Club Night Report
Wednesday 14th February 2024
Club Night Photos for Wednesday 14th February 2024 - Guest Demonstrator: Robert Till
The demonstrator for the February 2024 meeting was a welcome return of Robert Till (see website: www.roberttillwoodturner.com), who last visited us in October 2019.Tonight's demonstration was the making of an Involuted Candlestick - also known as 'inside-out turning'. Basically, for this demonstration, two-pieces of wood are temporarily glued together (they would be left for 24-hours for the glue to set), utilising a newspaper joint - the 'inside' profile is then finish turned - the joint is split apart and the pieces of wood are rotated to face each other and (permanently) glued together (another 24-hours later) - and the outside profile is turned, along with other component parts. Robert has supplied a .PDF document of his design for tonight's demonstration - see HERE. The timber used was 44 mm square, planed square edge, pine from Wickes (or similar from B&Q).
Robert started his demonstration by showing how he temporarily glues the timber together using a newspaper joint - using strong tape to hold it together. This would then be left to dry for 24-hours - however, the well-known "here's one I made earlier" technique was employed. The ends were carefully marked out/ centred and then held between Steb (or ring) centres. The profile for the 'inside' shape was marked out and shaded with a marker pen (for clarity). Using a ½" spindle gouge and the lathe running at around 3,000 rpm - the faster the better (or whatever speed you are comfortable with) owing to the intermittent cutting - the profile was roughed and finish turned and sanded. The pieces were separated using a wide bladed wood chisel, rotated and re-aligned, and then re-glued permanently together. Another 'Blue Peter' moment arrived and Robert was ready to continue with the remainder of the turning.
A brass candle cup was required as an insert for the top of the candle stick - this was drilled on the lathe with a 15 mm diameter Forstner bit, held in a Jacobs chuck in the headstock - and driven forward via the tailstock. The workpiece was mounted between a Steb drive in headstock and a cone centre in the candle cup hole in the tailstock. The central section was finish turned to size, along with a cove to complete the design. A spindle roughing gouge was used to rough the two ends down to round. A 25 mm diameter tenon by 12 mm long was cut at the headstock end.
The candlestick base (also fabricated from 44 mm square timber) was mounted on a screw chuck, and Robert proceeded to cut a mounting tenon, with a button feature, to suit dovetail jaws - and then transferred it onto the 4-jaw chuck. A 25 mm diameter Forstner bit was used to drill a hole in the base. After some initial shaping of the base - the candlestick section was fitted to the hole in the base - to ensure concentricity. The spindle was then finish turned with the addition of coves, beads and fillets to produce a pleasing, balanced design. The base was finish turned and sanded.
Tonight, we were treated to very different demonstration of precision woodturning. I cannot recall ever seeing a demonstrator present involuted turning to us, and then spending the entire evening working in that skill revealing softwood, pine! Sharp tools, superb techniques and tool control produced a finished item that was good looking and different! An entertaining, engaging and informative evening. Thank you, Robert!
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The Display Table was well supported and showed a good number of items…
Bob Wells showed a thin-walled, pierced dish in sycamore.
Martin Barrett brought along a couple of items to include a small
coloured (using Hampshire Sheen products), lidded pot in ash, and a red stained hollow form with a fine finial lid and coated with a
spray lacquer. Frans Brown showed a burr oak weed pot with an oil finish.
Tim Mortimer presented a large pepper mill made in rippled ash.
Two hanging bird boxes and a salt and 'peppa' pig condiment set were shown by Paul Kohn.
Bob Tidey displayed a number of items to include a spalted beech, shaped vase, along with three candle holders and a couple of small mallets (mauls).
Mark Pope presented a lidded pot made in acacia along with a small goblet made in sapele and three small bowls made of pear wood, sapele and wenge.
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