Brian Horais lives in Knoxville, Tennessee.  His primary woodturning focus is on turning twisted segmented objects.  Brian developed his interest in non-round (also known as multi-axis) wood turning during an Arrowmont course entitled “Round is so Over-Rated” taught by Art Liestman and Barbara Dill in 2012.  A later Arrowmont course in segmented turning taught by Curt Theobald in 2014 further developed his techniques. He is Past President of the East Tennessee Woodworkers Guild (juried member), a member of the Smoky Mountain Woodturners, the American Association of Woodturners (AAW) and a juried artist at the Appalachian Arts and Craft Center near Norris, TN.  Brian has conducted numerous demonstrations and training events on multi-axis wood turning at the Smoky Mountain Woodturners, East Tennessee Woodworkers Guild (ETWG), Cumberland Woodturners and the April 2016 ETWG Arrowmont woodworking weekend.   Brian is a 2018 instructor at the Appalachian Center for Craft (Tennessee Tech) where he will be teaching a class on ‘Twisted Shapes on a Lathe’. He has produced numerous tutorials on the subject that are available on the American Association of Woodturning (AAW) website, the World of Woodturners website as well as an article on ’Twisted Segmented Turning’ in the December 2017 issue of ‘American Woodturner.   Several of his twisted segmented works were jury-selected for the East Tennessee Master Woodworkers Show in November 2013, 2015 and 2017.  Two of his off-axis turnings were selected for the “Arts in the Airport Exhibition” at the Knoxville McGhee Tyson airport during the summers of 2016 and 2017.  

Brian has been a wood turner for eight years.

Pictures of Brian’s Shop (dimensions 25 ft. by 15 ft.; Jet 1642 lathe, Laguna 1412 bandsaw)

 

 

Twisted Purpleheart Vase

This twisted vase was made using a variety of processes. The heart-shaped dovetails were made using heart-shaped dovetail templates and then the segments were cut to form the segmented ring. The twisted top of the vase was formed using a three-point off-axis turning method. Wood used includes curly maple, purpleheart and an African rosewood base. Height is 6 inches and maximum diameter is 5 inches

 

 

 

 

 

Twisted Top Pineapple Vase

This vase was turned from maple, greenheart and African Rosewood. The top section was turned off-axis to provide the twisted shape.   A thin plywood separator provides a buffer between the two grain directions.  Height is 9 inches and diameter is 6 inches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Twisted Segmented Vase – 1

This twisted vase is another of my continuing series of segmented turnings using a 3-point off-axis method to provide a 120 degree twist. The segmented design was developed to follow the twist. Wood used includes cherry, maple and highlights of African rosewood. Height is 7 inches and maximum width is 6 inches

 

 

 

 

 

Trio of Twisted Slotted Vases

This trio of twisted, slotted jars was turned from a variety of different hardwoods.   The segmented layers and slots are integrated with the twist to complement the shapes.  The three jars range in height from 6 inches to 8 inches.   The top of the each jar is circular with a transition from the twisted spiral just below the top rims.

 

 

 

 

 

Twisted Dovetail Vase – Small

This twisted vase stands 5 1/2 inches tall and is made from purpleheart, curly maple and padauk. The stair-step design of the purpleheart follows the angle of the twist that was made with a 3-point off-axis method. Decorative dovetails were made with padauk and maple on a router and integrated into the design

 

 

 

 

 

Twisted Dovetail Vase

This twisted vase was turned using a 3-point off-axis method to turn the upper section and a normal on-axis method to turn the lower section. Diameter is 7 inches and height is 9 inches. Detailed dovetails were made using an MLCS decorative dovetail template. Wood includes mahogany, maple and African rosewood. The upper rim was carved to enhance the triangular opening that results when using this off-axis method. Finish is Watco Oil with final buffing on the Beall system. Details of the dovetail segments are shown in the foreground