James was influenced by other family woodworkers. His father who recently passed away was a woodworker. In addition, his Uncle Earl Bowers, taught woodworking for 40 years. Sounds as if he had a leg up on the rest of us. No doubt he cut his teeth on a piece of oak!

Even though James has a variety of tools, he has a wish list just like everyone else. On the top of that list is a set of Dennis Stewart Advanced System Turning Tools.

Oak is James' favorite wood, partially because it is a hardwood. But, he particularly likes the way that with the right styling, it gives the appearance of having been crafted in the 1800's.

Here's a finishing tip James passed along - Before you spray your sander sealer on, wipe your project down with lacquer thinner first, using a lightly damp, lint free cloth.

His final finish for furniture is 2 or 3 coats of lacquer sanding sealer, followed by 2 or 3 coats of lacquer. It produces a nice, slick, hard finish.

Here are some of James' beautiful turned bowls. He says he couldn't make these wonderful pieces without his planer. He also suggests that if you are a woodturner, you should try making that special tool you need for particular turnings. He has ground down some old turning tools in special shapes to fit his needs.

These bowls are finished using Behlem Salad Bowl Finish followed by Clapham's Beeswax Polish. He uses these mainly because they provide a non-toxic yet protective finish.