Another Good Club Night

April 2004 Meeting

Tonight is what we call a turn-in, this is when we have four lathes set up in the hall and each one has its own particular project to demonstrate. I arrived a little earlier than usual with the intention of helping out only to find the lathes already set up and the demonstrators almost ready to turn. The hall was busy with a good number of members putting up tables, placing chairs and busily chatting. The library was set up. The judge was ready to receive items for the competition and some timber was on display for sale.

As I walked in the chairman said, "you can set up over there" That sounded like he thinks I'm demonstrating tonight. No, I must have misunderstood. So I proceeded to set my two gallery pieces on the table. Again I was asked about demonstrating so I quickly explained I'm not demonstrating, I've just brought my bench grinder to show members the grinding jig I made. What I didn't realise till later was that my name was on the evenings newsletter to demonstrate. That was a bit of a shock, It'll be a long time before I'm that good. Nice that they thought I could though, perhaps my work is better than I thought?

Moving on, I had two pieces for the gallery for members to see and chat about, one was my grinding jig. The other, well it got a lot of attention, I managed to put the gouge through the middle of my competition platter. I made light of it by writing a poem to accompany it on the table. See separate article with pictures entitled OH HECK

I invited a guest tonight, a professional in his own field. I have asked him to write an article for us, I won't say anymore only that this will be a world first to my knowledge specifically aimed at Woodturners.

With all that done and sorted it was time for the usual chairman's welcome and general chat. I offered to do the teas with Peter mid way through the evening thinking it was going to be a lazy night for me, I got that wrong. Ken introduced three of the turners and their chosen subjects and finally the fourth turner Bill Thorne, Bill said a few kind words thanking all those who visited his shop over the years which has just closed because of retirement to concentrate on turning. All that sorted and we where onto another good club night. Well that's when my evening started to get busy. I spent some time showing my guest around and explained various things. First the competition pieces to show the quality of the work produced. Next he flicked through a few books to get some ideas, he saw the blanks in the timber for sale area and then it was into the hall to the demonstrations.

Ted Jones was demonstrating thread cutting for boxes etcetera. Dave Cullen Gaval and light pulls, Ken White making boxes and spindle turning using the skew chisel and other aspects of tool control as requested by members present. And finally our guest turner Bill Thorne, Bill turned Mushrooms and Permanda bowls. All turners received a lot of attention throughout the evening. A turn in is always busy with questions and answers.

I had a chat with a member who very kindly went to the trouble of writing and article accompanied by pictures showing what he saw on his holiday, watch out for that it'll be on the site very soon. It is titled "A FORTUNATE DISCOVERY"

I lost count of the number of times I chatted about my gallery pieces, I found myself having the same conversation individually to what seemed like every member present tonight. I also had the opportunity to obtain some green cherry, so it was a case of driving the car to the other side of the building to load it up. Added to this was the helping with the refreshments, I kept getting interrupted, sorry Peter. When the clearing up was done in the kitchen I went to check on my competition piece, I asked Ray Matthews who is the clubs resident photographer, to take a number of pictures to accompany my article explaining the mishap I had with my platter. By now it was time for the raffle, there was as usual a good selection of quality items to choose from, I won an American Cherry blank, this will go on top of the pile I haven't had time to turn yet. Every time I win something I take a blank and it reminds me that I don't spend enough time turning, if I don't start soon I wont be able to get in the workshop!

All of that seemed to pass by in no time at all, I guess that's proof of a quality club night. So its thanks to the organisers, setting up and putting away, teas by mainly Peter, the raffle and finally its chairs away and the sweeping up crew.

And there goes another good club night.

Boots, April 2004