Club Night Report

Wednesday 11th December 2014

Club Night Report for 11th December 2014 - observations by Vernon Hughes

 
   
   
   
On entering the hall whilst trying to hide the shape and wrapping of one's 'Secret Santa' contribution it was only necessary to stride a few paces to the left before handing it over to Roger Blake in exchange for a raffle ticket.  The parcel was quickly consigned to the lost limbo of anonymity, freeing the donor to step back to be processed through 'Admission Control' before lifting ones head to take in the scene.  

On the left past the heavily laden 'Secret Santa' table was the larger than usual competition table laid out to receive entries in two categories - the customary "Show and Tell Theme" plus members' "Best Item of the Year".  The scene to the right along the full length of the wall immediately captured the gaze.  The Club had risen to the challenge yet again of providing the evening's main focus of Turning.  
Centres of excellence had been laid out by four of our expert members.  These were Bob Sawyer's pole lathe, Ken Crittle's thread chasing stand, Arthur Kingdon's MDF Rose Engine (plus examples of products and some tooling) and Iain Bell's Pen Wizard (surrounded by trays of exceptional pens).

Entries on the competition table were slow to build and ended up at few in number, but all entries exuded quality.  As the buzz of activity and animated discussion developed excitement reached as close to fever pitch as North Wilts can manage as the Refreshments Table began to groan under the weight of bounteous offerings in which the centrepiece was a pyramid of profiteroles.







       
All these delights were recorded by the camera lens and the accompanying photos will serve to refresh memories of the impressive scene.

   
Voting for the trophies resulted in the award for the 'Best Item of the Year' going to to Roger Hoare.  His entry was a magnificent, large, segmented bowl - Roger told me that the great master of the genre - Ian Hooker - had set him off on the right path.  He is now obviously blazing his own glorious trail!
















   
   
   

Joe Kerrawn was awarded the monthly Show and Tell for the best 'Christmas Decoration'. The flower heads of Joe's fittingly timed Poppies had been sliced off a limb of Green Beech by skew chisel.  When people were packing up at the end - Joe revealed that he had made several dozen poppies from which to select those used in his exhibit.  

Accompanying photographs show the magnificence of the winners' achievements, together with the fine efforts of those who were pipped at the post.

In conclusion it is fitting to pay tribute to the vigorous efforts of 'the organisers', the skill and enthusiasm of the 'four experts', the beauty of the exhibits and last, But Certainly Not Least the efforts of The Victuallers who gave us a fine feast.
Thank you!

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