Author: Alec Mutch

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This weeks meeting, 11th July 2019, a talk by George Burgess on sourcing wood.

This weeks meeting on the 11th July 2019 has been organized by John Cheadle, John has invited George Burgess to give us a talk on sourcing wood for woodturning. As most woodturners will know that getting wood for woodturning (and woodcarving) are quite specific requirements. Woodturning in particular requires the wood to be very dry and in most cases somewhat thicker than the run of the mill timber available at most wood DIY or wood suppliers unless they are catering to the woodturner or woodcarver.

This is some of my own collection of wood for turning, as you will see most have been cut into discs or battens and have also been waxed, all have been air dried down to 14% first while still in the board or longer batten.

We look forward to seeing you all there on Thursday evening, and do ask George questions if your not sure of what he is saying.

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Report on our club meeting 27th June 2019, working with green (wet) wood.

Our club meeting on the 27th June was all about working with wet or green wood. It was organized by John Cheadle, he did have 3 other turners booked to assist, however due to circumstances out with his control 2 of those had to call off. He did have assistance from Bill Munro and the evening went very well. John started by giving the members a talk on what wet wood was all about, ranging from how it grows, how to cut and dry it, how to store it during the drying process and how to use it . Once his talk was over John started to turn a wet log and encouraged others to have a go, Bill Munro did the same, both were more than happy to see several members having a go under their supervision. The following set of pictures along with some text will show how the evening went. The turn out was moderate but the meeting went well and was well received.

Here we have John Cheadle doing his talk on wet wood working at the start of his presentation.
Bill Munro setting up to start assisting John with wet wood working.
John answering some questions from the floor.
Here John is showing the end of a log with several drying shakes (cracks) in it, and explaining why they are there,
Here John is using a sketch on the board to describe some of the growing features that occurs.
John went on to explain using a rough turned scenario, where a bowl is turned but left very thick then dried using a polythene bag and some shavings.
This is the alternative to rough turning, making the item very thin and drying on the lathe almost as it's done.
Here we have one of those attending having a go on a wet log.
This is Bill Munro working a very wet log that he split in half to make a natural edged bowl.
This is one of the members working on the outside of Bill Munro's bowl.
After some work on a log between centres, John mounted a split log and started to shape the outside.
Progress being made on John's half log bowl, again this blank was very wet.
Here we have Bill Munro explaining to one of the members how a chuck recess is formed.
The chuck recess being worked on by one of the members, under Bill's guidance.
Here the outside shape of John's bowl taking shape.
Bill Munro's natural edged bowl now mounted on the chuck ready to start the inside.
After setting the tool rest in position the lathe was turned on, the effect of the ghost can quite clearly be seen
Now Bill demonstrates how to take the first cuts.
One of the members taking a cut, Bill's hand was also on the tool at this stage.

Due to the constraints of time neither bowl was finished at the meeting, this was not all that important, what was important was getting to know how to use wet wood. The feed back after the meeting was excellent, quite a few of the members were very interested in wet wood working in the future. The pictures for this presentation were taken by Alec Mutch.

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This week’s meeting 27th June 2019.

This week’s meeting on the Thursday 27th June 2019 is about wet turning. This has been organized by John Cheadle who is also going to do a short talk on the subject of wet turning before getting into some practical work on wet turning. John is very keen to get some of our members to have a go themselves during his presentation, if you are someone who would be interested in having a go under John’s supervision come prepared to take part. Wet turning can be very interesting in it’s final outcome, do remember that although turned wet whatever is made will still have to dry and it’s that drying process that makes things interesting, to overcome some of the drying problems the item needs to be worked to a very thin thickness. Some other methods can be used, such as using natural edged material, with these the thickness is less critical and if they move in the drying it can hardly be detected due to the fact the natural edges disguise the fact that the item has moved.

Here I have selected 3 items that are all natural edged, if they had been turned wet I would expect to see some movement in the drying, in all three cases it would be hardly visible and would not detract from the finished look they have right now.

Meeting starts 6.45pm as usual and come prepared to do something.

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Report on the meeting on 13th June 2019, sharpening.

