A few of us were present at Tesco’s Bags of Help cheque presentation at Carlingwark House where we received a giant, symbolic, cheque for £2,000. Angela Orro, Tesco’s Community champion, had all three groups, Carlingwark, Young Gymnasts, and Galloway Woodturners present. Photos were taken by the Galloway News and tea and cakes were munched. The first purchase has already been made from this award, and a new set of face shields from Axminster are on their way to us so we can see what we are doing now (maybe not so pretty now!).

Eugene Grimley, who has been to the club before, will be demonstrating again on the Club Night Tuesday 12th March (£5) and holding his masterclass the following day, Wednesday. Get your tickets from Jimmy at the shop (£50 for a whole day masterclass is very good value for money).

My Beginner’s Woodturning Course starts this Thursday, 7th February at 7pm. The first three weeks are spindle turning (long thin things) and the following three weeks will be faceplate turning, (round flat things).

The course is full, but I could squeeze one or two more in if someone volunteers to help in a supporting role (you know the kind of things, making the tea, sweeping up fetching and carrying … but mainly keeping an eye on folks, double checking safety, first aid and tool maintenance)

If you have booked a place please confirm you are still able to come, and If you would like to help, or would like the last place or two, let me know.

As with previous courses it is about having fun, basic techniques, and making things (there is no exam). There is no expectation to come away with a recognisable item but most folks do. The aim is to have the skills to turn wood whatever way you want, making wonderful things in your own style, having a satisfying journey along the way.

My next course will be another Ladies Course, possibly a two piece item that fits together, and this will be a all day Saturday event again. Let me know if you are interested ladies.

If there is sufficient interest there will be another Beginners Course before the summer.

Guys, if you want a specific course on a subject we have done before, or something completely new (maybe something that we have seen demonstrated on a club night, or by a professional turner) let me know and either I will deliver it, or will find someone who can do it better.

That great woodturner, Richard Raffan, has written several books on woodturning but also probably the most useful Youtube video on
catches and dig ins. I thought I would share this, or remind folks who have already seen it. (Thanks Susan for reminding me about this video)

Wishing you all, members, non members, the curious, and visitors, a very Happy New Year, good health and prosperity in 2019.

May your chosen Deity bless you and bring you much happiness in the coming year, and distract you from moaning about it if he (or she) does not.

Let us find time to turn wood in whatever style, or colour, suits us, and treat woodturning this year as a hobby, therapy, or whatever makes us more skilled at our craft and more creative thinkers.

… and for those who are not that bothered about turning may you come along to the club meetings, the Tuesday and Wednesday sessions and visiting professional turners just for the entertainment value and to be in the company of some excellent people

On this fourth Sunday of Advent, the day before Christmas eve, I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

I hope you have a great holiday, lots of fun with family and friends, or a peaceful relaxing time with a few people who are special to you. Santa will surely bestow upon you gifts from Axminster, Ashley Isles, Crown and G&S Timber. Bring your new (woodturning related) toys to the February meeting, to relive and share your excitement.

A belated happy Hanukkah or Bodhi Day for those who do not celebrate Christmas.

Rolf

The club competition, for February, because remember we don’t have a meeting in January, is a curly topped box.

The item can be a replica of Rogers box or something very similar but inspired by Roger’s box.  Texturing and colouring is permitted but not mandatory, so consider what your judges will be looking for. Good luck, and remember there will be prizes again for the winners.

Rolf

 Notices –  December 2018

Tonight, our very own Roger Cutler, makes a curly topped box – now that is different!

Visiting turners enhance what our club do by encouraging us to become better turners, inspiring us to try something new, and also entertain us. I encourage you all to support these turners, and our club. We often break even or sometimes make a very small loss by bringing these turners to our club. I am happy to continue to have them come, and would be even more happy if more members would attend and get the benefits in 2019. See the list below for this year’s visitors.

Competition entries please, new turners and experienced categories. You can decide when you move on to the senior class, unless you win the new turners at the end of the year. Big prizes!

Beginners course. The first Beginners Course starts on 7^th February and two places are still available.

To help with our funds I would like to see a Donations Box for you to fill  in 2019 with, Christmas trees, Santas, snowmen, light pulls, spinning tops, spurtles, hedgehogs etc. bowls plates, at home or at the club on Turning Tuesday. To be sold at coffee mornings, shows, outside demo’s, CoOp etc

It has been suggested that we create a Storyboard  Freeze for tree to turned thing along top of wall, to encourage us to think about grain orientation, wood processing etc. anyone good at storyboards?

Thanks to wood prep team for … wood prep … and cleaning the workshop so well afterwards, it was very noticeable. Would it be a good idea to change the date to the Sunday prior to the monthly club meeting? This would mean that the workshop is super clean and tidy and can be set out for the meeting after wood prep.

List of professional turners booked for 2019

Tuesday 12th March Professional Demonstrator Eugene Grimley, and Wed 13th March Masterclass

Tuesday 9th April ‘Rough around the Edges’ by Pete Osborn and Wed 10th April Masterclass

Tuesday 14th May – Chris Pouncy as our annual the Sorby demo and shameless sales pitch.

Saturday 1st June Professional Demonstrator Rick Dobney and Sunday 2nd June Masterclass

Tuesday 4th June Colwin Way

Saturday 21st September Phil Irons and on Sunday 22nd Sept Masterclass

Judith has made her excellent mince pies and shortbread again for us this evening. Thank you Judith.

If you have not paid your subscription by now your membership is deemed to have ended. As a non-member you can therefore no longer use any of the tools or machines. You can still attend, and pay a visitor’s entry.

No club meeting on Tuesday 8^th January so Happy Christmas, and good health and happiness in 2019

Tonight  – Mick Schofield will be showing us an eccentric bowl that looks like a pile of washers!

The wood of the month – Walnut

Next months demonstration, Roger Cutler will show us how he makes a box with a curly top

Next month’s wood of the month is, Dogwood

Wood of the month will be replaced next year with a show and tell spot, so for those lucky enough to win the raffle will be invited to show and tell us about something you made, a tool you have or a material you use (not just wood)

Future plans of improving facilities at the club over the next five years include better dust extraction, replacing a couple of lathes, and buying a set of tools for each lathe. If you feel other items should be included in this 5-year-plan please share this with us. Each of these items will cost over £1,000 and will be financed in various ways from within and outwith the club. We hope you will support your club in these upgrades which will benefit you all.

Demonstrations – Our next professional demonstrator will be on Tuesday 12^th March by Eugene Grimley from Ireland who is making a return visit, almost exactly a year since his last visit. Eugene will also be holding a masterclass on Wednesday 13^th March.

Please put this in your diary, even though it is still a while away. Tickets will be available soon.

Next Years Programme. – We have five professional demonstrators booked for next year and seven club night demonstrations by our own members, not just by committee members, please speak to us if you would like to demonstrate on one of those evenings, and we will allocate you and evening and space in our 2019 programme.

Harrogate 2018 – The North of England Woodworking and Power Tool Show will be this weekend November 16^th – 18^th. We have a bus going, and one or two members are going separately or on a different day. Those who have been before really enjoyed it and if you have never been before I would encourage you to go. It is a great place to buy stuff you need, and stuff you don’t need, but also to be inspired and encouraged. Please bring back some of those ideas and share them with the other members, and maybe demonstrate them on a club night.

Rolf