Club Night Report

Wednesday 12th July 2023

Club Night Photos for Wednesday 12th July 2023 - Club Demonstrators: Richard and Dave Branscombe

The demonstrators for the July 2023 meeting was a welcome return of father and son team Richard and Dave Branscombe - who shared the evening, with Richard presenting spindle turning and Dave showing various finishes on woodturnings.

Richard's demonstration for the evening was the making of a Table Top Mushroom Decoration - made in 2-pieces. Richard started by showing how a blank can be 'extended' with the use of a glued on (PVA adhesive), disposable plug to maximise the timber available - with a 3" diameter by 4" long yew log. This had been pre-prepared and was mounted in a 4-jaw chuck - an 18 mm diameter Forstner bit, held in a Jacobs chuck in the tailstock, was used to drill a hole 15 mm deep - then drilled 10 mm diameter by 50 mm deep. Richard proceeded to dish the face at the tailstock end, and to rough and finish turn the mushroom head. The part was sanded and sealed with acrylic sanding sealer - then parted off. Minor finishing by hand would be required adjacent to the part off stub.

The second part - the mushroom stem was a yew log approx. 5" diameter by 5" long. Richard explained that this was going to be turned off-centre and the natural (bark) edge at the base would be retained. He started by showing the technique of using the lathe as a drilling machine, using the tailstock to feed the blank onto a twist drill held in a Jacobs chuck, in the headstock.
A steb centre was used in the headstock to drive the part, and tailstock support was via the drilled hole. The part was roughed and finished to shape - and an 18 mm diameter spigot was turned to suit the mushroom head. The part was sanded and acrylic sanding sealer was applied.

The third part of the demonstration was the making of a small mushroom to add to the base of the larger one. This was turned in the 4-jaw chuck from a 'twig' - shrub trimming from Richard's garden. The stem was turned to 6 mm diameter, the underside of the mushroom head was slightly dished and a bark natural edge was left, as the head was shaped and parted off. Richard drilled several 6 mm diameter holes in the large mushroom base and fitted the smaller mushroom - along with a couple more he had made earlier. A good-looking item - with the bonus feature that the head can be lifted off to reveal cocktails sticks stored in the hollow stem.

Dave gave the second presentation on Finishing and the Use of Colour - starting with a small oak blank approx. 1" diameter by 6" long - held between centres. To prepare the timber for staining, a brass brush was used to accentuate the grain. The finish was liming wax over a black spirit stain - which was brushed on (and was allowed to dry). The liming wax was also applied with a brush (maybe an old tooth brush?) and rubbed into the grain - then allowed to dry. Any excess wax can be removed with finishing oil or paste wax polish. Gilt cream is also very effective for grain filling. Dave passed around a bowl he had made on a Les Thorne training course, that effectively showed the use of black stain and liming wax.

Dave's next demonstration was on a similar beech spindle. This was sanded to 120 grit and then Yorkshire Grit Abrasive wax was applied with the Abranet. Friction polish was then wiped on and dried at a high spindle speed. Sanding sealer is optional with this finish. Multiple coats can be applied as required.

The next demonstration covered the use of metal effect paints and patinas. There is a huge range available (albeit a tad expensive). A base, metal primer paint is first applied to the timber - which is then followed by the chosen effect - ranging from bronze weathered, copper effects, green and blue patinas etc.

Dave then showed some 'extreme pyrography' - using a gas blowtorch, to carbonise the softer fibres in the timber, on several pre-prepared tea light holders. A brass brush was then used to remove the soot and accentuate the grain.
Various staining and colouring techniques were then demonstrated - for example: apply a base (red) spirit stain background, and then add further colours.

The final demonstration was the use of a modified Beall Buffing System - consisting of three - 8" diameter polishing mops mounted on a custome made wooden spindle and threaded rod, to provide access to all three mops at once. The system is used in three stages - the first two are polishing and smoothing the timber surface (tripoli cutting compound and diamond white compound) and the third applies a coat of carnauba wax polish for a long-lasting finish. Dave used a yew spindle to demonstrate the various stages of the buffing process and followed this with buffing an ash box.
Click here to download a .PDF file containing details of (most of) the products Dave used during his demonstrations.

Richard and Dave entertained us with several wide-ranging demonstrations of spindle turning techniques - followed by a presentation of multiple finishing, painting, staining and buffing demonstrations. An enjoyable, engaging, just a little bit different to our normal demonstrator fare, interesting and informative evening.
Thank you, Richard and Dave!

The Display Table was well supported with a range of interesting items.

Tim Mortimer showed an ash lidded box - which was buffed during Dave Branscombe's demonstration.
Arthur Kingdon presented a latticed platter made from sycamore, in the style of Rod Page (see May 2015 and May 2016 reviews).  Phil Lawrence displayed a heavy mallet made from a lignum vitae bowling ball.  Harry Rock showed a set of five laminated plywood cones - made as a proportional series.  Martin Barrett presented a number of items to include a sky rocket box in apple, a flock of stylised birds with long tails, some large platters made in oak, tulip wood and walnut, along with a small earing stand made from apple wood.