Old News – 2023
December 2023
The club is now the proud owner of its own wood storage shed. It is generously proportioned and will make Les’s job of looking after all out precious wood a lot easier (and drier!) with it all in one location. It was received, painted and assembled in just a few days by a small band of helpers (thank you!). Les built some custom storage shelves and arranged to move all our stock in from its previous resting places.
An introductory wood sale was held from the shed on Saturday 18th November and was a great success. Over £800 of wood was sold to members so Les will need to find some new stock !
October 2023
At the AGM the club agreed unanimously to adopt Maggie’s (Cheltenham) as the association’s charity for 2023. More details of Maggie’s are available, you can also make a donation there. Our main charity fundraiser is selling items at the Frampton Country Fair in September, where we raised over £400. However there’s still more money to come so the final total will be more – more like £640. Thanks to everyone who donated items !
September 2023
LAST CLUB MEETING saw the return of an old favourite – Les Thorne. The evening was entitled “Woodturning doesn’t have to be serious” – and it certainly wasn’t with Les in full flow. His ‘assistance’ with the raffle draw was particularly entertaining and I’m sure we’ll be seeing him again in the near future.
August 2023
LAST CLUB MEETING was a member’s evening with a range of topics on display for members to try or ask questions about. There was also a fun competition to find the next Adrian Newey – all you had to do was design a car and then build it. Only two catches – it had to be ENTIRELY wooden and it needed to fit into the dimensions given.
The cars were launched from an approx 20 degree ramp and the one that went furthest won! (modesty prevents the author from naming the winner, but as the picture show size beat aerodynamics in this contest !)
April 2023
March CLUB MEETING saw craftsman Sean Hellman from Dartmoor demonstrate how to carve a ‘fan bird’ before using his pole lathe to show us how to do spindle and bowl turning without any electricity …
“If you are fortunate enough to hear about a workshop run by Sean Hellman, sign up quick!
Sean is the finest teacher I have encountered in 14 years of craft classes all over Europe.
He has the priceless gift of empathy for each student, gently assisting us to find the best path with just a few illuminating words.
Add that to a dry wit, unlimited creativity and patience and the most fascinating workshop near Dartmoor and you’ll come away the proud possessor of skills that you can practice at home with confidence.”
Diana Jackson.
Background image by Ivan Ilijas from Pixabay