It is a weekend for SWAT, check it out here. This is the second largest woodturning symposium in US. Lucky for us, it is also in Texas.

I have been to this symposium several times, and always enjoy the inspiring experience. For every trip, I try to have a theme in mind, and select demos to attend based on the theme. For this symposium, I want to refresh my memory and collect latest information on “push cut”. I want to write an article on this topic, mainly to organize my own understanding, and to revisit from time to time.

Stuart Batty is invited back to this symposium as a lead demonstrator. I went to all 4 rotations on different areas of his turning style, “push cut”. In this photo, he is shaping the outside of a 10” bowl. He makes it look easy. There are not many people who can do this cut in one continuous motion.

In this photo of 2018 SWAT gallery, you can see hundreds of art pieces brought by demonstrators and participants. The boxes on the front table are call “bead of courage”. They are made by woodturners from different clubs, and are donated to children with serious illness as part of arts-in-medicine supportive care program in 8 countries.

The symposium also provide hands-on areas for casual visitors and beginners to try new things. Here the kids are making simple pens on lathe.

It is a great weekend. I want to make some shavings.