What is the Mentor Program?
Mentors are club members with significant woodturning experience, who volunteer their time to help novice members practice or learn a new woodturning technique. They can generally help with hands-on, one-on-one instruction within their areas of expertise.
I am not a club member. Can I contact club mentors for help?
The mentor program is designed to support club members only. You are encouraged to join our club to access this benefit, and all other benefits we offer.
Do mentors charge for lessons?
No, mentors volunteer their time. The need for extensive woodturning training may lead you to enroll in paid instruction available from individuals, conferences, or schools. See the website’s Resources menu, which includes pages for northwest schools, national schools, and studio workshops.
Do mentors come to my shop?
Not necessarily. You and your mentor will arrange a suitable date, time, and location for instruction. Reach out to any of the mentors below by identifying yourself as a club member and asking for some help! Click on any of the names below for a picture of the mentor so you can identify them at meetings.
| Name | Contact | Area of Expertise |
|---|---|---|
| Earl Bartell (Bellevue) |
earlturns@aol.com (206) 713–3390 |
Woodturning 101, and pretty much everything else except ornamental turning |
| Steve Gary (Renton) |
garydesignworks@gmail.com (206) 498-8396 |
Basics of woodturning, understanding wood, CAD. |
| Burt Hovander (Bellevue) |
burthovander@comcast.net (425) 747-1033 |
Bowls, ornaments, and texturing |
| David Lutrick (Issaquah) |
lutrick2@comcast.net (425) 495-6291 |
Bowls, general, misc. |
| John Moe (Bellevue) |
jandjmoe@msn.com (425) 643-4522 |
Bowls, hollowing, embellishing & ornamental turning |
| Jose Pantoja (Woodinville) |
josepantoja@forceonetech.com (206) 669-3270 |
Bowls, general, misc. |
| John Shrader (Seattle) |
shraderorder@hotmail.com (425) 736-0477 |
Achieving precision, developing special tools & processes for difficult projects, & general troubleshooting |
| Vern Tator (Seattle) |
vernt47@gmail.com (206) 856-6759 |
Bowls, spindles, pens, peppermills, off-center turning, hollow forms, finials, etc. |
| Jack Wayne (Bothell) |
captjack327@yahoo.com (425) 488-9561 |
Everything except Rose Engine, segmented work, and pens |
| Sylvia Wayne (Bothell) |
sylvielen02@gmail.com (425) 488-9561 |
|
| Joe Cornell (Kenmore) |
joeswoodart@gmail.com | Pyrography, piercing, carving, texturing and embellishment in general. |
| Steve Sergev (Redmond) |
steve_sergev@yahoo.com (425) 868-5666 |
Beginning turning, coloring |
| Barry Roitblat (Bellevue) |
barry@rentonww.com (425) 283-6280 |
Peppermills |
Seattle Woodturners 
