Charlotte Woodcraft Hosts Powermatic Demo with Nick Cook

Our Woodworking Adventure takes us to Charlotte North Carolina in follow up to our previous blog announcement of scheduled demos to take place at various Woodcraft stores. Nationally renowned woodturner, Nick Cook demonstrated the new Powermatic 4224B lathe to over 50 woodworkers at the Raleigh Woodcraft store Wednesday evening, July 25th and for over 60 in attendance Thursday evening, July 26th at the Charlotte Woodcraft store location. Charlotte Franchise owner, David Boyuka brought in the new lathe and with the purchase came Nick Cook and Powermatic reps to help the Woodcraft staff and customers learn about all the advantages of having this outstanding new power tool in their classrooms and woodshops. There is no one word that can explain this lathe. It’s simply a woodturner’s dream that has become a reality.

Nick, a founding member and six year board of director leader inclusive of serving one year as the vice president of the American Association of Woodturners, indulged the crowd with not only a demonstration of this new lathe, but of his own capabilities created by the smooth, yet swift movements of the traditional turning tools in his hands onto the spinning wood. I had seen Nick in action at the AAW show in San Jose, teaching in the youth program, but this was an encore performance. He created quickly, while educating the filled to capacity room of woodworkers, capturing their interest, answering both their woodturning and lathe questions. Nick is an integral part of the Powermatic 4224B lathe design concepts, responsible for the ideas that have come to fruition on this exquisite turning machine. Built with the woodturner’s needs in mind, Nick has succeeded in bringing one of the most advanced lathes to the woodworking marketplace.

His kind teaching ways filled the room with humor as he brought up Kaleb, a 7 year old boy who had never touched a turning tool before. The overwhelming size of the lathe had to be put into proper perspective stature of the young man by placing him onto Nick’s toolbox to be even with the centerline of the headstock.

Within moments Nick inspired the newbie by helping him create a “Cat-in-the-Hat” souvenir that the boy would take home in remembrance of his first turning. Kaleb was enthusiastic and eager to turn. Nick’s guidance over the tools made the young man feel like he was doing all the turning. Gaining in confidence, and in an instance, Kaleb was handling the roughing gouge all by himself.

Who knows, perhaps Nick has inspired a future artisan in the making…

Nick proceeded to do four additional turnings while explaining the lathe accessories and capabilities. First a unique conversation piece salt shaker with a two part press fit design that can be turned in 15 minutes. Both traditional and Easy Wood Turning Tools were used to make this piece. Nick commented, “I was proud to be the first turner that Craig Jackson of Easy Wood Tools approached regarding the prototype that Craig started his business with and I told him to go with it!”

Next, with the remaining material Nick makes two spinning tops.

In this last video, Nick spins a dinner plate and gives some in-depth tips on best practices with your turning tools.

As you have seen, it was a great evening had by all at David Boyuka’s Charlotte Woodcraft store filled with education, comradery, fun, food, and door prizes!

Check with your local Woodcraft to see if Nick Cook, the Powermatic Team and the 4224B lathe will be scheduled for demonstration at the store nearest you.

Get in on all the turning fun and get this new Powermatic 4224B lathe for your woodshop, you won’t be disappointed!

 

Back to blog