NEWSLETTER - MAY 2025
Written by Don Smith
SATURDAY CLUB 10th MAY 2025
The Saturday club opened in the usual way with three lathes set up the shavings began; firstly, Alan turning large logs David was helping beginners whilst the third lathe was available for any member who wished to have a go. We welcomed a number of new faces and hoped that they would enjoy the experience.
The morning ended with all the machinery stacked away and we all left happy from the morning workshop.
CLUB NIGHT 20th MAY 2025
The evening started with Richard breaking the news that tonight’s speaker was unable to attend and we would have an impromptu meeting.
After a number of notices, Richard came up with the idea to have members from the floor to come up and each having 20 minutes each to turn either a Goblet, Vase or what ever they felt that they could achieve from the wood supplied.
Whilst this had to be organized, Don said that he could describe how he had made an Oval lidded box, which I had brought along this evening for the display table. Photo below.
LOST WOODEN BOX
Firstly, I cut two pieces of Beech (Any timber will do) slightly over size so that they you could use the planner thicknesser to make certain that both pieces were of identical thickness and width. The final sizes should be1.5 by 4.0 by 6.0 inches plus two pieces of soft wood exactly 1.0 by 2.0 by 6.0 inches or one piece 1 by 4 inches as my infill. These pieces were stuck together using either brown paper or plain paper. (Do not use for this type of work newspaper as the ink will stain the wood) to make a 4.0 by 4.0 by 6.0 inch block. Photo 1.
I then found the true centres and turned the block round between centres to a cylinder adding a spigot to either end using the one third two third method I marked of the position for the lid.
Taking the block it was placed into my chuck were I parted off the lid. Photo 2
Next stage was to turn a lip on the box and hollow it out photo3 this shows me checking the diameter of the inside box and that the sides are parallel. Before removing the body from the lathe using surgical forceps and abrasive paper I sanded the inside Photo 4.
Removing the body from the chuck, I replaced it with the lid section.
The inside of the lid was turned to make a tight fit on the box once this was achieved I hollowed out the lid and added some decoration. Photo 5.
After each process was finished, I sanded and polished them Photo 6 shows the two pieces fixed together. It was at this point that I gave the whole object a final trim up before giving the whole box, a final sand and polish.
The next part was to turn the spigots off from the base of the body and top of the lid and I achieved this by using my Button Jaw chuck Photo 7. I used the same method for the lid adding some embellishment.
Once satisfied and using an old kitchen knife I split them, I then cleaned the paper joints and glued each part together.
Photo 8 shows the base of the box and the inside of the lid with its decoration. The top of the lid with its decoration can be seen it the first photo at the beginning of the write up.
Richard was still organizing the turn-in part of the evening so I described how I turned and coloured my bowl shown on the display table.
Richard was now ready and our first challenger took to the stage i.e.:- Kate who managed to part turn a vase, time for our refreshment break and announcing to tonight’s competition winners of which there were many.
We restarted the challenge with Brian Eyley turning a Vase followed by Dave Moore with a Goblet. The final challenger was Steve Hugo who produced a Mushroom. Photo 9 shows all four piece placed from left to right in the order that they were turned.
Photo 10 Display table the Urn my Mike Sharp the round bowl by Richard and the coloured bowl and Lost Wood Boxes by Don Smith.
The last three photos show the items presented into the competition.
Don Smith wrote the article with photos from Kate and myself.
PS: Do not forget NO Saturday club in June as the day has been booked as a Masterclass with Jason Breach book your tickets through Steve Hugo if you wish to attend £20.00 Sat 14th June 2025.
