In view of the government announcement today it is with a very heavy heart that I must take the decision to postpone the Gary Lowe Demo and Masterclass on 28th and 29th of this month. I can see no way round the very clear advice from the government to avoid travel, social contact, pubic meetings, clubs and other contact with other people. We would struggle to say our event is ‘essential’. Even though there are very few cases in this part of the country the situation is changing very fast and it makes a lot of sense to close things down 10 days before any potential infection rather than 10 days after.

It would be wrong to allow folks to be sitting in close proximity for a whole day (and pay for the pleasure) and (potentially) come away with a serious illness.

The club will continue to operate, for this week anyway, as normal, but I fully expect numbers to be very low. The Beginner’s Course will still take place this week, week 4, but the participants will decide themselves if they wish to continue for weeks 5 and 6, or postpone them.

Beginners course 2/2020 looks in jeopardy at the moment too.

It distresses me to have to make this post, but I care for every one of our members and feel we need to protect everyone at this difficult time.  We should continue to turn wood at home, if we can, and return to the workshop, and normality, as soon as it is safe to do so. Remember the government can only do so much for us, it is our community and friendships that can be real life savers in times such as these.

Rolf

Sorry to raise this when it seems to be coming at us from all directions. 

Having read as much as I can, discussed with knowledgeable people, read advice from similar organisations to ourselves, and of course the NHS advice, I have the following advice to give to members.

Galloway Woodturners will continue to meet at the same times as normal.

Anyone feeling unwell, with anything remotely like a cold, flu, or Covid-19 should not come to the workshop for 14 days. Even if you feel well but cough or sneeze you may be spreading Covid-19 which you have picked up and show no symptoms of, so be ready to ‘catch it, bin it’, or leave the building.

Immediately upon entering the building WASH YOUR HANDS. Use the bar of soap, work up a foam which completely covers your hands and between your fingers, then rinse it for the same time that it took to work up the lather – at least 20 seconds.

Use the PAPER TOWEL and bin the paper immediately.

If you are using club tools, or sharing any tools, use your HAND sanitising GEL, and rub your hands and the tools. Given the short supply of the gel I am assuming that is because everyone by now must have several bottles.

Use disposable cups, or WASH the cup BEFORE and AFTER use.

Immediately BEFORE LEAVING the building WASH YOUR HANDS again, in the same thorough way. This way you will not bring the virus into the building, nor take it home with you.

We can not avoid the virus, and most of us will get it, either this year, or next year, but we can delay getting it, and we can smooth the peak of infection so that the NHS is not overwhelmed and can deal with us better.

Should the situation get worse you will find it fairly obvious and difficult to avoid hearing about, so act according to NHS and government advice, and your own common sense. 

If you are in doubt about coming then err on the side of caution, keep turning, and self isolate to your workshop where  you can make things for club competitions, the Borders Inter-club competition and Christmas (never too early to make things for Christmas).

Notices –March 2020

Tonight, we welcome back Phil Jones, who is going to colour without colour.

The competition item for this evening is “A Hollowform”

Next month’s competition item will be “A Timepiece”

The 2019 annual competition winners Mick Schofield (Senior Members) and Bill McCoskry (Beginners) richly deserved their awards (sorry for the delay in presenting the trophies) and there are several members who also have a genuine talent, so let’s see that talent at the monthly competition and remember to hold onto your winning entries and also those that did not win here, but could win at the Borders Club, Interclub Competition in October.

Next month– March meeting, will be hosted by our very own Steve, who will be making an ‘Egg box’

Jimmy’s Bazaar. Our club shop used to be a few items on the shelf in one of our grey metal cupboards, and thanks to the efforts of some of our members we now have a proper shop, run by our member Jimmy Brown where all manner of items useful to woodturners can be purchased at discount prices, which includes Galloway Woodturners branded clothes. The wood which our wood prep team have been working on, and put on the shelves outside, can also be paid for via our shop.

Courses

The next beginner’s course is Thursday 14^th May to Thursday 18^th June 2020. The usual conditions apply, open to all members (£35 to become a member) and £100 for the six week course at Castle Douglas workshop. Suitable for total beginners, returners, and those who want to be reminded of certain points. All wood etc. supplied.

Roger also does courses at his own workshop in the west.

Our next Demonstrator is Gary Lowe, The Tartan Turner:

Saturday 28^th March, for Gary’s all day Demonstration he has said he will be demonstrating several things including an off centre thin rimmed bowl, a rolling bottomed box/pot – carved/textured and possibly coloured too, a Turmkreisel, and a coloured bowl/platter. So plenty! all this plus a light lunch all for £20. See Jimmy for the tickets tonight.

