Suart Batty woodturning

[Aled Dafis]

I just stumbled across Stuart Batty's website whilst watching a few woodturning videos on youtube

http://woodturning.org/

It seems that he's invested a lot of money in his new venture with CNC Machines for producing his new tools and grinder. He's also set up a high tech teaching studio to produce videos and books.

Watch this space...

Aled

 

[CHJ]

Rather a reserved, self effacing individual isn't he. Should get plenty of prominence in the glossy monthlies.

 

[jumps]

Rather a reserved, self effacing individual isn't he. Should get plenty of prominence in the glossy monthlies.

" Every product that can be used on the lathe has been critiqued and subsequently improved"

Having read the entire web content (and suffered the flawed navigation as well) I have to agree the sentiment Chas - the above quote pretty much sums up the marketing over reality content. I suspect it's a bit of a shame and that there will be a lot of interesting, and constructive, developments from SB - but it's going to need to shake off the junk marketing #-o

 

[Aled Dafis]

Yes he's definitely a marketing man! Not only has he spent on kit, but he's invested in a modern looking interface - although it needs a little tweaking here and there. I'm afraid that his personality (ego) may turn a few people off what looks to be a great range of innovative products, mind you, the 'Murricans will love him... :roll:

I'm not so sure that the Woodturning community really needs or can afford a specialised grinder/linisher made of aircraft grade aluminium though...

I love how it looks, but it's going to cost a packet!!!

Cheers
Aled

 

[jurriaan]

I can only imagine how that is going to look after a week in my workshop. Dust, wet wood spatters, more dust, shavings, more dust - I don't fancy keeping that thing clean.

 

[Paul Hannaby]

I was fortunate enough to see Stuart demonstrating at one of the AWGB seminars a few years back. He is a very competent turner and from what I saw, a very good demonstrator too so the website definitely isn't all hype. Perhaps in the current economic climate, a bit of positive promotion helps keep the wheels of industry turning so why knock someone who is prepared to put their money where their mouth is and invest in what they believe in? Maybe on this side of the pond we are too reserved when it comes to blowing our own trumpets!

 

[cornucopia]

sometimes confidence can be mistaken for arrogance or ego- having had the pleasure of meeting Stuart and his dad Allan at a couple of the awgb seminars- they are both very friendly and extremely talented wooodturners who are easy to talk to and dont make you feel stupid no matter how silly the question. I have been following the progress of Stuarts new venture on face book for a few months now and what he's doing looks brilliant- I wish him every success.

 

[Aled Dafis]

Please don't get me wrong, I think that what Stuart is doing is to be highly commended. I've never met Stuart but from what I see, he's a very proficient turner and is driven to produce nothing less than excellent work. He also comes over as being friendly in his videos.

Yes you're probably right that it's confidence as opposed to ego, I wish I had some of his confidence and "balls" to start up such a venture! I can only wish him well, and hope that he drives woodturning into a new era, and possibly a little closer to the mainstream so that more and more become involved. I'm actually quite excited by what he's doing!

Cheers
Aled

 

[boysie39]

I was fortunate enough to see Stuart demonstrating at one of the AWGB seminars a few years back. He is a very competent turner and from what I saw, a very good demonstrator too so the website definitely isn't all hype. Perhaps in the current economic climate, a bit of positive promotion helps keep the wheels of industry turning so why knock someone who is prepared to put their money where their mouth is and invest in what they believe in? Maybe on this side of the pond we are too reserved when it comes to blowing our own trumpets!

I argree with what your saying Paul, too often as we found out over here people are more than willing to take your money and invest in something that [they] can make massive profits from but when it fails tough tittie to you.

If his products are good enough everyone will sing his praises. And those that can afford his turning tools will be singing the loudest. Good luck to him and heres hoping that I will be one of those trying to get me hands on some of his products.

 

[CHJ]

I have no axe to grind on the skill of the individual or the expertise behind his business enterprise, what I do find distressing is the use of high end marketing and presentation expertise that most likely will be further promoted in the magazines to the point that these developments are a must have if you are to become an accomplished turner.
And no doubt there will be a mystique built up around the tooling much like Festool where there will be a cadre of folks who will treat the majority as lesser beings because they can't move in the same (financial) circles.

As a bit of a cynic regarding marketing I have only to think back over the last few years I have been mangling bits of wood to remember the demonstrator turners that have changed tooling or systems as company links or marketing has changed. Those new to turning being encouraged at each stage to go with this or that tool as being the bees knees with little or no acknowledgement as to what percentage of the result was down to presenters skill and practice.

I see the majority of the Magazine readers and web site browsers as those looking for early guidance and encouragement.
I see the majority of Magazines and Commercial web sites by their very nature of trying to stay in business against the competition as being marketing and sales orientated.

