# Turning blind - really....



## The PenSmith (Jun 20, 2015)

Even as sighted wood turners we sometimes struggle to get just the proper cut or finish on our pieces. Just think what it would be like to be blind and turn something for the first time. Take a look at the expression on the lady's face as she turns! It is priceless, this was put together at the request of the AAW and shot in at the Tampa Bay Lighthouse for the Blind. Two woodturners from our club did the still shots and editing of video while a videographer from a local TV station did the shoot. 

Both club members ( Jan & Carl Brown ) are outstanding, they do all the video and still shots for every event that the club has including the monthly meetings. I was lucky enough to see Andi Sullivan when she was in Tampa for the AAW Symposium several years ago, to say I was impressed would be and understatement. Obviously she turns by sound and feel but her skills are better than some sighted woodturners that I have seen ! 

Love the 'blind leading the blind' statement, to cute....

Enjoy :-) 


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Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 8


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## Sprung (Jun 20, 2015)

Thanks for sharing that video! I've seen a couple mentions of this over at IAP, but to see this video was awesome - I watched it with my wife and she agrees that it was just awesome!


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## ripjack13 (Jun 20, 2015)

Pretty cool video. It's amazing what we take for granted every day.

Reactions: Agree 3


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## sbwertz (Sep 12, 2016)

I volunteered to help a blind penturner at the Phoenix AAW symposium. Little did I know where that would lead! Andi asked me if I would be willing to volunteer at the local center for the blind to help get a woodturning project going. 

That was two years ago. The woodturning project at Arizona Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired has been in operation for more than two years now. It has been a resounding success....so much so that we have just moved in to our new, roomy, quarters instead of occupying a small corner of the ceramics room. 

We now have two lathes, a bandsaw, drill press, chop saw, sharpening system with Wolverine jig, a belt/disc sander and a 1" vertical belt sander, and a laser engraver! Students come in to the shop saying "I don't think I can do this...I don't know if I can do this!" and leave saying, "When can I do this again?" 

They have made pens, pepper mills, seam rippers, bottle stoppers, bottle openers, etc. Their work sold for more than $800 at a recent fundraiser. 

This is probably the most rewarding thing I have ever done in my life!

Reactions: Like 1 | Great Post 2 | Way Cool 5 | +Karma 1


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## gman2431 (Sep 12, 2016)

sbwertz said:


> I volunteered to help a blind penturner at the Phoenix AAW symposium. Little did I know where that would lead! Andi asked me if I would be willing to volunteer at the local center for the blind to help get a woodturning project going.
> 
> That was two years ago. The woodturning project at Arizona Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired has been in operation for more than two years now. It has been a resounding success....so much so that we have just moved in to our new, roomy, quarters instead of occupying a small corner of the ceramics room.
> 
> ...



Thanks for sharing that, Sharon! 

Incredible thing to be a part of!

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Tony (Sep 12, 2016)

Everybody needs to watch this and take a minute to think about how we all complain about not having this or that machine, etc. Imagine what this must be like! Very awesome video, wonderful thing to do for people, she looks so happy! Tony

Reactions: Agree 2


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