all over the world?

Topics in this presentation include:

Selecting the right eCommerce platform to sell your handmade goods

Creating a compelling online presence through social media and email marketing

Techniques for creating high-quality product photos and descriptions that showcase the unique features of your products

Best practices for pricing and shipping your handmade products to customers all over the world

Strategies for increasing your revenue and expanding your customer base beyond your local market

Michael Hardin

Hardin Penworks &Stadium Pen Blanks

Planned demonstrations include:

Off-Center Turning - The art of turning pens and keeping some of the original painted or charred surface of the pen blank on the finished pen.

Magic Juice Demo - The basic uses for polishing CA, Craft Coat, and resin blanks from a basic satin finish to a very high gloss glass finish.

Craft Coat Demo - The application and finish of Craft Coat (CC) on finished wood pens, bowls, and other finished items.

Kayla Cooper

Flower Girl Blanks

Planned demonstrations include:

CA finishing by Kayla - A nice CA finish can look amazing but sometimes it is quite difficult to master. Kayla will show the basics to get a great shine every time with your CA finish.

Tube and Blank Preparation - A great blank can be ruined on a pen if you can see the tube and glue showing through. Kayla will cover the basic concepts for tube and blank painting for the best results on your finished pens.

Brian Nikitas

TBC Bushings

Planned demonstrations include:

Clear Label Casting - Brian will demonstrate how to cast labels on a brass tube using the TBCBushings Template guide.

Don Ward

Modified Slimlines

Planned demonstrations include:

Tara Chapman

Turning Timbers

Planned demonstrations include:

Color Casting with Epoxy - Tara will cover the basics of how to mix and pour colors to make wicked cool epoxy blanks with JB Royal resin.

Markus Howell

Planned demonstrations include:

Game Call - You will learn the basics of turning a game call from start to finish.

Pepper Corn Mill - Markus will cover the turning needed to make a crush mill peppercorn mill.

Denis Delaney

Catoctin Area Turners

Planned demonstrations include:

Bryan Boston

Catoctin Area Turners

Planned demonstrations include:

Bowl Turning

Jason Rose

Speakeasy Pen Emporium & Supply Co.

Planned demonstrations include:

CA Finishing - Jason will show his specific technique to achieving a clear and shiny protective finish using Cyanoacrylate glue commonly referred to as just CA.

Alumilite Color Casting - Alumilite Urethan resin can produce some very amazing blanks and blocks for turning. There are some specific requirement to follow when resin casting with Alumilte Urethane. Jason will walk you through that process.

Michael Dzien

Bear Dog Pens

Planned demonstrations include:

Bottle Stopper - Using a Niles stainless steel bottle stopper, Michael will show you how to prep, turn, and finish a bottle stopper.

Tool Handle Turning - Pizza Cutter

Niels Mathiasen

The Classic Nib &Arizona Silhouette

Planned demonstrations include:

Fountain Pens - Niels with show you how to care for your fountain pens and their maintenance for everyday use to keep them in precise working order.

Kate Harrow

Bullseye Turning Supply

Planned demonstrations include:

Custom Tool Handle - Kate will be sharing her expertise with customizing the Xacto Knife to fit her own style with a new customized tool handle.

Closed end turning with tube-in blanks - Paired with Jason Robinson, Kate and Jason will show you how to leverage pre-tubed blanks with closed end pens featuring the Apollo Pen Kit.

Scott Vaughan

Leaping Lemur Craftworks

Planed Demonstration:
From the Workshop to the Web

Hardin Penworks &
Stadium Pen Blanks

The Classic Nib &
Arizona Silhouette