Rodney Offord grew up in Rhodesia (Now Zimbabwe) and graduated in Civil Engineering from the University of Cape Town in South Africa in 1981. His working career has been mainly in roads and traffic engineering.
When visiting his parents’ home in Harare in 1999 he tried turning on his father’s simple lathe. His father had not had much success, having no one to guide and tutor him. The next year Rodney bought his own very basic lathe in East London, South Africa and was immediately welcomed into the local Woodturning Guild. The members encouraged him and he learned quickly. The Guild hosted the Association of Woodturners of South Africa’s annual congresses in 2000 and 2001 where Phil Irons was the visiting demonstrator.
After a year’s turning Rodney had found out what features a properly useful lathe should have and he bought a version of the “Harbor Freight” 1236 lathe at the local hardware store. It is still his principal lathe but is supplemented by a Jet 1014. He would spend two or three hours each evening after dinner making shavings and building his skills.
He was chairman of the East London Woodturners’ Guild for a number of years until 2022 when he and his wife Sharon moved back to Cape Town to be with their son and daughter and their families. Here Rodney joined the Western Cape Woodturners Association, the largest body of woodturners in South Africa.
He enjoys variety in turning, letting any log or blank of wood suggest to him what form will best show off its grain or natural edge. Lidded hollow forms with finials are his current pursuit and he also interested in trying out texturing enhancements.
Rodney seldom purchases wood but relies on local sources of felled trees or exchanges timbers with fellow woodturners.