A Branch of the
Association of Woodturners of Great Britain
RECENT DEMONSTRATIONS
April 2018
Andy Coates gave us a very interesting evening. He first showed us the process to apply raindrops to a turned item. He was not able to completed the process due to the time it takes for the drops to develop. Instead he showed us a plate recently made and completed, what a remarkable process. He then showed us how to make a three cornered dish from a cube of wood. This also was very impressive but he did warn us to keep our fingers out of the way whilst the lathe was turning!!!!! The way Andy explains his techniques I am sure gets his ideas over to our members very well. Thank you Andy
May 2018
This evening was a new venture. Paul Howard and Brian Partridge offered to get together and with two lathes and similar pieces of wood show us how each tackled the same basic shape. A number of differences came to light in the type of tools used, the way the tools were used and the final shape. As the evening progressed they both commented on what and why they did things their way. Interesting.
September 2018
For something very different we were given a very interesting talk about the history and variations of bows and arrows. He brought many examples of replicas he had made and explained why changes were made to fit the different uses. We learnt a lot from Willie.
October 2018
One of our members Brian Mansfield is a very experienced pattern maker for metal casting. Brian had been making patterns for many years and it turned out that he had made patterns for a number things needed for woodturning lathes. This included a number of tool rests. Brian explained that as metal shrank when cooling to a solid he had to use special rulers set for different metals. He also told us that he had to use the woodturning lathe to make some parts of the patterns
October 2018
This month saw the special whole day event of this year and to demonstrate we had Colwin Way who gave us a superb demonstration. Colwin gave us a quick idea of his turning life so far telling us that he now works for Axminster as tutor and demonstrator during the week and at week ends he spends a good amount of time making things which likes and sells. His demonstration showed very well his experience of his tutoring meaning that he explained his techniques and ideas in a way that was very helpful to everyone. He started making a chairleg and made it look so easy with much use of a German style skew chisel. He then followed with a candlestick which had a beautiful shape. He made a goblet with a very nice double twist on the stem just by eye. He then finished with an apple and a pear. I am sure that everyone learnt something during this day. I certainly did thank you Colwin
December 2018
Shaun Clifford gave us an intriguing evening. He started by turning a handled cup in one piece and had us all guessing how he could do this. The answer was that he turned all the parts that could be turned but left a piece sticking out all round which he then cut the un-
March 2019
Darren Breeze gave us an excellent demonstration of a number of the techniques he uses on some of his plates. His explanations were very clear and he did not waste any time by completely finishing things he just got on to the next idea. He showed many ideas which were easily copied by many of our members. He also said that he prefers not to completely cover the item with colour so that the wood is entirely hidden. The last item although not taken to what he would consider a final finish gave us a good idea of how it would look. Thank you Darren for a great evening.
February 2019
Paul Howard gave us a very interesting evening by showing how to make a very strange Inro box on a string with a handle. The box was turned in two pieces which were stuck together each side of a small spacing piece of wood brown paper was used to make separation easier. Once turned the pieces were separated from the spacer and joined together giving a shaped box, not a true round. A handle was then made plus two rings which enabled a leather string to be fed through the to and bottom of the box. This enable it to be easily carried on a the waist of a Japanese Kimono to carry small objects.
April 2019
Tony Walton made us all get our binoculars out to se the very small items he turned. He gave us lots of advice about how to set about this including how to acquire tiny little cutters to make the captive rings. His largest item was a pedestal dish 3.5cms high made from three pieces including a very decorative dish made from scrap wood. This demo will help our members to make such tiny things for our August instant gallery. Thank you Tony
June 29th 2019
Richard Findley was our celebrity demonstrator for 2019. What a great day this was. We heard from a professional turner how he was able to achieve great turning results efficiently enough to earn a good living. He showed the basic tools which he used and how he ground them. He discussed the variations which others use and pointed out that whatever works for you and gives good results must be OK. He made it clear that the use of the body to steer the cut was the best way when that was possible. He discussed the variations available for the skew chisel and said that he was not sure that there was a lot of difference in the performance of them. He gave us lots of tips and showed that if you wish to turn things efficiently then good planning was the way. He made two things, in the morning a chair leg with a barley twist and in the afternoon a round bottom bowl. I am sure that everyone in the room will have learnt a number of worthwhile ideas and techniques. Thank you Richard
July 2019
Brian Partridge showed us what to do with some grotty bits of wood. He pointed out that using bits of wood which might normally be thrown out could be turned into something useful and if not gave an opportunity to try a new idea without the risk of wasting a good piece of wood and also give some practice which most of us need to help with our woodturning activity. He showed that wood worm might not be as bad as it looked on the outside. He managed to get a piece of rotten wood looking OK by hardening the wood with sanding sealer. He turned a piece of Laurel branch cut two days before, which spat on his face but still had not split two weeks after. He retrieved a square of wood from a very split piece of cherry and made a handle for a pie knife. He also showed that a grotty bit of oak gatepost could have a good look if scorched on the outside. Was this a useful evening????
August 2019
Andy gave us a detailed presentation showing lots of interesting things about bowl turning. From how to get a shape that looks good to what tools are available for bowl turning. He also showed that the idea of turning the outside from bottom to top is not always essential and where this is OK your body will have much better control to form the shape. He also showed us a way to use up odd bits of wood by sticking them together to form the blank for a nice dish.
September 2019
Ed Oliver came up from Kent to show us his ideas for decorating hollow forms. He started by showing how to turn a basic hollow form by first drilling with a forstner bit down to where the inside would extend, followed by the use of the Simon Hope skew scraper to get the rest of the inside out. This was all done very quickly to show the basics. He then followed with pre-
May 2019
Roger Foden surprised us by making a heart shaped bowl. This was not an easy task as the off centre bits meant that great care had to be taken to keep fingers away and to make small cuts with a very sharp tool. The final result was very impressive. Thank you also Roger for showing that two hands were not essential.
