Woodturning News

• 31 December 2021 I have finally managed to put a write up of John Whiteley's November demonstration on the site. It shows him creating an off centre candlestick using a special eccentric chuck. There is a video as well, though poor quality (taken on an iPhone). It should be available from 1 January 2022. I have also put a write-up of Steve Fearnley's October demonstration, on pinch pots and salt spoons on the site. Again, there is a video available.
• 29 December 2021 Geoff Walker has organised two training/ hands on days for members in 2022. Thursday 27 January in Broughton, and Saturday 19 March in Hunmanby Gap. A programme of 2022 club evenings and events is available on the Calendar page.
• 14 December 2021 A few photos of members' turning have been added to the woodturning gallery. Although we are not in a lockdown (yet!), it is still good to receive photos of pieces people have turned. Please send in any photos you may have.
• 4 December 2021 Some photos and a write-up of the December meeting are now available on the site.
• 2 December 2021 The December club meeting is still on. This one is a little different, with exhibits on show for the annual club competition, the Chairman's Challenge pieces and result, a quiz, a timber identification challenge (3 dozen turned eggs), free chestnut blanks for members, a buffet, and a seasonal raffle. Guests welcome. Usual £5 admission on the door.
• 30 November 2021 Recruiting for the 2022 season. Membership renewals are due in January. New members will be very welcome to join us. Membership is just £25 for the year, for which you get a programme of monthly demonstrations, access to training and hands-on days, access to second hand tool sales and wood blanks (giveaways or donations), regular communications, and of course the opportunity to meet up with like-minded wood enthusiasts.
  

• Saturday and Sunday
  27-28 November.
  Club exhibition and sale,Thornton le Dale. Despite the atrocious weather served up by Storm Arwen, we survived the gale force winds, rain, sleet and slow, and had a surprising number of visitors call in to view our produce, and buy lots of pieces. We made nearly £1500, with over £1000 going to club members, the rest to club funds and to pay the Hill Institute rental. Thanks to all involved in helping, and to all visitors who came, talked to us, and bought items. Some pictures from the sale are available.

• 23 November 2021 Steve F, Colin and Derek visited Frank up at Liverton this morning, to take advantage of Frank's offer of wood as he tries to clear some of his stock. He has a couple of dozen planks of spalted beech, some planked ash and oak, and various logs. All of this is dry, having been felled a few years ago and planked two years ago. Frank is not looking to make a fortune from the wood, you will find very reasonable pricing. I would recommend that anyone looking to increase their woodstock, for turning or more general woodworking, considers a visit up to Liverton. Have a word with Frank at the next meeting, or get in touch with me and I will pass on your request.
• 2 December meeting: programme of events.
  Club competition: Beginners, Intermediate, Advanced sections. Choose which description you feel best suits you. The only ruke is that if you have been 1st, 2nd or 3rd in a previous competition, you must move up to the next category. Up to three pieces can be entered from any one member. Everyone who attends will be asked to vote 1, 2, 3 in each category (anonymously). Votes will then be added up and 1st 2nd 3rd declared. Big prizes to be awarded!
  Chairman's Challenge. Bring along the piece of wood John gave out in September. John is sole arbiter on the winner.
  Quiz and crossword. A little light relief.
  Egg Challenge: 3 dozen eggs turned in different timbers. How many can you identify?
  Show and tell. Members are invited to bring along something either to display or to talk about. It can be a success or a failure, either way we can learn from it.
  Free blanks. See below.
  Buffet, tea and coffee. A little catering as it is the last meeting of the year. All included in the standard admission price.
  Raffle. As usual, but with more seasonal prizes.
  Guests are welcome as always, but please contact us in advance so we can cater appropriately.
  Questionnaire feedback. A brief summary of wht you told us, and update on plans for 2022.
  