Gary will be staying overnight and return to the workshop on Sunday 29^th March for his Masterclass. He can take up to 5 ‘students’, and if you have not attended one of our Masterclasses before you are assured of a most memorable and enriching experience. Jimmy has the tickets so see him as soon as possible to ensure you are one of the five.

Diary Dates/ 2020 Demonstrators – PLEASE BOOK EARLY    Tickets from Jimmy

Les Thorne Saturday 6^th all day Demonstration and Sunday 7^th June, Masterclass

Richard Finlay Saturday 22^nd all day Demonstration and Sunday 23^rd August Masterclass.

Please support these guys, who are excellent and really worth seeing, I would also commend the masterclasses, it is a rare chance to get high quality tuition from famous names, locally and at a discounted price.

Rolf

Gary Lowe, the Tartan Turner, will be demonstrating all day 10am-5pm on Saturday at our workshop, and will be showing a variety of techniques such as an off centred thin rimmed bowl, rolling bottomed box or pot, carving, texturing, and a Turmkreisel (very clever little spinning top) and a bit of colouring. Gary will be teaching the colouring and texturing techniques during his Masterclass on the Sunday 10am – 5pm. 

This is a great opportunity to see an excellent and experienced demonstrator in our own workshop, so no transport or parking issues.

The All Day demo is £20, with a light lunch included, which is excellent value given he will be packing the day with so much, and the Masterclass is also really good value at £50. There is a maximum of 5 places on the Masterclass so get your tickets from Jimmy asap – when they are gone, they are gone. Celebrate  Lemon Chiffon Cake Day on 29th March with a ticket to Gary Lowe’s Masterclass (yes, Lemon Chiffon Cake Day is a ‘thing’).

Our neighbours at the Borders Woodturners Club have extended an invitation to us again to enter their Interclub Competition on Sunday 25th October 2020. I have accepted that invitation on your behalf and therefore ask that you spend every waking moment between now and then making making the very best items you can so we have a large selection of items to choose from so that we go there in October amd take all their trophies. Alternatively hold onto your monthly competition items, and other nice stuff that you make and bring them to the club about a month or six weeks before the 25th October so that we can put a nice group of items together. Thanks.

Their 2020 programme is attached below for your information. They have some fine demonstrators again this year, and well worth driving through to see.  Please consider car sharing if you are going.

Borders woodturning club Programme 2020

A friend of mine is selling his lathe, it is exactly the same as mine and is a GRADUATE WOOD LATHE. I had two, and still have one – use it all the time, not the prettiest, but works really well, is reliable and will outlive us all.

30 INCHES BETWEEN CENTRES, 12 INCHES MAX DIA INBOARD, 29 INCHES MAX OUTBOARD.

SPEED GENIE VARIABLE SPEED FITTED WITH 2 HP MOTOR.

VARIOUS FACE PLATES INBOARD/OUTBOARD.

NOVA CHUCK AND TOOL RESTS ETC.

NEWLY FITTED MAIN BEARINGS WITH SPARE BELT IN POSITION  SHOULD PRESENT ONE BREAK.

£650

BUYER TO UPLIFT. (it is heavy, needs to be dismantled and best transported in a van, speak to Rolf Buwert who has one of these lathes and has transported a couple in the past)

CONTACT KEITH M GUNN ON 01387 251309

EMAIL   gunngramps@outlook.com

As the first course of the year filled up so quickly I feel we can justify having another course before the summer.

Beginning on Thursday 14th May until 18th June course 2/2020 will be much the same as the first one, just not so dark, cold and wintery outside.

Same entry criteria apply, £35 annual membership if you are not already a member, and £100 for the course. 4 course members would be good, but I can take 6 depending on age, experience etc.

Roger Cutler also does beginners courses for individuals at his home workshop, in Creetown, if you prefer one to one tuition, and especially suitable/ practical for folks from the west.

If you are interested, or know of someone who would like to try woodturning then send me, or Roger, a message.

This course is now full, thank you everyone who signed up. Roger Cutler can do one-to one courses at his Creetown home workshop so if you didn’t secure a place on this course contact Roger and see what he can do for you.

The next course will be just before the summer holidays. See post regarding 2/2020.

I picked up some willow from the farm just behind the Industrial Estate this afternoon, and dropped it off at the club next to/ on top of the other ‘raw’ wood. If you have never turned fresh willow, and want to have a go, then see someone from the wood prep team (Hugh, Jimmy etc) and let us know how you get on. If you want to turn it seasoned, then put you name on a bit and either season it yourself, or let the prep team do it for you, and let us know how you got on in two or three years time. Jimmy will work out a price for you.

I hope you have all had a great Christmas, and wish everyone a very Happy New Year. I aim to open the workshop for the first time on Tuesday 7th January 7pm to 9pm.

Come along with your Christmas presents and left over shortbread/ mince pies.