Woodturning technique

Hats off!

Calling upon past experiences and demonstrations at clubs, Andrew Hall shares the secrets behind the making of one of his small signature turned hats

I am often asked why I started making turned hats, and I have to admit that it was seeing the work of the king of hat turning, JoHannes Michelsen, that originally gave me the inspiration. Around 12 years ago, I remember reading a profile on JoHannes and how he made his hats: I was hooked. 12 years later and having turned numerous headwear, I am now writing an article on how to make a small signature turned hat. It’s a great project to make and I still love what I do. I think that turning wet wood and seeing it change shape and dry a different colour is amazing; however, the downside is that some pieces will crack in the drying process, but such is life.

In this article I’ll take you through the process of turning a small hat, calling upon past experiences and using photos from previous and the latest course I completed, in Castle Douglas with Galloway woodturners.

Read the full article in The Woodworker September 2017

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