20 Sept 2022 – Workshop Night

As the light was starting to fade as Autumn draws ever closer, twenty four members sat down to watch this month’s offerings from our resident duo Chris and Zak.

Zak had spent the afternoon playing with some ideas and as a result decided to make a bud vase but with a difference, he would turn through the vase in the middle section resulting in a see through hollowed out vessel. The wood was mounted between centres, a tenon formed and it was secured in the chuck. Zak marked the wood to give him the guidelines necessary to start the shaping process.

Starting at the top of the vase he shaped the lip and neck gradually reducing the wood to the required diameter and profile. The neck was blended into the bowl of the vase which in turn was shaped and blended into the base so that the whole piece had the correct proportions and was aesthetically pleasing. The wood was removed from the chuck, turned through ninety degrees and, using a hole Zak had predrilled, it was mounted on a screw chuck so that the hollowing of the centre portion of the vase could commence. The diameter of the portion to be hollowed was marked and the process started using a combination of tools but the workhorse was the square tipped carbide cutter which was used for the majority of the hollowing process. Having established the hollow Zak removed the vase, turned it round and used the hollow section to remount it in the chuck using expansion mode. This allowed the hollowing to start on the opposite side and was a procedure used multiple times until the hollowing broke through and the chuck was clearly visible through the hole. With suitable sanding and finishing the piece was complete and with the addition of a test tube could be used as a vase but Zak’s inclination was to introduce a metal tube into the vase and use it as the basis for a table lamp. Hopefully we shall learn to what end it was eventually put.

Zak’s second offering of the evening was a natural edge bowl to be turned from an oddly shaped piece of a branch. The wood was secured onto the lathe using a screw chuck so that a tenon could be formed on the opposite side. That done Zak drew the shape he would try to achieve onto the wood which highlighted the odd shape and indicated that care would have to be taken when shaping the outside of the bowl. For this type of work hands need to be kept well clear of the spinning wood and concentration is required to pick up the cut when all you can see is fresh air and the ghosting of the wood as it spins. However, with skill and determination the outside was shaped and was ready for the hollowing out to commence but, time had run out, so we were not able to see that yet. As with all good tales, this will continue next month so if you want to see the finished article join us in October.

Chris started the evening by showing his audience a tray he had made finished with crackle glaze which he thought would be a suitable base for displaying a couple of Sake cups and a Sake bottle, suitably finished so to compliment the tray.

A piece of wood was mounted on the lathe and the shaping of the first cup commenced. It was not long before that was complete and the hollowing out started. That also complete the cup was parted off and it was at this point that Chris decided it did not meet his expectations in terms of shape so after some interaction with his audience that particular piece was consigned to history never to be seen again. A second piece of wood appeared and the process was repeated. This time things went well and in collaboration with the onlookers the desired shape was achieved and the first cup complete.

It was now time for the second cup and although there was no intention to copy the style of the first one, this one featuring a series of five beads at the top end, Chris did feel that the overall dimensions (height and diameter) should be the same although he did admit that sameness was not something he normally aspired to. However, when parted off and measured the diameter of cup two was an exact match for number one. As Chris said, “Miracles do sometimes happen”.

The cups complete that just left the bottle and there then followed a debate as to what size the bottle should be relative to the cups. Suggestions were made and discarded until Chris did what he does best, he put the wood onto the lathe and started shaping the outside of the bottle allowing its appearance to be the driver rather than strict dimensions. The shape was refined and perfected again with audience input until it was designated complete. It was parted off and put to one side to await whatever type of finishing and decoration Chris thinks suitable. No doubt we shall see that next month.

Chris completed the evening by showing us a bottle he had hollowed out through the bottom and had closed up using a plug made to fit into the bottle. As the overall shape required some refinement Chris set about the task, but unfortunately, took a little bit too much off the bottom end and the plug came away. With the wood still available Chris created a lip into which he hoped to be able to insert another plug but again time had run out, so we await the result of that restoration with interest.

Throughout the evening Chris, as always, asked for input from his audience but this month there was a certain disbelief amongst them as there were times when he not only agreed with some of the suggestions but actually implemented them. We do indeed live n strange times.

The Show and Tell section this month yielded some excellent exhibits from eleven of our members who, whether novice or experienced, showed work of a very high standard. Thank you for sharing your efforts with us.

Thanks to Chris and Zak who month after month consistently entertain and inform us with their sterling efforts.  Also a big thanks to Alan Selden for providing the above write up of the nights activities.

See the rest of the screenshots taken during the evening in the Gallery HERE.

Don’t forget we have another new Turner to our screens on the 27 Sept 2022, Laurent Niclot.  The meeting invites have been sent out today so check your inbox, hopefully we will see you all there.  PAYG Members need to be purchasing their ticket as soon as possible if you want to watch this demo.  Any problems with doing this contact us.

24 Sept 22 – Club Shop will be open from 10am to Midday, so pop across and stock up on your woodturning supplies.

We also have the Training Day going on in the Hall of which is out of bounds unless you part taking in some training.  We will be doing another Training Day on Sat 26 Nov 2022, so keep an eye out for a notification when the booking system is open.

We do have some maintenance work on the container to do so thanks in advance to those who have said they can help out.

Hopefully we will see some of you tomorrow.