 

[mark sanger]

certainly looks the business and I am sure it will be outside of my wallet

I saw Stuart Batty in America, he certainly puts everything he has into what he does and I never saw such a set up either before or since.

His marketing is full on but then he sees the importance of it, 20% of a product is the item itself the other 80% is how it is marketed.

All the best to him.

 

[jumps]

as a further clarity...

I wasn't knocking the full on nature of the aproach - my arrows were directed at the delivery; paragraph after paragraph using the same words in a different order.

I don't beleive Stuart would have been responsible for this content, but it's there.

His target market must include a significant number of people who retired with the belief that an 'executive summary' should be 1 paragraph and cover everything contained in the attached 400 pages.

It's almost certainly a function of the website construction process used as they are talking up WIP - unfortunately few that go this route remove such content when they have good content to add.

 

[robo hippy]

I got to see him last year at the AAW Symposium. An excellent demonstrator, especially if you get to see he and Mike Mahoney doing their 2 Ways to Turn a Bowl demo. His exhibit had 6 cameras, 10 video screens, and was very high tech. I also checked out his grinder. I was really impressed to the quality and design. It has everything. I think a lot of his products are in the "if you have to ask, then you can't afford it" range, but that grinder, which would compete with the Knife maker grinders is very competitively priced. I would be surprised if he is able to recoup all his marketing expenses as the turning market isn't really that big.

I did get a 3 day workshop with Allen and Stewart a few years back before Allen had a stroke. Allen was worth it just for the stories he tells.

robo hippy

 

[chipmunk]

I'm sure that the "new vortex tool" will be making Cindy Drozda's ears burn - especially since both the new factory and her gallery are in Colorado!

http://woodturning.org/2011/09/announcing-the-tool-proficiency-video-series-available-this-october/

It looks an interesting tool but I'm not sure about the manufacturing cost-effectiveness - It looks as if it started out as a round bar which then had the flute of a gouge ground in but that is then ground off at the end?

A gash 3/8 spindle gouge - reshaped? :wink:
Jon

 

[Aled Dafis]

I'm sure that the "new vortex tool" will be making Cindy Drozda's ears burn - especially since both the new factory and her gallery are in Colorado!

http://woodturning.org/2011/09/announcing-the-tool-proficiency-video-series-available-this-october/

It looks an interesting tool but I'm not sure about the manufacturing cost-effectiveness - It looks as if it started out as a round bar which then had the flute of a gouge ground in but that is then ground off at the end?

A gash 3/8 spindle gouge - reshaped? :wink:
Jon

That's exactly what I thought when I saw it! Nice idea however, I'm thinking of doing exactly the same, just need to find a 3/8" spindle gouge going cheap. Anybody??

The Sorby Proedge is the ideal tool for this, grind the flute flat at 15 degrees, polish on diamond stone and then grind the bevel at 20. Simples!

I've had my eye on the Drozda Vortex tool for a while, and will come in handy pretty soon as I bought a couple of sea urchin shells last night on the 'bay to try and turn some Drozdaesque finial ornaments.

Cheers
Aled

 

[chipmunk]

Hi Aled,
I have two 3/8 spindle gouges and recently reground one Drozda style and I like it very much. Most of the finial work can be done with that I think.

Hope I'm not teaching grandma here but if you're interested in a Cindy Drozda vortex tool it'd be much cheaper to make your own out of either a 1/4" round HSS tool such as the Henry Taylor Elf Negative Rake Fine Point Tool for £13 (Is it me or are these tools relatively cheap?)...

http://www.axminster.co.uk/henry-taylor-henry-taylor-negative-rake-fine-point-tool-prod838549/

or cheaper still a 4" 1/4" round metalworking lathe toolbit like this...

http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Cutting-Tools/High-Speed-Steel-Toolbits

araldited into the end of a sawn off bolt set in a wooden handle (my favourite method).

Mount 75 or 100mm M12 bolt in chuck jaws and saw off the head . File end flat and then centre drill and then drill a 3/4" deep 1/4" hole in the end (use cutting paste, oil or fluid). Araldite in the 1/4" toolbit and set bolt into a wooden handle with half a 22mm Yorkshire end-feed solder pipe joint as ferule.

The shape and sharpening details are kindly provided here by cindy...
http://www.cindydrozda.com/Assets/html/handouts_Pdfs/handouts/sharpening/VortexSharpening.pdf

Jon

 

[Aled Dafis]

Good call. Your suggestion was just what I needed to get off my arse and make one, I actually bought some 4x1/4 and 4x3/8 toolbits a month or so ago to make some round skews to try out. I ground the "vortex" blade and turned a brass handle insert thingy during my lunch break today, I'll post a pic tomorrow/Thursday when I've turned a handle for it.

Cheers
Aled