Another good club night - August 2007

Here I am with a time date of 21:40 on August 29 and still nothing written for the August meeting, I'll just remind you I don't make notes now and I was one of the three demonstrators, so don't get to comfortable, your not likely to be here long.

As sometimes happens my club night starts way back in the afternoon, as I said I was demonstrating so I had my lathe, stands, tools, timber……………to put in the van, I was to demonstrate the shear scrap, I had the experience of owning one for quite a while and couldn't get on with at all despite seeing it at various demo's. I owe my great experience I now have to none other than John Davis of Stockbridge, I may have exaggerated the great experience bit a tad, I lie, I exaggerated loads, never the less I demonstrated it, more on that later.

So back to the meeting, as usual there where members approaching from all angles and everyone seem to want to speak to me. There were a brilliant number of competition entries this month; at this point I officially make my apologies to Rick as I thought the projects he set this month where way to advanced but the members including myself proved otherwise, there where 8 entries in the Tall Box category and I have no idea how many Salt and Pepper grinders where there, I was demonstrating so young Kayleigh had my camera and ran out of memory before getting to the beginners class and Dave is in now in Canada and I think Ray was on holiday, I'll ask around but if you don't get an update or a picture then maybe if I can remember I'll let you know next time around.

Don fits into this somewhere doesn't he, this'll do, Don called the meeting open and the busy chatting, tea and coffee drinking crowd stood silent, the usual announcements plus the advanced AGM things where said and Bill followed with a couple of items, just to show his authority you understand. At this point I realise I'm no where near ready to demonstrate so I quickly and quietly set to, much to the amusement of the ever ready casual Paul Nesbitt. Dave Comley had come in with all his gear, set up and had a cup tea and was mingling in the crowd, something tells me I have a lot to learn about this demonstrating lark.

Somebody shouted go and we where away, I made some excuse about you need to see this as I got myself ready to enlighten the world to the wonders of the Shear Scrap, It was worth a try but I think they saw through me, I'll stand up and be counted and own up to being the instigator of tonight's theme which was hands on, the reasons being many fold, Paul Nesbitt was here and is brilliant at hands on and all things lathe wise, I had struggled as I said with the shear scrape till I was shown hands on, Dave wanted to get members trying the texturing tool and finally I just think the members have come on so well at talking to each other and getting involved it was just a natural progression, reading that back you'd think I knew what I was talking about wouldn't you?

Well the judges judged, Carol and Dawn did the refreshments, Jim did the library, Colin did the raffle, and the members moved around and did it all with tea and coffee flowing all night, and the lathes had numerous members trying the exercises, it has to be said it was a great success. Then we had the Paul Nesbitt challenge, last month if you remember he showed us how to make a Woodpecker Door Knocker and suggested we try it, and we had a good few entries, Paul looked at each one and made a comment then awarded a prize to each category, Don then thanked Paul for his efforts and handed him a bottle of wine, I think Paul was truly surprised, it was then time for all of the entries to try them, quite noisy as you can imaging from a Woodpecker door knocker, well done Paul and many thanks for a bit of light entertainment.

So there was I fully expecting to get back to demonstrating only to see Dave's lathe gone and the club lathe being attacked by the dismantling crew, that was it, the raffle draw to do and it's all over, big disappointment on my part I have to say. So I now propose that the club nights are extended to midnight at least! As usual I'm the last to pack up and get my gear out of the hall, many helpers though so no problem. Nothing on the raffle front so just a case of clear up and into the van. With the hall back to empty and most of the members gone it's just the lights out and the last goodnights and doors locked, and there goes another good club night.

Boots - August 2007