Please note that the date of the wood preparation workshop is the 20th March not the 13th as mentioned in some places – my apologies for any confusion!

Note also the time is 12noon to 4pm.

The main objectives are:

• Convert the remaining ash planks from the outside wood store into wax-sealed bowl and spindle blanks.
• Tidy up the inside and outside wood stores and make sure as much as possible is priced up.

Secondary objectives are:

• Plank the remaining logs of oak, elm and sycamore in the outside wood store
• Convert the remaining yew logs inside into something turnable

Anyone wanting to assist would be very welcome. There will opportunities for getting acquainted with the bandsaw under supervision, sealing wood with wax as well as some planking using the chainsaw.

Hope to see you there,

Phil J

 

 

Our four course members successfully completed their course, having fun, learning some stuff, and hopefully enthused to turn some more.

 

Many thanks to Phil and Jake last night for a great demo of little critters.  Phil produced a great range of mice, hedgehogs, and various insects. I should have photographed them so that I could have a go myself. I loved Jakes woodpecker, and clever choice of woods to make it really colourful, and the little guy that wobbled his way down the welding rod-pole worked really well.

This is what the club is all about, having a go, producing something exceptional, yet within our capabilities, and sharing your skills with club members, in a friendly and understandable way.

Well done to you both.

Notices – March  2016

Tonight our demonstration should prove interesting with Phil and Jake producing some “Wee Critters” for our edification!!!

The wood of the month is Bog Oak presented by Judith Simpson

Next Month (12^th April)  the demonstration will be by myself and will concentrate on Off Centre Work

The competition will be Animals and the wood of the month is Hickory (volunteer needed)

 

Last Saturday we had an excellent demonstration from Richard Kennedy which was well attended with people coming from both Strathclyde Woodturners and Border Woodturners. Thank you to all who help make this an enjoyable event.

Our next Professional Demonstration will be by Mick Hanbury from Lincolnshire on Sunday 22^nd May.  Mick is a skilful and artistic woodturner who has been turning for over 20 years. He is listed on the Register of Professional Turners as well as being a member of Association of Woodturners of Great Britain. Over the years Mick has developed a unique style of decorative finishes to his pieces and is well known for his beautiful finial boxes, elegant spiral stem goblets, and delicately patterned platters.

Again tickets are on sale from the shop – get your today..

 

Afternoon Turning Session – The Wednesday afternoon sessions are proving to go down well and David has agreed to continue for the time being. The session runs from 2pm until 4pm. These are not aimed to be teaching sessions in themselves, members should be able to work by themselves; however help is at hand for any advice needed.

 

Dust Masks – Last Saturday quite a number of people expressed interest in purchasing the dust mask used by Richard Kennedy. I now have 18 of these on order and they will be in the shop asap.

Club Purchasing Offers

www.pen-kits.co.uk are offering special offers to clubs where members combine orders.

If club members combine their orders, will they save on postage costs, they will also include free bushings for every kit style bought.

If you are interested, please see their web site and then let me know of your interest.

 

Events and Demonstrations at G&S Specialist Timber

Woodturning by Chris Pouncy: 14 April.  Woodcarving by Michael Painter & Peter Berry: 23rd & 24th September. More information see; www.toolsandtimber.co.uk/events-demonstrations

 

Launch of Europe’s largest woodturning competitions

Created for both amateur and professional woodturners, The Worshipful Company of Turners has launched its 2016 Competitions. Entries will be judged and displayed at Carpenters’ Hall in the City of London in October, the 2016 Competitions will be the largest event of its kind in Europe.

All entries registered with the Turners’ Company by Monday 12 September and received by 11.30am on Tuesday 11 October will be exhibited as part of Wizardry in Wood.

This is expected to attract several thousand visitors between 12th and 15th October at Carpenters’ Hall. Further information at: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/turners-company-2016-competitions-tickets-20942012122

Saturday 5th March saw a Professional Turner Richard Kennedy  give a marvellous demonstration at the Workshop. Richard started with a small hollowform using the Simon Hope camera directed hollowing tool. This was then coloured using spirit based stains. Richard then turned and carved one of his signature tree bowls going through each stage of the process in some detail. The final piece was a Rude Osolnik Candle Holder which was turned using only a roughing gouge. The demonstration was well attended with members from Strathclyde Woodturners and Border Woodturners joining us for the day.

Tonight the demonstration is by Rolf and it will part one of simple bowls
The competition, following Decembers Demo, is a Box with an inlaid lid or a plain lid for novice turners.
The wood of the month is a Banksia nut presented by John Brown.

Next Month we have an all-day Demonstration by professional turner Richard Kennedy. This is on Saturday 5th March – Tickets on sale tonight – if possible could you please take a poster and display it around the area. The day starts at 10am until 4pm – soup & sandwich lunch included

The club night on the 8th will be taken by Phil and Jake tuning some “Wee Criters”
The competition will be a small bowl with a QUALITY FINISH
The wood of the month is Bog Oak by Judith

There are still places left on the Workshop Tutorial days – but please note the dates
17th march – Wood preparation
17th July – Sharpening
25th September – Boxes

Spaces on these days will be limited so please sign up as soon as possible – forms on the notice board.

Raffle Prizes – If members see anything that they think may make a good Raffle Prize please bring it in – Costs will be reimbursed (usually about £5)

Afternoon Turning Session – The Committee has been asked about the possibility of running an afternoon session in the winter months for those who are retired. David Simpson has agreed to run a session from 2pm – 4pm on Wednesdays for the next 4 weeks. If there is no response to these then we will have to rethink day sessions.

Course Tutors – At present there are only two people taking courses (Rolf and myself) which, given the demand is quite an undertaking. The AWGB has recently started a course for tutors, followed by an assessment. They are willing to come along to the club and run an assessment day but need a minimum of 4 people. If anyone would like to volunteer and train to become a tutor then please see either Rolf or myself.

Workshop Practise – Attendance at the Tuesday and Wednesday Turning Sessions are quite full with members commenting about not being able to get on a lathe. To help overcome this, if all the lathes are in use and there are people waiting, then time on the lathes will be curtailed to one hour. There will be a list posted on the notice board with time slots for 7-8pm and 8-9pm.
The committee is also concerned at some of the practises being seen when turning at the club particularly the speeds being used when turning and about large groups gathering around lathes when they are in use.
A table of appropriate speeds has been posted on the notice board and will be on the web. Would members please adhere to these when turning on club lathes.

I’ve not been turning very much over the last few weeks because I finally got round to making a cabinet for my turning tools. They used to live in a heap in the bottom of a cupboard !

The cabinet is mainly made from wood I had kept ‘just in case’ including some bits of hardwood floor boards.

Large tools go in the main cabinet and smaller tools in the doors.

General view, overall size is 1200mm by 800mm.

Closer view of main cabinet.

Closer view of right hand door for medium sized tools, left hand door is similar for small tools.