Michael Mocho lives in New Mexico. He is a professional woodworker and instructor with over 30 years of experience in contract turning, furniture making, carving, millwork, sculpture, prototype development, and stringed musical instruments. He is known for his intricate containers that often combine bent wood with turned components. He is a highly sought after teacher and demonstrator. He is the winner of many national awards and has participated in numerous juried and invitational exhibitions. His work is displayed in galleries across the USA and can also be found in many of the finest private and corporate collections.

On-Lathe Textural Techniques #1: Chatter, Embossing, Fluting

Come learn how to use both commercial and shop-made tools to easily add a variety of interesting patterns, textures, and "low tech" ornamental detail to your work.  Demonstration will include the application of chatter work, indexed embossing, reeding, and a few other techniques.  Detailed descriptions of the variables affecting use of each tool will be demonstrated.

Making Connections

Come learn quick, simple, and effective techniques for making perfectly accurate connections between parts such as lids, finials, inlaid plugs and rings for boxes and other forms comprised of turned components.  Simple strategies for integrating moving parts into your work will also be demonstrated.

Sculptural Techniques for Small Turnings

Discover the creative possibilities of innovative free-hand abrasive shaping techniques - both on and off the lathe - by using particular cross section turnings as a starting point.  Expand the capabilities of your lathe with simple shop made accessories that can be used for abrasive carving.  Strategies for modifying turned forms will change the way you look at your work and will inspire new explorations.

Hand-chased threads w/o Expensive Woods

Many turners believe that the only way to cut clean threads on wood boxes is to use expensive materials like boxwood, blackwood, rosewood or ebony; or to buy an expensive threading attachment for your lathe.  IT ISN'T TRUE!  This demonstration will show the simple techniques and provide a detailed description of all the contributing factors for quickly cutting crisp threads in common woods like maple and walnut with a properly sharpened chaser.

Small Boxes - Big Details

See the application of strategies for turning a variety of box forms using many of the detail and textural techniques from Michael's other demonstrations including chatterwork, spiraling, embossing, threaded lids, drilled and polished interiors, abrasive shaping strategies, and design considerations.

On-Lathe Textural Techniques #2: Spiral Work

This demonstration will show the application of the versatile - and often tricky - Sorby spiral and texturing tool.  Detailed descriptions of the variables affecting use of each tool will be demonstrated.  Come learn how to use this tool to easily add a variety of interesting patterns, textures, and "low tech" ornamental detail to your work.