Ornamental Turning Community

OTI Symposium History

Ornamental Turners International Symposiums began as gatherings under various names including Society of Ornamental Turners Seminars, North American Center for Ornamental Turning Seminars, and Ornamental Turners of America Seminars. Currently called Ornamental Turning International, the OTI holds a symposium every two years, generally alternating between east coast, midwest and west coast locations. Past symposiums include:

• 1980: Rochester, NY (Rochester Institute of Technology) – Speakers included: Warren Ogden, Frank Knox, Robert LeMoine. Demonstrations on two Holtzapffel lathes, plus a rose engine and straight line turning machine. A video of the lectures was produced. Event organized by Kener Bond.
• 1989: Washington, DC (Smithsonian Institute) – Speakers included: Frank Cummings, Roger Davies, Kener Bond, Dale Chase, Walter Balliet. Lathe demonstrations by: George Shaw, Daniel Brush, Ray Lawler, Ted Crom.
• 1991: Oil City, PA (Venango Museum of Art, Science and Industry) – Speakers included: Walter Balliet, Kener Bond, Daniel Brush, Dale Chase, Roger Davies, Bonnie Klein, Ted Crom, George Shaw, Robert Whiteside, John McNaulty. Demonstrations on Evans, Lawler, Holtzapffel, and Goyen lathes. A booklet with photographs and transcriptions of the lectures was produced.
• 1992: Rochester, NY (Rochester Institute of Technology) – Speakers included: Daniel Brush, Bob Baker, Dale Chase, Fred Armbruster. Demonstration of HaWk Computer OT Lathe by Dave Hardy, Ken Wertzel, Mark Krick. Demonstrations on Holtzapffel lathes. A booklet with photographs and transcriptions of the lectures was produced. Event organized by Kener Bond.
• 1995: Penn Valley, CA – Speakers included: Jon Sauer, Alan Bugbee, Alfred Schwartz, Krick, Kincade, Paul Fletcher, Dale Chase, Kushen, Giesman, Ted Crom, Frank Coggins, Levy, Cal Nash, Al Collins, Wicotch, Mike Shuler, Kensey. Tour of Dale Chase's workshop.
• 1996: Kansas City, MO (UMKC Campus) – Speakers included: William Robertson, Bruce Bradley, Andy Apathy, Ted Crom, Jon Sauer, Bob Baker, John Edwards, Fred Armbruster, Paul Cler, Charlie Wilcoxon, Walter Balliet, Jack Ferguson, Ray Lawler, Gorst Duplessis, Richard Miller, George Sharrar. Demonstrations on Holtzapffel and Lawler lathes. Tour of Lawler Gear Corporation, the Toy & Miniature Museum, and William Robertson's workshop.
• 1997: Portsmouth, NH – Speakers included: Fred Armbruster.
• 1998: Hawthorne, FL – Speakers included: Ted Crom.
• 2000: Kennebunkport, ME – Speakers included: Fred Armbruster, John Edwards, Len Sherock, Frank Coggins, Jim Richardson, James Harris, Alfred Schwarz.
• 2002: Newark, OH – Speakers included: Dale Chase, Jon Sauer, Len Sherock, Frank Coggins, Fred Armbruster, Bonnie Klein, John Edwards, Gorst Duplessis, Tony Kushon.
• 2004: Silverdale, WA – Speakers: Bill Robertson, Fred Armbruster, John Edwards, Tom Wallsmith, Al Collins, Bonnie Klein, Dale Chase, Steve White, John Lea, Daniel McDonald, James Harris, D. Mayeron, David Wood-Heath, Robert Sakauye, Jon Sauer, Coral Shaffer, Gorst DuPlessis.
• 2006: New Castle, NH – Speakers: John Edwards, Fred Armbruster, Nick Edwards, Richard Ketchen, David Arnold, Bill Robertson, Jeremy Soulsby, Alan Bugbee, Jon Sauer, Michael Brooks, Bonnie Klein, Len Sherock, Joshua Salesin. Tour of Fred Armbruster's workshop. Event organized by Fred Armbruster & Steve Johnson.
• 2008: St. Louis, MO – Speakers: Josh Salesin, John Ferreira, D. Mayeron, John Lea, John Edwards, David Lindow, Nick Edwards, Garry Roux, Jon Magill. Tour of Steve White's workshop and Kelly Erbschloe's workshop by invitation only. Event organized by Steve White.
• 2010: San Jose – Speakers: John Edwards, Dave Lindow, Al Collins, D .Mayeron, Fred Armbruster, Ken Newton, David Wood-Heath, Joshua Salesin, Jon Sauer, Nick Edwards. Workshop tours hosted by Joshua Salesin and Jon Sauer. Event organized by Jon Sauer & Steve White.
• 2012: Scranton, PA – Speakers: Gorst DuPlessis and others TBA.