I, Michael O'Donnell, first started woodturning in 1970 from my croft on Dunnet Head, Scotland the most Northerly point on the British mainland. Within the year I left my job as an Engineer with Rolls Royce to take up woodturning full time. For the first 10 years I did traditional wood turning making: spinning wheels, spinning chairs, three legged stools, bread boards, and salad bowls. I sold all my wares from the croft to tourists and to locals.
Then, around 1980, I became affected by the dust produced from the kiln dried West African hard woods I was using. Luckily, about this time I heard of green woodturning, changing to this form of woodturning immediately for health reasons as it produced less dust. With my change in product, making decorative wooden bowls, I had a change of market, so I started selling to shops and galleries further south. My wife Liz, an art teacher, started decorating the bowls enhancing them further.
Soon, I found I was in demand at home and abroad to demonstrate and write articles on green wood turning, which was gaining in popularity. I've written two books on the turning, the latest, "Green Woodturning" soon to be published. I've demonstrated in Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand. Also, I run courses from my workshop.
While teaching woodturning, I found the area most people had difficulty was in sharpening. In order help them I devised a jig that they could mount in front of a high speed bench grinder to give to give set angles quickly and easily. I realized that this jig had commercial potential and went into partnership with my son, Cullen, forming C&M O'Donnell in 1994 to exploit it. After very good reviews by British woodworking magazines we expanded from selling direct to the public by mail order to also supply retailers world wide.
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