Meet Dave
Hi I’m Dave or David Pratt to give me my Sunday name, I started turning as an engineering apprentice in the 1970’s operating Ward capstan lathes and turning a range of ferrous, and non ferrous metals as well as resin compressed fabrics, leather and wood to make bearing blocks and oilers for agricultural machinery, then the world changed i moved to the office, eventually running a professional training company for some 30 years, operating across the world.
I had aways had a love of working with wood, that love had been inherited from Jack, my father who was a trained wheelwright and joiner, I still have one piece of his work that I need to repurpose for his grand children.
In 2015 I rediscovered turning and acquired a small Sealy lathe, I was “infected” by the bug, developing my skills quickly I out grew the lathe’s capacity, from there to a NOVA DVR and big turning commenced with bowls up to 20’ diameter, during 2020 in the middle of Covid I acquired my Killinger lathe, now that is an incredible beast and lovely to use, since then I have added a small Nova lathe to the workshop which gives me two excellent lathes for trainer beginners to experienced turners.
I am a member of the Association of Woodturners of Great Britain an approved AWGB Tutor and also Chairperson of our local wood club, Wherry Woodturners which has been set up as a charity to further the skills of woodturning in Norfolk, you can find out more of the Club’s activities by clicking this link.
In my journey I have been fortunate to draw inspiration and knowledge from some great turners (so you could say this is all their fault), those people include, but not limited too; Shaun Clifford, Mick Hanbury, Kevern Dewick, John Jordan, Darren Breeze, Stewart Furini, Chris Parker and the Queen of the Gonks, Emma Cook to name but a few. I was fortunate to attend the AWGB 18th International Woodturning Seminar and was inspired by some incredible pieces in the exhibition and had the opportunity to observing and meet turners of international repute including Rolly Munro, Neil Joynt, Kade Bolger and Yann Marot.
If you would like to talk turning give me a call or drop me an email.