The wood turner’s profession
The wood turner’s profession
The wood turner’s profession
Craftsmen selling works of art made of wood are often seen at craft fairs and Christmas markets. Horst Lanz, who is also called the “Drechsler” (wood turner) presents his wooden workpieces at a Christmas market. Anything from pens, pepper mills, fruit bowls, angel figurines to jewellery pendants – Lanz makes a wide variety of objects from wood. Since wood is a natural product, each of his pieces is unique.
The surfaces of the pieces are finished with oil or clear varnish. This protects them, makes them more durable and hard-wearing and, depending on the finish, food-safe and skin-friendly since it reduces the risk of splintering. Lanz uses, for example, a SATAjet 1000 B RP to finish the surfaces of the workpieces with a 2-component polyurethane lacquer.
Interview with Horst Lanz:
How did you get into wood-turning?
As a carpenter, I was mainly working with wooden boards and panels. I love wood more than anything, but I was looking for more creative design possibilities, and I wanted to work with solid wood. That's how I finally took up wood-turning as a hobby. Thanks to many courses and additional training with experienced, reputable wood-turners from all over the world, I acquired a passion for wood-turning that hasn’t let go of me until this day. In the meantime, wood-turning, working with wood and turning my inspirations into reality is much more than just a hobby. It’s my life.
Do you still work as a carpenter?
Yes, I’m still working as a carpenter. I couldn't imagine not being able to practice this wonderful craft.
Why is it so important to finish the surfaces of your pieces?
The right surface finish is the final touch, so to speak. It determines the beauty, the durability and the longevity of my pieces and my utensils.
How are the surfaces treated and refined? What are the individual steps that are needed?
I use different materials such as oils, 2-component lacquers and natural paints and waxes, and it goes without saying that these are always food-safe. Different steps are necessary depending on the surface treatment. The workpieces are carefully prepared. Usually these processes are the same. They include grinding, for example. Depending on the workpiece and the surface treatment, I use abrasives with a grit size of 240 to a maximum of 1,200. I apply the surface material multiple times using a SATA spray gun. After each coating, the piece needs to be sanded again, and drying times need to be adhered to.
What do you need to pay attention to when you lacquer turned workpieces?
Depending on the lacquer or oil I’m using, of course the right nozzle needs to be mounted and the correct air pressure set.
Usually the surfaces to be lacquered are positioned upright. You need to be very careful when applying the paint, otherwise streaks will form.
The cup gun and the nozzle set must be cleaned thoroughly after each paint application. It’s the only way to ensure an optimum surface finish for subsequent work.
What is it you appreciate most about SATA spray guns?
I’ve tried many different spray guns from different manufacturers, but I was never entirely happy with the surface result.
It was different with SATA. If you take good care of a SATA spray gun, you can achieve top surfacing results for many years.
There’s a wide range of accessories available,
and accessories and spare parts will be available for many years to come.
When it comes to tricky or difficult applications, SATA provides friendly, quick, competent help.
Of course I will continue to coat my high-quality products and surfaces with SATA spray guns in future. People in our trade need reliable partners that can offer fast and uncomplicated help. And with SATA, I've found such a partner.
About Horst Lanz:
His love for wood as a natural product was an ideal inspiration for choosing to work as a carpenter, but his creative streak drove Horst Lanz to become a wood-turner. This is where he found his passion, and whenever someone is so passionate about their work, it’s actually more like a hobby.
SATAjet X 5500
The SATAjet X 5500 is the SATA paint spray gun for highest demands. With the X nozzle system, painters are able to cope with all paint systems and application recommendations.