About the Contest

The Fall 2005 AAW Forum woodturning contest results are in. Congratulations to Brian Rosencrantz the contest winner. This was the 3nd turning contest held on the AAW forums. The theme of the contest was goblets...inline with a feature story from the Fall 2005 AW Journal goblet article. The overall winners of the contest were:

1st) Brian Rosencrantz
2nd) Pascal Oudet
3rd) Ed Kelle


The AAW would like to thank Trent Bosch for judging this contest.

There were 21 entries in the contest. The Fall 2005 contest details and the rules are listed here The entries and overall results are listed here

If you want to enter the next contest, watch for the contest announcement in the AAW forums

About Brian in his own words

I first experienced woodturning at the age of eight when my father bought a Craftsman single tube lathe. He didn't have a faceplate so all our turning was spindle style. With White Pine 2x2's, scrapers and a lot of sandpaper I made billy clubs for all my neighborhood friends. I studied engineering and archeology at the University of Michigan. I did eight months of field work in the early 1980s in Peru. Some of my woodturnings are inspired by the ceramics of the ancient Peruvian coast.

After returning to the US I spent many years in the motorcycle industry where I put my knowledge of Spanish to good use in the export trade.

In 1998 I was re-introduced to woodturning when my father-in-law gave me his old Shopsmith and I attended the South Florida Fair. There I saw Big Jim Forrler turning natural edge bowls on a lathe he built from I beams, concrete blocks and an old Ford truck transmission. When I asked Jim where he got his wood he told me he picked it up by the side of the road! I was hooked. By the time of the next event at the Fairgrounds I was back with a piece I'd turned myself. Jim invited me to a meeting of the Palm Beach County Woodturners. There I met a group of friends as addicted as I was who shared a wealth of knowledge and information with anyone who asked. I was overwhelmed by the warmth and generosity of this group.

Goblet by Brian Rosencrantz
7.5"H x 5.0"W
Sapodilla, Bottlebrush Burl, Whitetail Antler
Finished with Deft semi-gloss click here for bigger picture

("About Brian" continued)
Today I'm completing my second year as President of the Palm Beach County Woodturners as well as publishing the club's newsletter and website.

This piece began as an experiment in making a vessel without a traditional foot. The cup of the goblet was turned from a piece of Sapodilla blown down in last year's hurricanes. The antler was donated by a friend and has sat in my shop for years awaiting the proper project. I sawed the bottlebrush burl in half and turned the bottom jammed between the tailstock center and the cup of my vacuum chuck. The cup is attached to the antler with eustaceon pins drilled through the antler and the cup. There are heads on the inside of the cup to match those on the outside of the antler. I like to incorporate natural materials in my turnings. The contrast between the worked wood of a turning and the natural surfaces they provide adds an element that is very difficult to achieve otherwise.