• 16 November 2021 Free wood available! A group of five members visited Scampston Hall near Malton on Tuesday: a very large branch on the old chestnut in the grounds had fallen, and Scampston said we could have it if we could clear it. Lance, Frank, Peter and Colin all arrived with chainsaws; not having a saw, I supervised! The branch - which was as wide as a trunk at its base - was cut into workable and liftable chunks, and will be available free to club members. More information on the Scampston Chestnut page.
• 15 November 2021 Apologies for the delay in updating the site - a very busy couple of weeks with some software work.
  John's demonstration this month was, as always, "something different". Eccentric turning with a mean looking chuck, and then with a more standard adapted ordinary chuck. Also thanks to Lance and Steve, plus other volunteers who chipped in with the clearing up, for the welcome return of refreshments. Much more civilised than bottles and flasks, and our first chance to use the new kitchen at the hall.
  A video was made of the demo, but only on an iphone so quality is not quite as good as other attempts. I will get it posted on YouTube in the coming days, now I have a little more time on my hands.
• 3 November 2021 Tomorrow's demonstration will be by John Whiteley, looking at using an eccentric chuck. There will also be a sale of wood blanks and woodworking books. And a presentation of the programme for 2022, and a discussion of what club members want from the club. And details of the upcoming sale on November 27 - 28. And, of course, a chance to talk to each other - tea, coffee and biscuits are back on! Prospective new members and guests welcome as always.
• 13 October 2021 A video of last weeks's impromptu demonstration by Steve Fearnley is now available on YouTube. The link is on the video gallery page. The sound is a little bumpy (microphone too close to mouth), the first 15 minutes is missing (Martyn forgot to turn on record), not all the explanations are in shot (I forgot to position items for the camera), but generally the video does give a reasonable representation of the demonstration. Any comments welcome - we are trying to improve the Zoom and video side of meetings.
  John has booked Thornton le Dale Village Hall for another exhibition and sale, the weekend of 28 - 29 November. Get making those Christmas decorations and snowmen, and anything else you would like to sell.
• 5 October 2021 Sue Harker has had to let us know that she is unable to do the demonstration this week. Instead Steve Fearnley will do a demonstration of making "pinch pots" and salt spoons, which involves multiple centre work and dual axis turning, as well as a little pyrography.
  There will also be a selection of wood, tools and products donated to the club by Gordon Malan, available to members for a suitable donation.
• 23 September 2021 A reminder that our next meeting is on Thursday 7 September, when we welcome back Sue Harker for a live demonstration. It will be broadcast on Zoom once again, hopefully without any technical hitches this time. A link will be sent via email a few days before the meeting.
• 13 September 2021 A write-up of Philip Greenwood's demonstration last week is now on the site.
• 11 September 2021 Pictures from our September sale at Thornton le Dale are now on the site, together with a brief report. There is also a video available of Philip Greenwood's demonstration on 2 September, when he shared techniques for making an apple and a clock. There is a link on the video gallery page.
• 21 August 2021 Obviously our programme of demonstrations was ruined by Covid, and now we are back in the Hall, Ian is trying to find demonstrators for the coming months. At fairly short notice for September Philip Greenwod has agreed to step in, and for October another local professional, Sue Harker. Not sure beyond that just yet. Watch this space.
• 11 August 2021 Some notes and photos from Martyn Weller's demonstration on segmented turning techniques are now available on the website. Sorry a Zoom video was not made, so there is no video to look back on. A very interesting demonstration of one of the more painstaking areas of woodturning.
• 26 July 2021 More sad news I am afraid, of one of our members. Gordon Malan passed away yesterday, having been unwell for some time. Gordon was a long time member of the club, making a significant input over the years. He produced a monthly club newsletter from May 2010 to February 2012; he put demonstration video recordings on to DVD for the club library; he secured grants from the AWGB - for example for half the cost of our Nova lathe. He was our chairman 2014 - 2017; he regularly contributed to Hands On Nights, club competitions and to Show and Tell, and was a keen competitor (and winner) in the woodturning sections of local agricultural shows.
  
  
  

  Gordon demonstrating in 2019

  Gordon gave a club demonstration in June 2019, showing how he creates one of his signature square winged bowls, for which he had become known at a national level through the AWGB
  His interest and enthusiasm will be sadly missed.

• 23 July 2021 Update on plans to reopen
• Meeting at Snainton Village Hall on Thursday 5 August 2021, 7:30 – 9:30 pm
• £5 entry on the door. Remember, no membership renewal fees payable until January 2022.
• (New members: membership fees for August – December 2021 payable, £14.)
• There will be a raffle on the evening.
• Martyn Weller will be demonstrating segmented methods.
• John Whiteley and Steve Fearnley will bring along some of the pieces shown in online demonstrations and shared on the Corona Gallery, including John’s doughnut chuck and an eccentric chuck. Other members are invited to bring pieces made during the lockdown to display.
• Details of the arrangements for the September sale (Sat 4th and Sunday 5th September) to be presented on the evening.
• We suggest masks are worn, but this will be a personal decision.
• Chairs will be placed at a distance from each other. Windows will be opened. Sanitiser will be available.
• No refreshments will be provided on this occasion. Please bring a flask or a bottle – there will be a break.
• The meeting will be broadcast live on Zoom on the evening, and recorded for future reference. £5 attendance fee for this – we need to cover our costs.  Details to nearer the date.
• Guests and new members welcome.

• 4 July 2021 I was very sad to hear the news that Rob Thompson had died unexpectedly on Tuesday. Rob played such a major part in so many of our journeys into woodturning. He started his wood supplies and woodworking tools business at Snainton I think back in the 1980s, moving away from making pit props when Mrs Thatcher took on the miners. He loved turning bowls on his beloved VB lathe, often large and often from beautiful burrs; he preferred a natural matt finish - "you can't beat a little lemon oil".
  
