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Well, that was a damp squib!! Last month’s meeting was to have started with what we thought was an important meeting. It started at 9.30 instead of 9.00 am and only 27 members turned up. Are we, as a committee, loosing our touch? Even so it was quite a lively meeting that did wander off the point a couple of times but the final decision was that the membership fee will go up to £15 from 1st January 2008, the first increase for 8 years and the price at the door will go up to £7 for members and £10 for non members to take effect immediately. These figures will be reviewed at the AGM next January. Some people thought the annual membership fee should go up to £20 with no further increases at the door. WHAT DO YOU THINK? LET’S HAVE SOME FEEDBACK PLEASE. By the time we had finished Paul Nesbitt was champing at the bit and raring to go. He specialises in multi-centre turning (and wearing unusual turning smocks — today’s was teddy bears!) and part of his introduction was to pass round several examples in the form of tool handles. Interesting but most people didn’t think they would be very user friendly. His first piece was to turn a candlestick. His method of off setting the centre that he is working to is interesting. He trued the yew log to round between centres and turned a spigot at one end that was slightly tapered away from the shoulder towards the centre. The log was then mounted in the chuck and drilled in to the end with a drill size to suit the candle. Paul then turned the top and finished it completely and polished it before moving on to the next operation. To off set the centre he puts a 6mm packing piece between the shoulder of the wood and the face of the chuck jaw, see photo. This tilts the wood and the tapered spigot means that the opposite side to the spacer fits flat against the chuck jaw. (Brian Partridge turns a ball end to fit the chuck jaws). It means that the jaws are gripping the maximum amount of spigot. With each facet turned and finish polished (there’s no going back) the spacer is moved on to the next chuck jaw. Remember to remove the spacer before starting up the lathe or you could get a smack in the teeth!! Paul’s second piece was to turn a three sided platter in walnut. Marking out is important with this sort of work or the length of the sides will not match. After turning the outside true the blank is divided into three equal segments. Let’s call them AB&C. Then a circle of approximately 2” is scribed. Where the circle cuts through the segment line draw an arc at the outer edge to meet A&B then move round to the next one and scribe from B to C and finally move to the next one and scribe from C to A. There is no particular ratio to the circle and the outer diameter but if the edges look too flat then change the inner circle diameter. The platter is then turned between centres, Paul uses steb centres front and back, set where the inner circle intercepts the segment line. After the edges are turned, turn the back in the normal way leaving a recess/spigot to hold on to when you reverse it to turn the front face. Three pictures in July gallery show these operations. I wasn’t there for the afternoon but my spies tell me that Paul turned a female form (shades of Brian Partridge) and a four sided weed pot. The principal for marking this out is the same as for the platter and accuracy is all important. The inner circle is bisected by the four cross lines and must be positioned in such a way that your drive centre is inside the proposed outer edge. Our next meeting is on Saturday 11th August and Roger Foden will be our demonstrator for the day. I have been in touch with him and he said his programme is quite varied. He will probably be doing bowls, both normal and natural edge and salt and pepper pots “and one or two other things depending on how the time goes”. The fish and chip lunch is set for Saturday 15th September and the prices are as follows. Cod or rock salmon and chips £5.50 Chicken and chips £5.00 Childs portion chicken nuggets and chips £3.00 We will have the hall from 11.30 am until 3.00 pm. Lunch will probably arrive for 12.00 and after we are fed and watered the skittles will begin. Who will manage to split a ball this time? Everyone is welcome including all the family and friends as well so let’s have a big turnout. That’s it from me. Graham There is a new entry in the FOR SALE page |
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