I have been a hobby woodworker all my life, and became a woodturner in about 1995.  When an opportunity to make actual money in the woodturning business arose, I changed directions to focus on architectural woodturning.  Since December 2005, I have been a full-time custom woodturner, making turned items for both restoration and new construction, numbering from a single item to sometimes hundreds of the same thing.  Examples of that are new balusters in the same style and shape as old ones for restoration of the railing around the porch of an old house.  Newels, porch posts, and finials are also commonly requested turnings.  However, I still enjoy working on the artistic side of woodturning, but the daily needs of customers for the architectural work generally keep me away from that part of the craft.  But I still try to participate in a few craft shows during the year and this Western Loudoun Artists’ Studio Tour is by far the most fun.