  

  Bernard, Ron, Rob, Steve, 2015

  
  He set up what is now our club in 1995 - at first called Scarborough and District Woodturners, then Snainton Woodturning Club. He also offered a lifetime of free tuition to anyone who bought a lathe from Snainton, holding "beginner's nights" every Wednesday throughout the year. Myself and others enjoyed these meetings long after the point where we might be deemed beginners, with Rob holding court most evenings when his health allowed. Some attended just to sit and chat with Rob (and have a cup of tea!), and have one of the boiled sweets he liked to bring round and offer to everyone.
  I found Rob's advice and encouragement invaluable, and I shall certainly miss him. I am sure all our thoughts are with his daughters Lynda and Jackie at this difficult time.
• 1 July 2021 John Whiteley gave an online demonstration this evening, of turning a nine-centred bowl with 8 lobes, turned using a doughnut chuck. If you mised it or would like to watch again, there is a video on the video gallery page.
• 3 June 2021 Steve Fearnley gave an online demonstration of making various keyrings. A video is available in the video gallery. Not the best sound quality, sorry. A few photos are on the corona gallery page.
  John Whiteley announced a booking of the Hill Institute in Thornton le Dale for a club sale - 4th and 5th of September. So please get turning in preparation!
• 6 May 2021 It was good to see a new demonstrator this month, with Dennis Wake turning half a log into a winged bowl. Lots of details and hints as the work progressed. Possibly another demonstrator to add to our local lists - if you can consider Hartlepool as local. Dennis is from the Teesside club, as a few others on our list have been in recent years.
• 16 April 2021 I was sorry to hear from Dave Lowe that Terry Taylor has passed away very recently. Terry was a long time stalwart at our club over many years, until ill health and a bad fall limited his attendance. He was well known for making thousands of lace bobbins, as well as elephant cakes and peg people.
• 2 April 2021 Our next demonstration (online) will be on Thursday 6 May, when we welcome Dennis Wake, a woodturner based in Hartlepool and a member of Teesside Woodturners Association. Dennis has a website Woodturning Hartlepool which will tell you a little about him and his work. Once again there will be a £5 fee, to recoup some of the cost of engaging him. Details will be circulated nearer the time.
• 1 April 2021 Paul Hannaby gave a very interesting and informative Zoom demonstration, using the video technology to good effect. He turned a natural edge goblet from boxwood, although the natural edge vanished when he sliced off the top off the cup trying to make the bottom of the cup too thin. He did finish the rest of the goblet, and then turned a goblet with a barley twist stem with 2 starts, using 3 files, from sassafrass.
  An enjoyable couple of hours, with clear explanations and a few useful tips.
• 16 March 2021 The next online club demonstration will be on 1 April 2021. It will be by Paul Hannaby, who is chairman of the AWGB. He will be turning goblets, including natural edge and twisted stems. Link details have been sent out to members, and a reminder will be sent a couple of days before. There will be a £5 fee for this one. Non members are welcome. - just let me know of your interest.
• 4 March 2021 Another online demonstration by Philip Greenwood for this month's club meeting. Philip is certainly making the best of the video technology. His demonstration of a finial box and lidded box was accompanied by a running commentary regularly sharing hints and suggestions, particularly with regard to safe practices. As he said, "Even for seasoned woodturners it's always good to listen to how someone else does it″, a sentiment with which I entirely agree. The visual aids - white card to show profiles, a clock hand to show how to present a gouge at 10 o'clock, and a drawing of negative scrapers are just three I remember. Thanks to the 18 club members who tuned in.
• 11 February 2021 More updates on the online demonstration front. Last Thursday Chestnut Products ran a Conkers Live demonstration by Emma Cook at the same time as my club pyrography demonstration (how dare they!). It is still available on YouTube - I have put a link on the video page. [ 4 March update - I noticed this had been taken off.] Emma turns a block of resin into a 3 inch sphere, thus covering the techniques of sphere turning and resin turning (and polishing). You can still get some other Conkers Live sessions - one that might be of particular interest is a recent Question and Answer session, with our very own Dave Lowe, along with Emma Cooke and Richard Findley. Again I have put a link on the video gallery page. The next live session is with Les Thorne on Wednesday 24 February at 7:15 pm.
• 4 February 2021 A video of tonight's demonstration on pyrography is now available on YouTube. Given the steadily increasing collection of videos we have of online demonstrations, I have created a video gallery page where they can be viewed and acessed.
• If you have ever picked up a copy of Revolutions, the AWGB magazine, and found it of interest, you may be interested to know that an archive of 126 of Revolutions magazines is available on the AWGB website, starting at number 1 in 1987, and covering every edition up until December 2018.
• 31 January 2021 The next online club demonstration is on Thursday 4 February 2021 at 7.30 pm, using the Zoom platform, for which the club has now purchased a subscription. Steve Fearnley has prepared a video of the various stages in making this 12″ commemorative platter, including design, turning, pyrography and finishing. Contact Steve if you would like a Zoom invite.