Another good club night - May 2006

Wow wow , wow wow , wow wow wow. Sorry but that's how best to sum up this club night. It was programmed as a turn in and as I've said before I find on these occasions I don't pay any real attention to the turning. I don't get chance to see all of a particular demonstration so I use this as an opportunity to chat and sort turning things. To meet face to face with guys I wouldn't normally chat to and others I contact by email; the advantages are of coarse that it usually ends up with a group of us. This is what makes a good club, knowing and talking to every body, and I mean every body.

So to the first of many first tonight. After many years I managed to get to the hall before Don. It didn't entail camping out as I had suspected would be the only way, I just had an early finish from work, plus after some coaching from a number of us members, Don is getting the hang of letting others do stuff.

The second first of many tonight is the refreshments, I have long thought of our club as having a close to perfect format in pretty much every aspect, but this does have its draw backs. If you have been a member for a good number of years then a turn in for instance must become rather predictable, no disrespect in any way to any part of the set up, its just going to happen. At most events I place myself at the back of proceedings and people watch making notes of anything that comes to mind. And my thoughts are that clubs no matter how good they are need to evolve. So I suggested we try all night refreshments along with a café type area near the canteen, guys could circulate between demos and café, watching and chatting. I mentioned it at the last club night in case anybody had thoughts about not coming and we where packed, pretty much our whole complement of members where there. There was a sort of down side to this though, poor old Derek and Ray had volunteered to do the teas for tonight a good few months ago, but that was before I suggested all night. I did consult them and typical as it seems with all our members now they where ok, and typically to, were the volunteers offering to give them a break. Derek and Ray did get chance to mingle and Ray to chat with the Camera club and get his pictures but both seemed quite happy to run the refreshments and chat turning from there. Derek's wife very kindly supplied some baked delights for the table so I'll now take this opportunity on behalf of the members to thank her to. The feed back to Derek was very positive so that's a fixture now.

Our Third first came in the form of some visitors/guests. I had the idea that we could do with a little help with our photography, again no disrespect to Ray who takes all our magazine pictures and from time to time for the web site. I just found that the transfer from camera to black and white in our magazine and from me to the web site we where perhaps not doing justice to the subject matter. So after consulting all relevant club members I sent out an invitation to our local Camera club. The benefits being 2 fold, They where perhaps looking for something new as a subject and we should be looking at inviting guest to our evening and us to theirs. Three photographers turned up, Rose Julie and Ron and it wasn't long before they where mingling in amongst the crowd, they made them selves at home by taking turned items to a quickly prepared setting to create the back drop to suit. It wasn't long before I was asked if I could prepare a lathe for a picture, and yes you've guessed it, it was our Bill they chose. With immediate approval from his audience they moved to one side, we held up a backdrop and away they went, as with Bill it wasn't long before there was a crowd of members all around watching this new entertainment. Bills patter was very entertaining, with the crowd enjoying every minute of it. I'd say this turned out to be very successful for all concerned.

The forth of our first, (I hope your keeping up with this) was Mel with his lace work in the turned items. He did show this at our open day but as far as I can remember it's never been on a club night, again a very popular item having a good number of members watching and lacing.

The Fifth of our first was Colin with the Open Day Members Raffle. Colin stepped forward to take this on immediately the request went out and has managed it very professionally. The tickets where available I think way back in February and Colin has presented the prizes at every meeting, carrying them back and forth from his house to the club and back again. I did keep in touch with him to make sure things where ok but he was always one step ahead of me. A good many more tickets were sold tonight and the draw took place towards the end of the evening. Ray our club photographer had the first ticket out of the drum and won a beautiful set of Hamilton Turning Tools, these where donated by CRM saws, our local supplier. The second prize was a texturing tool donated by Robert Sorby. There where a good many prizes in this raffle and all where donated through the efforts of our members, that is going to take some beating next year. Finally, many thanks again to Colin from myself for taking this on, I had many very time consuming personal things going on in the months he ran this and I cannot emphasise enough how helpful that was.

The Sixth of our firsts was Angie's table, now this is a table I set up due to the brilliant response from our members. Angie is involved with people with learning difficulties and to cut a long story short, we the club members now seem to be providing her/them with turned items for them to sand and finish. Tonight she was presented with 20 items of varying shapes and sizes, so it only seemed right to display them. And long may the members keep giving this so much needed help for them.

And yes there is more, the Seventh of our firsts came in the form of The Forest Of Bere Vehicle Recovery Service. Now that's got your attention hasn't it, Harry, a new member as a result of our recent Open Day event left the car lights on and when it was time to go home the battery was flat. Firstly he was handed a mobile phone to use, then as time went on another phone was used, then it was time for action. Out to the car park goes Derek, I and a couple of guys, I placed my van in front of Harry's car and with my jump leads Derek very professionally in the correct order relevant to alarms and central locking devices jump started his car. With many thanks from Harry the car park was cleared and I followed him till I was sure he was ok. I have since had an email from Harry mentioning how very friendly and helpful he finds us all at the club and of coarse his many thanks. Little does he know we are putting up his membership fee to pay for it, but don't tell Harry.

So now to all the other members of the night, and this is where it gets embarrassing, I simply didn't get chance to make any notes for this report at all, neither did I see very much of what went on. So here goes with one foot firmly place in my mouth I'll now attempt to acknowledging the rest of the activities, that sounds rather like a children's play scheme doesn't it! The first of my embarrassing apologies has to go to Dave Comley. He has in the past helped out on a turn in and I did see him carrying in some rather large diameter MDF jigs and things. But I have to admit I didn't see him demonstrating anything, it seems hard to believe but I just remember seeing him carrying in things at the beginning of the evening and then again taking them out again at the end. Perhaps somebody can fill in the gaps for me, CONTACT ME with the details please; I'd love to hear from you.

So we had Bill as you know and then next to him was John then round some more was Robin all on lathes but I only know that Bill was turning fruit, the others I didn't see. That was probably because of the number of members sitting and standing in the way blocking my view. So, it was their fault not mine that I didn't get to see anything, (very selfish of them he thinks jokingly) well it was worth a try wasn't it? Don brought in and explained how to make your own chucks and things related using the Nobo board behind him to further explain things. By the way Don, are you using the right pen as I had the Dickens of a job cleaning it off? We also had the monthly competition that had some interesting items on show. Now this event is in the hall with everybody else, Eric and Peter can set up camp behind the tables and get to be a part of the proceedings from where they sit, so another plus for the move to this new hall. Trevor is still getting a good response to the club night raffle, no ticket drawn for me tonight though. Jim quietly managed the book and video library that now has CD's as well in case any of you where not aware. And that's all there was I think. We had of coarse the usual welcome and notices, I added a few bits as well to start the night off and to close the evening we had the reminder of the Master Class on Saturday and the thanks and goodnights. My reminder of the novices meeting next Wednesday the 24th of May here at the clubhouse at 7.30pm followed this. That is still open to anybody who can help us formulate an encouraging programme or take part in next years competition, you don't need to call me, just turn up, refreshments all night.

When I first started writing these club night reports I was concerned that by the sheer number of them I was expecting to write that it would get harder and harder. To make them different and interesting to read I thought would be a real challenge. Little did I know that it's not my imagination or lack of it that counts, it's the contents of the club night, which in its self is a reflection of the input created by the activity and audience. Whoa, slow down Boots, Its all getting very heavy now, far to deep and philosophical. I digress, this club night report just fell together, I just lived it over again and typed it out, fortunately it reads ok so all there is left to say is, many thanks to the army of people that make it all work and There goes another brilliant club night.

Boots - May 2006