A first time for one of our members Terry Harragan to demonstrate for half an evening. He came up with a slightly different way to turn a bowl. He left a rise in the middle of the bowl and let into the top a military button. This looked very attractive but he told us that a coin could also be placed there. The Bowl was ideal for small things like sweeties. Terry chose to make the bowl with very dry oak which is not easy to turn but he managed OK
The second half of this evening was done by John Butcher who was also a club member doing something for us for the first time. He first l told us about lace bobbins, the various types and the important things to know about them. His project was a rather elegant lace bobbin decorated with gleaming brass wire stitched into the stem of the bobbin. He then in the last 10 minutes made a little pendant
June 2019
Well done both of you
October 2019
It was great to see David Floyd back demonstrating despite his disability he gave us an interesting half evening on pen making. He did not make a pen but covered a great many many useful points which I am sure were of interest to all of us. He also showed us how useful two of the available tools which would help anyone wishing to make a large quantity of pens. Thank you David.
December 2019
Graham Slaughter gave us an evening about slightly different bowls and pots. He showed us how to make a pot with a slightly different shape to normal, a pot with a square side and a bowl with a square side. Very interesting.
February 2020
Our Chairman Alan Arnold was persuaded to give us an evening this year and chose to make a Lighthouse set on a small island. This proved to be an interesting project which to our surprise included a light at the top. He said that he would like to have made the light go round but did not have time to work this out. The windows in the top were made using a router and the 24 step of the lathe. This was then followed with some carving of a suitable lump of would to look like a rocky island using a mini rotating cutter. Note that it is important to keep hands well clear of the cutter and the item being cut well clamped down.
September 2021
Graham Slaughter gave us a very interesting evening discussing table lamps and the styles and the fittings and techniques needed to produce a worthwhile lamp. He brought along several of the lamps he has made.
This was a very interesting evening thank you Graham.
Pictures Taken by Nick Row
October 2021
Paul Howard as usual gave us a fascinating but very odd demonstration of a small pot supported by another small pot. This required significant skill to join the two together such that they both stood on the ground.
February 2022
Peter Nicholls gave us a very interesting evening. He started by listing all the important things which should be considered when starting a woodturning project and followed with an interesting number of simple projects which helped him emphasise those points made at the beginning
October 2021
Emma The Tiny Turner gave us a full day demonstration. What a great day this was. Emma showed us a number of unusual things including a Hollow Glass Ball with fairy lights inside mounted on a decorated plinth. A lidded box decorated with Pyrography and gold leaf a small bowl made from Oak with lots of features and finished with the traditional aging process. Emma gave us lots of information about the way she turns and decorates wood. I am sure that every who came learnt some worthwhile things.
Thank you Emma for a super day.
November 2021
Alan Arnold our Chairman stepped in at the last minute to give us a demonstration of two different pots. As usual this was a very jolly event and we all appreciated that he had to do something on the spur of the moment. Thank you Alan
March 2022
Shaun Clifford showed us how to make a square dish with three hand carved feet and decoration on the base. Very interesting thank you Shaun.
Pictures by Nick Rowe
April 2022
Club Member John Butcher gave us a really good evening making a very delicate miniature clock on a lovely stand. John showed a lot of skill making such a thing at a demonstration.
Well done John
June 2022
Nick Rowe one of our members showed us how to turn small trees. This was Nicks first ever demonstration and he gave us a superb evening showing various techniques and giving very good explanations of his turning. Very well done Nick
July 2022
Tic Challis gave us a fascinating evening showing us all about air brushing. She started by telling the history of the technique followed by details of air brush design. She then gave us a serious lecture about how to start using air brushes and warned that unless we spent some time practising the basic techniques (which are not like brush painting) you will not win. She then showed us more difficult ideas. I am sure that all of us learnt a lot and would like to have a go. Very very well done Tic
August 2022
Alan Arnold gave us a very different evening by making some flower heads. This required some very delicate work to make the individual petals. Alan managed despite his problem with his left hand. Well done Alan
August 2022
Mick Hanbury gave us a whole day’s demonstration and showed us some great turning together with lots of useful ideas and explanations. Thank you Mick very much
September 2022
Terry Smart the boss of Chestnut Finishes gave us a very worthwhile demonstration of the wide variety of finishes which his company produce. He started by explaining that most woods are quite happy with most of the finishes and that the important thing is to think what the wood is going to be used for. For example if you are making a pen, then it would not be great to use an organic wax finish, as a pen is in the users hands and fingers a great deal, and wax would show finger marks. During the evening he showed the application of many different finishes. This was done using two freshly turned pieces made by one of our members which had no sanding done at all. I am sure we all picked up some useful ideas. Thank you Terry.
Lots of different finishes shown on this little platter tea light
This Ash candlestick was given a coarse brush first to emphasise the grain, then sprayed black followed by putting different colours over the top to enhance the grain. Terry did not have the time to give the final finish but it showed the technique.
November 2022
Paul Howard showed us a very interesting off centre box. There were very difficult turning techniques explained by Paul.
February 2024
Shaun Clifford took a grotty looking bit of wood and turned it into something very acceptable. He is certainly not put off by the look of the wood. Well done Shaune
March 2024
Brian Partridge took a basic lump of Ash and preceded to produce the turning for a clock and showed the procedures to do the final finishing, as the turned piece would take to long to do in a demonstration.
The Start The Finish