Our club meeting on the 13th June 2019 was all about sharpening hand tools. There were 4 club members using a variety of sharpening devices , those were David Hay, David Hutcheson, Errol Levings and Alec Mutch. Each were demonstrating how to use their particular sharpening tool with tools brought in by many of the club members. Some had brought a whole selection of tools to sharpen or re-grind, this was exactly what we wanted to happen, they would be shown how to sharpen a particular tool then be asked to repeat the sharpening process themselves. There was a lathe set up with a block of wood for anyone to try after sharpening a tool, it was very well used. The turn out of club members was very good and they had for the most part taken part in the demonstrations.

Alec Mutch preparing his equipment to start the sharpening demonstration.
Errol Levings setting up his equipment, Errol was working 2 machines.
David Hay showing one of the members how to sharpen a gouge with a belt machine.
David Hay working on the fibre wheel with a gouge.
This was myself re-grinding a tool one of the members had brought in.
Now I'm assisting one of the members who is doing the grinding themselves.
Here I'm re-grinding the bevels on a skew, both sides had been hollow ground.
David Hay using the sharpening jig to sharpen a bowl gouge.
Errol Levings about to sharpen a parting tool with a belted machine.
Her one of the members was re-grinding the bevel on a bowl gouge to remove the wings.
David Hay with another piece of equipment to assist the sharpening, very useful for beginners.
Here I am trying a gouge for sharpness after re-grinding and sharpening.
Now cutting on the edge side of the blank, this is mostly end grain, and a good judge of sharpness can be found if it cut this well.
David Hay now sharpening an oval skew chisel.
Here I am working on a second bowl gouge using the white wheel to remove some of the wings and also to sharpen.
Here I am trying the second gouge for sharpness after re-grinding .
David Hutcheson using a belt tool with the tool guide to sharpen a flat skew.
One of our members. Richard Comfort trying a tool he just sharpened, not the size of the wood blank now, it was well used.

If you want to see a larger picture and some text just click on the image. The pictures for this post were all taken by Mike Day.

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This week’s meeting 13th June 2019, Sharpening.

This week’s meeting on the 13th June 2019 is all about sharpening tools, it’s being organized by David Hobson, we will be using the sharpening station at the club along with additional sharpening tools brought in by some of the members who will also demonstrate the use of these tools. There should be at least 3 and possibly 4 members using the sharpening tools and advising on their use, these are David Hay, David Hutcheson, Alec Mutch and possibly Errol Levings. If any of you have a tool or tools that require some attention, then bring it with you, we will try to show you how to sharpen or regrind any tool, we will also be asking you to have a go yourself. Next to using the tools correctly has to be sharpening, without a sharp tool the correct use of the tool becomes nearly impossible.

This is one of the club’s own sharpening tools, it’s based on using a belt rather than a stone or stones, it can produce a very fine edge on any tool in the right hands, it can also accommodate a jig for assisting the user.
This is the other sharpening tool our club has, this time it’s a grinder with 2 different grade grinding stones, this too has the jig facility. The grinder is more useful when regrinding a tool as the stones work much faster in removing material than any belt. I will be bringing my own grinder with me, I don’t use any jigs when sharpening or regrinding it’s all done by eye and touch, and I hope to pass this on to whoever wants to learn.

We are looking for a good turnout as usual and do bring your tools with you.

For all the committee members, remember there is a committee meeting starting at 5.45pm on Thursday, please try to be there sharp.

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Report on the Hollow Form competition 30th May 2019.

The competition on the 30th May 2019 was all about making Hollow Forms. The entries for each category was a little disappointing, especially in the “Intermediate” category, the judges for the competition were David Hobson and Mark Sutton. Here is a summary of the competition entries and winners. In addition to the competition David had organized 5 turners to man the lathes whilst the judging was going on, these were, Colin MacKenzie making miniature bird houses, Mark Dale making a natural edged bowl, Dave Line working on a large laminated vessel, Bob Chisholm making pens and Geoff Potter working on a spalted beech bowl. For pictures and text on all of this see below.

