25 May 2021 – Sue Harker Online Demo

Tuesday 25th May 2021 and moving slowly but surely through springtime we settled down to our latest IRD at LWWA.

Sue Harker, who has demonstrated several times for us live at West Ashby joined us online from her Bridlington workshop, which she shares with husband Graham. Those joining early for the evening amused Sue with their usual friendly banter but kept it clean. A good turnout of 38 members joined in.

Sue started the evening by showing us a sample of a sunflower tealight holder that she has designed for her demos; a different slant on the usual round tealight that I am sure we have all made. A piece of Ash about 9 inches diameter was marked and cut on the bandsaw in the shape of a sunflower, the pattern for which is obtainable free online HERE . The top drilled out make a chucking point which allowed the bottom to have a spigot formed to shape an OGEE to the base. With the bottom sanded the work reversed to work on the top, we watched as the piece revolved at round 1000 revs with Sue pointing out the need to keep all hands behind the work to prevent injury from the fast-spinning petals. You can see from the screen grab pictures the shape created for the petals and centre see pod area. When the basic form had been made Sue then painted the petals with yellow paint from Chestnut products and then marked out the petal shapes and proceeded to carve out the edges with her proxxon tool. The pyrography tool was then used to burn into the centre area to give the impression of the seed pods. Sue sanded the piece throughout the demo to highlight the need to wear and use protective equipment whenever you are in the workshop. She use the usual reverse chucking method to remove the base of the piece. A glass insert used for safety reasons was the last bit to do in. Certainly, a different demonstration which Sue explained she uses this piece to stimulate others into alternative ways of creating a similar item that is not just a tealight holder.

Yew weed pot, no not a derogatory remark to our reader but the description of our next item. The picture show the shape created from a Yew log to form small vessel similar to a rosebud vase. Mounted between centres initially to form a tenon for mounting in the chuck and then reversing to turn a neck and top opening to accommodate a tube insert to make it waterproof if you decide to display a live weed/flower or dried, lavender, for example. Sue then wet sanded the Yew with food safe oil to reduce dust.

Last but by no means least another Yew log mounted in the same way as previously demonstrated to produce? This was a ‘guess me’ until nearly completed with coves and beads a natural based ring holder. This was finished with two coats of cellulose sealer and polished on the buffing wheel system.

As usual we had some questions during the demo which Sue covered as we went along and we ended the evening wishing everyone well with the hope that we may all be able to meet again soon. Thank you to Sue for joining us for our Club night.

This Saturday, 29 May 21, from 10am to midday, Mick will be opening up the Club Shop.  We have still got a few items left over from the Workshop Clearances.  Please support us by coming along and making it worthwhile.

Don’t forget your mask and please remember you need to be staying 2 metres apart at all times.  You may have had the both vaccinations, but you can still carry it and pass it on to others.  It’s for every ones protection, so please keep your distance. 

Don’t forget, 8 Jun for next Workshop Night, so if you have any items you want to show us, please send us some photos.  If unsure on how to do that, please contact us.

Then on the 16 June which is a Wednesday, we have our next Digital Night, so get in your workshop with your cameras and lets see what you can do.  Send the videos as above.

Another date to remember is 22 June, when we have our next international online demo by Tod Raines from Allen, Texas, USA.  The beauty of Zoom is we can bring you new demonstrators that we have not seen before and will never visit our little Village Hall in person.  So if you are a PAYG member, go to the Event Page HERE and purchase your ticket so you don’t miss out.

Whilst talking about different Turners, if you would like to see anyone specific, let us know and we will look into it.  Thanks and see you again on Zoom very soon.