April
This month the topic is a ‘Show and Tell’ evening, so I hope you have brought a favourite turning, home made chuck, jig or gadget to tell us about it. If you haven’t brought anything it will be a short meeting !!
The competition item is whatever you managed to make from the chunk of wood you ‘won’ in the draw last month. The Club would like to keep all these entries for sale at future events. When marking these, members need to take the raw material into account.
The Wood of the Month is Oak.
The new bandsaw is assembled and ready for use in what should be a temporary location because it is next to an existing 20Amp socket. We need to put some policies and procedures in place to minimise the risks associated with using such a large and powerful saw. In the meantime, if you want to use it ask Roger or Phil H to give you an introduction.
Roger is organising some have-a-go sessions for a local Scout troop this month, dates to be confirmed. He has a few volunteer tutors but could use more. If you can help, please contact Roger.
The Power Tool, Woodworking & Garden Machinery Show is on at The Lanark Agricultural Centre, Hyndford Road, ML11 9AX on Friday 25th April and Saturday 26th April. Free admission and parking. Register on their website www.websterpowerproducts.co.uk .
May
In May we welcome Chris Pouncey from Robert Sorby who will demonstrate their latest ‘goodies’ and try to persuade us that we really need them ! Chris will bring most of the Sorby tool range with him, but if you want to order anything in particular, let Roger know ASAP.
The competition item is ‘Any item of your choice’ and the Wood of the Month is Sycamore.
Advance notice for probably our major event of the year over the Spring Fling weekend at the end of May. We have an advert for this in the Spring Fling brochure (20,000 copies) and in the May edition of The Bulletin which is delivered to every address in the Stewartry (12,730 copies).
Saturday 24 May. Full day demo by famous artistic turner Margaret Garrard.
Sunday 25 May, Monday 26 May. Watch, try and buy. This is for the public to come and see what woodturning is about, for us to recruit new members, and make some money. We are planning . . . .
Demonstrations by Club members.
Have-a-go sessions, buy a piece of wood for £1 or £2 and make a dibber or bud vase, guided by an experienced turner. Everything provided.
Make a wooden ball point pen for £5, again with a bit of help.
Exhibition and Sale of Members work.
Display and information about the club.
A raffle on each of Sunday and Monday.
Tea/coffee and traybake available all day for £1.50.
We will need help from YOU for all of these. If you can only come for half of one of the days, that’s fine as we have split each day into morning and afternoon sessions. Phil H has a list of the opportunities so please come and talk to me
We will need a few nice pieces to create a small exhibition of work; and lots of pieces to sell. These you can either donate all the proceeds to the Club, or we can sell on your behalf with the Club taking just a 20% commission. Everyone should be able to make at least one piece – exactly what is up to you. That way we should get a good range of items.
There should be an article and picture about out Lottery grant in Woodturning magazine, issue 267. We have sent a similar piece to a few of the local papers but I’ve not seen it published yet, at least not in the Galloway News.
And finally . . .
The multi-sided diamond honing block is still missing from the workshop. Several people have looked for it without success. Please would everyone have a look in their toolbox, bag, workshop etc to see if it has been picked up by accident and return it ASAP.
Roger has been negotiating with Simon Hope to obtain a supply of sanding arbours at keen prices. Watch this space . . . . .
We have the entire contents of a life long woodworker’s workshop For Sale. The Club will organise the sale and keep a commission for Club funds on everything sold. We collected the items from storage last Thursday but have not yet sorted them out into lots. Judith has a list of most of the items which we’ll put on the notice board – it includes a Record CL4 variable speed lathe, Fox bandsaw, Kity Bestcombi machine, drills, planes, sanders and much more.
Each lot will have a bid sheet with a minimum bid specified. You will be able to view and bid at the next few Turning Tuesdays, then we’ll arrange for a sale day, probably one Saturday. Highest bid by the deadline on the sale day buys that lot.
The next Committee Meeting is on Tuesday 22nd April at The Workshop. If members want to raise anything, please contact any Committee member.