Dennis W. Montville

Woodturner and builder of woodturning solutions

Sterling Heights, MI

email:  Dennis@DWMontville.com 

Just updated June 25, 2009

I just arrived in Albuquerque today for the AAW Symposium. The drive was good and I'm looking forward to a great time. 

I've posted several videos on YouTube. Click the link you just read past to see them. Many are not on this site, so check them out.

 My new Available Tools link takes you to my items on Etsy.com.

Artist's Statement:

"Wood is one of the most expressive fundamental elements on earth. Once part of a living organism, it still expresses the echoes of that life captured within its fibers. This is the "voice" of the material. Engineering is the "voice" that humankind uses to express itself with works of visual and functional presence. My work combines both voices to create a harmony of natural and man-made beauty"

Last update: June 1, 2009 

 Arrogance must be money. That would explain how so many of those who are destroying this country get so rich.

   Everybody knows the dice are loaded
Everybody knows the deck is stacked
Everybody tries to leave the table
Everybody knows they'll be right back
Everybody knows the game is fixed
The poor stay poor, the rich get rich
That's how it goes
Everybody knows

An honest person does the right thing. An honorable person does the right thing when no one's watching.

Sometimes the best things in life are the ones that get shoved down your throat.

Often I find that it's difficult to finish things. I mean, getting started with something new isn't hard, but then as things move along I get distracted and

It's not that I care for you, it's just that I lack ambivalence towards you.

Rules are made by people trying to hold others down to their level.

Explore the unknown. That's where change lives.

If it wasn't for hypocrisy most people wouldn't have a personality.

Some more videos

I've finally updated the Classes page. I'm not done yet because I see that I want to update the descriptions a little, but at least I have current dates for the classes. I'm not ready to host private lessons in my studio yet but I'm working towards making the place presentable enough so that I can begin doing that soon. I continue to list things on eBay so please click here to see what I have listed.

	Here are two videos that I just finished. The one on the left shows the use of the tool bit sharpening block. The one on the right shows the turning tool being used. They are short and should be fun. Please let me know what you think of them. I'll be posting more soon. My email address is at the top of this page.
I just made another video of my tool use. I was making a handle for a micro tool and decided to record a short video of some spindle turning. I hope you enjoy.		\Here's a new video showing my tool in use. Be warned, it is a rather large video and will require a high-speed Internet connection to view. I hope you feel it's worth it. Let me know what you think of it.

 NEW WORK

Below are photos of the some recent work. Some of these are entered into shows and are not yet available for sale. Others are already sold. I'll keep you posted on shows that I've been accepted in. As work becomes available for sale I'll be updating the Available Pieces page.

I call this piece "Intrusion" It is made of black walnut, maple, purpleheart and oak. It measures 8 3/4 inches in diameter by 5 inches tall. $175 Artist Statement: An intrusion is usually considered to be a bad thing. But here the intrusion adds character, beauty and strength. Don’t always think of an intrusion as a negative. Give it time to show itself. You may be surprised and pleased.
This one is called "Life Menu" This one is made of Narra and measures 5 inches in diameter by 1 3/4 inches tall. It is the same piece I show being faced off in the upper right video above. It's come a long way, hasn't it? Available Artist Statement: When life presents choices you might consider all options in detail, giving careful consideration to every aspect. So many shapes and designs. How do you decide? Who ever said that you couldn’t choose them all? Take all that life has to offer.
Here is "Eclipse" This one is made of chechen, bubinga, oak, maple and narra with veneers. It measures 9 inches in diameter by 5 inches tall. Artist Statement: An eclipse is an exciting event. This piece captures some of that excitement with it's design and presentation. But it's the hidden feature seen when held to the light that truly captures the glow of the real thing.
"Black Tundra" This one is made of black locust with piercing. It measures 7 inches in diameter by 4 1/2 inches tall. Available on Etsy.com Artist Statement: It was simply cold outside while I worked on this. The tundra came to mind, along with the black from the wood name. I incorporated black as a contrast to the void of piercings. The contradiction of a black tundra seem appropriate.
"Earth Wake" This one is made of mahogany, Brazilian cherry and veneer. It measures 9 1/2 inches in diameter by 2 1/2 inches tall. Available on Etsy.com Artist Statement: As the earth spins it affects the space around it. I attempted to capture that feeling with this piece.
"Turning tool 06-08" Maple and padauk Sold Artist Statement: Not a very dramatic name, but a descriptive one. A functional tool with beauty to match.

This is the new battery operated motorized display stand that I just made. This all started at one of the shows I was in over last summer. I had purchased two small rotating display stands from an eBay seller and had them at the show with two of my bowls on them. I wasn't happy with them because of their performance. They didn't have much power so unless the item on them was very light and they were very level they would just stop turning. I immediately started designing my own display stand in my head. Then another vendor came over to check out my turnings and saw the stands. He really liked the idea of a rotating display for his incense burning bottles. He brought one over and put it on the stand and just that weight was enough to nearly stop it in its tracks. Later, when I went over to consider buying one of his bottles he had already sold out and only had one left that he was taking back with him. However, he offered that one as a gift to me. I promised him that he'd get the first of my new display stands and the photos below show what he's getting. It is about 7 inches around and 4 inches high.
When I was nearly finished I asked him if he wanted it quickly or if he wanted to wait until I decorated the base with my own design. He said he'd wait so this is what I did to it. The switch is inset into one of the sides and can be seen in the first photo. The photo at right shows the workings. It will run on a single D cell for several days. This will rotate in either direction by simply sliding the switch in the direction you want. Click on any photo to see a full-sized image in a new window.