These were the entries for the "Novice" category.
These were the entries for the "Intermediate" category.
These were the entries for the "Experienced" category.
These were the winners in the "Novice" category, 1st on the left was by Geoff Potter, 2nd on the right was by Ian Savage.
These were the winners in the "Intermediate" category, 1st on the left was by Dave Line, 2nd on the right was by Bob Chisholm.
These were the winners in the "Experienced" category, 1st on the left was by Alec Mutch, 2nd on the right was by John Ruickbie.
A close up of the winning Hollow Form in the experienced category.
Here we have Bob Chisholm as he prepares to make a pen.
Here we have Colin MacKenzie setting up to start making a miniature bird house.
Here we have Dave Line, Dave was working on a laminated vessel that he started at home.
Here we have Mark Dale taking his first cuts on a natural edged bowl in Elm.
Here we have Geoff Potter getting started on a spalted beech bowl.
Mark Dale sanding the outside of his natural edged bowl.
Colin MacKenzie making progress on his miniature bird house.
Dave Line sanding the inside of his laminated vessel, with the use of some sanding cloth attached to a push stick.
Bob working on a 2nd pen, this one was being made from a acrylic blank.
Geoff Potter having completed the outside of his bowl, now turning it around to work the inside.
Mark Dale applying sanding sealer to his natural edged bowl.
The outside of Geoff Potters spalted beech bowl now sanded and sealed.
Mark Dale working on the inside of his natural edged bowl.
A closer view of Mark Dale's internal cuts.
Dave Line hand sanding some small areas on his laminated vessel.
Mark Dale's completed natural edged bowl.
Colin MacKenzie's completed miniature bird house.

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If you want to see a larger picture and some text of any of the above click on the picture. The range of items that can be made as “Hollow Forms” is far reaching, here are just a few but we hope they will give you inspiration to make one of your own.

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This week’s meeting. Hollow forms competition.

This weeks meeting on Thursday 30th May 2019 is the competition on hollow forms, the meeting is being organized by David Hobson, he along with Mark Sutton will be the judges for the competition, we are looking for a large entry from all 3 categories and do remember there is a £25 first price for each of the 3 categories. In addition to the competition David has organized at least 3 turners to man the lathes whilst the competition judging is going on. Here is a reminder of the type of thing hollow forms covers.

Here is a reminder of the criteria.

This is just an example of the type of thing hollow forms covers,
More examples of hollow forms.
You do not need to follow any of these exactly, your own interpretation on something similar is what’s required.

Good luck and lets see plenty of entries.

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Report on our meeting on 16th May 2019.

Our meeting on the 16th May 2019 was all about making wooden fruits, the meeting was organized by David Hobson who also took part in the turning along with Alec MacLeod, Bob Chisholm, John Ruickbie and Richard Comfort. The meeting was well attended, it had quite a variety of ways in which wooden fruits could be made which made the evening even more interesting. Here is a summary of the evenings proceedings in both picture and print.

Here we have John Ruickbie as he starts to make a wooden apple from a piece of Cherry wood.
Here we have Alec MacLeod as he starts to make a wooden apple from a piece of Sycamore.
Here we have Bob Chisholm as he starts to make a wooden Orange from a piece of Elm wood.
Here we have David Hobson as he starts to make a wooden pear from a piece of Zebrano wood.
Here we have Richard Comfort as he make a start on making a wooden pear from a piece of Elm wood.
Here John Ruickbie is working on what will be the bottom of his apple.
Here Alec MacLeod is working on shaping his apple.
David Hobson's Zebrano pear taking shape, here he can be seen doing the final sanding.
Richard Comfort is being guided by one of our senior turners, Bill Munro.
Bob Chisholm now making a Butternut Squash from a piece of fence post.
This is one of Bob Chisholm's Butternut Squash, although not a fruit, Bob carried on making it.
Here John Ruickbie is now shaping the top of the apple.
Richard Comfort working on the base of his pear.
Here Richard can be seen sanding his pear, and looking good for a first attempt.
John Ruickbie's completed apple, made from a piece of Cherry wood.
Alec MacLeod's completed apple made from a piece of Sycamore.
David Hobson's completed pear made from a piece of Zebrano wood.
Richard Comfort's completed pear made from a piece of Elm wood.
David Hobson brought in a bowl of fruits by way of examples he had made earlier.
The inside of the club house, with the members watching their preferred turner.
John Ruickbie went on to make a wooden pear to accompany the apple he made earlier.
Alec MacLeod applying a finish to his apple.
David Hobson went on to make a wooden plum from a piece of Purpleheart.
Here David can be seen taking some of his final cuts on the plum.

