Mar 2017 Meeting

He started by drawing out a square profile of the blank he had brought that had already been marked out.  Key dimension here is the length of the blank and he showed how to arrive at the measurements. The diagram has both bowls marked out as well as top and space between in the middle. A through line running perpendicular to the diagonal of the box marks the position for the first point at each end. One will be the start for the inner ring and the other for the outer (different ends). All other points  are marked off these. This had to be done first in order to get the dimensions which are then transferred to the blank ends. As mentioned above the ends have two rings, an outer and an inner, one marked clockwise (in this case 1 – 6) and the other anticlockwise. These are the steb centre points for holding the blank as you decorate the bowls.

The demo showed how twinning was done which was using the same end markings to decorate two bowls. This was common when production turning was done in years gone by and saved time. The bowls produced are then end grain as against the normal side grain.

John first exposed the profile of the first bowl using the no 1 position. Then he marked the profile with 6 centre points to serve as a guide and traced out the decorating lines. The decorating was then done by holding the blank between stebcentres in turn from positions 1 to 6. Next he coloured the middle diamond of the bowl and applied sanding sealer to the outside. Finally it was waxed and buffed.

The second bowl was then decorated in the same way.

Once the decorating phase was done the blank was mounted on the ckuck with the tailstock for support and parted off between the bowls. Each bowl was hollowed out and shaped. Finally the bowls were remounted and bottoms finished.

We were taken on a journey into the origins of woodturning, how the workshops operated and how apprentices were trained. One tip was to take your own notes rather that relying on a handout. You then understand. Always go home and practise what you have seen. You then learn.

Well done John. We loved the demo, you are a breath of fresh air.

 

Result for March.

   Winner                   Tom Jordan

   Tie for Second       Noel Grogan, Liam Horan