Club Night Report

Wednesday 10th April 2024

Club Night Photos for Wednesday 10th April 2024 - Club Activity - A Hands-On Evening

The March meeting was a Hands-On Workshop evening sponsored by Richard Branscombe.  Richard has recently 'retired' from woodturning and disposed of most of his equipment. He used the evening to say 'Thank You' to the Club for its support and for the enjoyment he has had over the many years of his Membership. A small display of three items was shown to represent Richard's "Woodturner's Journey" - this included the first item he had ever made on a woodturning lathe - a handle for an awl. Richard also showed a Mantlepiece Clock (based on a Gary Rance design) - something he has made for several family members - an interesting, challenging and complex piece of work. One of the last pieces Richard had made was an urn complete with stopper and carved handles.
See Richard's personal gallery page (https://www.northwiltswoodturners.co.uk/Galleries/RichardBranscombe.html) for examples of some of the many other items he has turned over the past 30 years.

The Workshop was designed to encourage hands-on and participation from the Membership - more of a 'stand up and turn' rather than a 'sit down and watch' evening. Four lathes were set up, to provide tuition and practice of hollowing, bowl turning, spindle turning/ use of the skew chisel and goblet making. Feedback from the Membership on the evening, confirmed that it was a useful, popular and enjoyable event - and would probably be repeated in the future.

The Display Table proved to be very popular with over a dozen items being shown.
Ken Gately presented an ash cheese board/ platter with glass dome along with a large burr oak bowl that featured three carved feet on the base. He also showed a smaller burr oak bowl - that was awaiting final finishing. Ron Carter had made a handled bowl (inspired by the March demonstrator, Paul Sweet) - which he filled with a display of turned fruit. Paul Kohn showed a large, sitting, smoking man, nicely turned, carved and painted - which he showed actually smoking! Martin Barrett displayed a walnut hollow form that had been extensively hollowed out through a small aperture. He had also finished the 'bowl with handles' workpiece left behind by the March demonstrator. Dave Newman had several items on the table to include a lidded bowl made in plywood with a Betel nut (Areca nut) insert in the lid and several oak light pulls that also featured a Betel nut. He also displayed a turned pot on the end of a section of an elm post, that was allegedly over 150 years old. Dave Branscombe showed the progress he had made on last months 'wonky bowl' with the application of colour and resin to create a seascape in the base. Martin Barrett rounded off the display with several weed pots in chunks of spalted beech that he discovered in his wood pile, plus a 'failure' when he went a tad too thin in the hollowing of a small form.