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If you want to see a larger picture and some text, click on any picture. We hope these picture and text gave you an insight into the making of wooden fruits, and it doesn’t stop there, a whole range of wooden fruits and vegetables can be made.

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This week’s meeting 16th May 2019.

This week’s meeting on the 16th May 2019 is all about making wooden fruit. It’s being organized by David Hobson, He has arranged for 4 more turners to man the lathes these are Alec MacLeod, John Ruickbie, Bob Chisholm, Richard Comfort and David himself. All will be making some sort of wooden fruits and hopefully a variety of fruits.

Here are a few examples of some wooden fruits from my own portfolio. Left is an Apple made from African Padauk, centre are a couple of Pears made from Sycamore and Ash and right are a pair of Plums made from Purplheart.
These are also from my own portfolio, the Banana although not turned is made from Pau Amarillo and the Grapes that were turned are made from Native Walnut.
Here the fruits can be seen as one display in a bowl made from Native Walnut, the Orange on the right is made from Agba a very light wood that took the detail of an Orange easily, it was stained with an orange water based dye.

These are just some ideas for fruits that we might see at the meeting being made, but there may be some other fruits being made that I have not pictured. Come and observe anyway, we hope for a good turnout and that the meeting will be enjoyable and informative.

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Our club meeting on 2nd May 2019 was a showtime meeting.

Our club meeting on the 2nd May 2019 was a showtime meeting, this is where the members are encouraged to bring and show any item they had made over the past few weeks, each one would get the opportunity to tell the members how they made any item and answer any questions from the members. The attendance for this meeting was a little smaller than usual and the number of members exhibiting was also a little smaller than usual, however the amount of items displayed was very good. The evening went well and the members got fully involved with all the item shown.

Here I am doing my introductions for the meeting, I was also the compere for the showtime meeting.
First up was Douglas Stewart, Douglas had made a selection of wooden mice as a novelty.
A closer view of some of Douglas's mice, all made in a variety of woods.
Here we have Dave Line, Dave made a couple of items, here he is showing his segmented vase with lid.
A closer view of David's vase with lid.
Dave also made this novelty mock up of an old style of telephone in Oak.
A closer view of Dave's 2 items.
Here we have Bob Chisholm, Bob had several item to show, here is his first a wooden platter made in Sycamore.
Another of Bob's items, a Mortar and pestle made from a segmented form.
Another of Bob's items a very shallow plate made from Sycamore.
Bob also made this Gavel and Block.
A closer view of Bob's Gavel and Block.
Here we have David Hutcheson showing the first of his 2 items.
David's first item was a shallow bowl with a natural edge, David explained he did not like to throw any piece of wood out, and this was the result of one such piece.
The underside of David's shallow bowl, he had made an insert to fill the chuck recess and added a little decoration.
The second of David's items was this piece of Elm, again this was salvaged from the throw away pile, it had some cracks that David stitched using some metal staples.
The top side of David's Elm plate, he had scorched the underside and carried the scorching on to the top side for forming the lip.
Here we have Geoff Potter showing a natural edged bowl, Geoff explained that this piece of wood was salvaged from the shore of a highland loch.
A closer view of Geoff's Elm bowl.
The second of Geoff's items was this highly spalted bowl, it had been made from a piece of Beech that had been cut using a bowl saver.
A closer view of Geoff's Spalted Beech bowl.
This picture shows the piece that came out of the bowl using the bowl saver with the bowl to the left and the natural edged bowl to the right.
Here we have Bill Munro, Bill showed a couple of items that were all made by using the inside out turning method.
This was Bill's compote inside out turning, made from native Walnut.

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If you want to see a larger picture along with some text, click any picture. Most of the pictures for this post were taken by Dave Line.