The Maker

I'm Kevin Tambascio.

I turn bowls and vessels from local and reclaimed wood in Northeast Ohio. My career is in software and cybersecurity; Turning Bytes is where I spend time working with my hands.

How I started

I grew up watching New Yankee Workshop and learning from my grandfather. Both helped spark my interest in making things from wood.

In high school shop class, I turned a vase from reclaimed pallet wood. My mother still has that vase in her home.

Finished pieces, shop moments, and work shaped from local Northeast Ohio wood.

Working with local wood

I returned to the lathe in late 2024. By June 2025, I had moved beyond pre-cut blanks and started harvesting local logs in Northeast Ohio.

I often turn a piece twice. First I rough out the shape, then let it dry naturally before returning it to the lathe. The wood moves as it dries, so I leave enough material to refine the form on the second turning.

Letting the wood guide the form

My engineering background makes me appreciate precision, but the wood often changes my plans. Spalting, knots, and natural edges help determine the shape of a bowl or vessel.

I like keeping those details visible. A knot or a rough bark edge can be the part that first draws me to a piece of wood.