Carlyn started off by giving us a potted history of how she became a wood turner.
She passed around several examples of the veneers she uses in her work. Explaining how blocks of wood are made up prior to turning, the pale wood is sycamore, explaining that she buys sycamore in planks. Cuts them down herself, then with one of three planing machines reaches the desired size.
She uses PVA glue as the adhesive. However, she said any runny glue works well.
The first piece Carlyn made was a spinning top.
Starting off by putting a prepared piece of boxwood in the chuck, drilling a hole in it and making the hole the correct size of the disc she required. Having put a chuck mounting in the end, the disc of boxwood was cut off. This piece will have the male thread.
Carlyn started off by putting a chamfer on the edge of the hole, this makes it possible for the thread chaser to get a 'grip'. A recess was cut in the boxwood to determine where the tread should end in the disc. Wax was applied, to the wood that is to be threaded, to act as a lubricant. The thread chaser was applied in a circular motion until the thread was formed. When made, the disc with the thread will become the collar and glued into the base of the spinning top.
A piece of prepared inlaid wood was turned down to form the handle of the spinning top.A thread was cut in the end. The base was formed from a piece of plain sycamore. A hole was then made to receive the threaded boxwood collar.To ensure the top spun well, a piece of ebony was glued into the base.

The afternoon project was to make a ladle.Carlyn firstly turned a disc with a dome on one side to form the bowl. Then with a skew, turned down what would become the handle. To give the handle a feature, using a wire, burned lines and filled them in with marker pens.
To create the shape on the base of the handle to mirror the bowl,Carlyn mounted a sanding disc fixed to a piece of wood in the chuck.
The bowl can be fixed to the handle either using glue or as she prefers copper rivets.

It was a very enjoyable demonstration, Carlyn explains the process very well as she goes along. It was a shame there were not more people to see it. I hope this is OK Fred. I know she did another thing fitting a ferrell but I can't really understand my notes!!! The item was a bit holder (Fred)

Best wishes, Matthew.


The next meeting will be Saturday May 11th when we will be entertained by Greg Moreton.
Hope to see you there

Fred