VWVermont Woodturning Journal
Start with the blank

Materials & Supplies

Species, moisture, grain, blanks, abrasives and finishes for informed choices. Every story here connects a practical question to a next decision at the bench.

Freshly cut maple, cherry and birch blanks stacked beside a moisture meter in a workshop
05 stories

Useful from the first read

A half-built acacia deck in late afternoon light, joists laid at 400 mm centres on a gravel base, a stack of 30 mm boards with visible knots resting on stickers beside the frame, a cordless drill and stainless screws on the nearest joist.
Materials & Supplies

Acacia Deck Boards and Ventilated Facades

How to pick acacia deck boards by thickness and grade, set joist spacing, and understand why ventilated facades suit acacia outdoors.

A blacksmith’s coal forge in a dim workshop, orange coals banked around a square bar, an anvil and tongs on a nearby stand, lit only by the fire and a single overhead bulb.
Materials & Supplies

Forge Work and Historic Iron, a Field Primer

A practical look at forge technique, anvil and fire choices, and the historic ironwork still standing in New York’s Hudson Valley and Capital District.