Another good club night - January 2005

I arrive at a hall buzzing with activity, people every where and for any first time visitors to our club it must be difficult to know what to do first. Competition table all set out and pieces on show with the usual comments from guys, Tea and coffee table pretty much set up, minus of coarse the biscuits. The raffle prizes set out with the addition of a wrapped mystery prize for the last drawn ticket. There was the latest edition of the club magazine for members to take. Tonight's demonstrator all set up with the usual bits and pieces about and an air of mystery as to what he is going to show us. Committee members were franticly trying to get business out of the way before the 1930 start. The finding of a seat to put your coat and paperwork on whilst chatting to others. The club librarian was sorting the coming and going of books and video's. The clubs two monitors and camera's getting their last minute adjustments (hi Peter) and just in time before the start I purchased some 600 grit paper. Now that's what I call busy.

It was nice to have to sit quietly and listen to our chairman welcome us all and bring us up to date with various items of interest. It was then over to Ken to introduce our demonstrator for the evening. Our demonstrator Dave Reeks left his home in Kent at 12.00 noon today and was received with a warm welcoming round of applause from the 60 or so gathered members.

Dave told us he's been turning for 25 years now totalling about 1000 items a year, recently he has become more specialised and is supplying to such places as Kew Gardens and Wakehurst Place. He also attends most exhibitions to demonstrate his skill and finished items.

The first item was a natural edge bud vase from kiln dried Yew. Dave is used to making batches as opposed to one ofs like us so for many of these orders time is important. He told us 8 minutes a vase was expected and 8 minutes was all it took, the vase was passed round and it was faultless, the shape and finish was first class as you can see by the inset picture.

Next was to demonstrate how to get from green log to a bowl blank ready for seasoning. The shavings were travelling some twenty feet from the lathe, that's experience for you. The bowl was turned to about 1" thick and would spend three months in his 7' cube drying room with the dehumidifier on. Well sadly a while before tea break his lathe's electric's packed up, a decision was made and it was tea break. The usual loads of chat and competition pieces to check out, good to see the novices are still entering and with some nice pieces this month. I got my cup of tea and took some pictures and it was time to start again. During tea break the club lathe had been set up and Dave carried on as if nothing had happened. We where shown an easy quick way to set a log on the lathe with the emphasis on the finished article being symmetrical. This method was quickly followed by the suggestion that it is going to oscillate some so it's a good idea to get the wife to hold on to the shed to stop it moving.

We where then shown a blank that had spent three month's in the drying room, it looked rather sorry for its self and distorted in shape. A case of "here's one I did earlier" Again something new to me was how to true up the now distorted spigot using the centre mark put on before seasoning. It was then put in the chuck and worked. The blank had cracked quite badly but was not a lost case, with super glue, accelerator and the relevant coloured sawdust Dave demonstrated how to revive what was nearly fire wood. Finally he went on to explain what people like and expect from turned wood items with regards to embellishments, cracks and knots.

I have been turning, watching and researching for three years now and it still amazes me how much there is still to learn. Tonight I have seen for the first time, probably half a dozen or more ideas that I have never seen before, or would have thought of. And with that after a few words from Ken Dave received an appreciative round of applause.

It is with monotonous regularity that I say again; well done Ken you've done us proud. Once again Ken has provided us with a first class demonstration; Dave made everything interesting and fresh.

After a few more bits of news we had the raffle, I had four numbers come up tonight Derek. The last number drawn was mine and I won the mystery prize, and I'll keep it a mystery for a while longer guys. Watch the Web site. There were the usual chairs away, sweeping up, two lathes to put away, Dave's vehicle to load, the goodnights and there goes another good club night.

Boots - Jan 2005