The Craobh Eo Seminar for 2016 was held on Sat 27th February in the Gateway Hotel, Swinford. There was a great attendance and everyone really enjoyed the day.

Demonstrators were Clive Brooks (UK) and Gabriel Wall (South East Chapter).

 

A special surprise was a very informative talk by Rosa Meehan from the Museum of Country Life,

 Rosa Meehan, Museum of Country Life presentation

Turlough who got our day off to a great start.

Thanks to Rosa for giving us an insight into this national treasure on our doorstep.

 

 

 

 

Clive Brooks is well known as the Sorby demonstrator and came with a host of tips and techniques to pass on to his audience. He first turned a mini bowl (sycamore) with spiralling and texturing on the outside as well as some texturing the inside, explaining as he went along how to texture and spiral with the different tools. He also brought along examples of spiralling and texturing for us to see. The bowl was finished with danish oil and burnished with shavings to give a pleasing texure.

Next up Clive turned a three sided mini bowl (sycamore again) using offset positions on the bowl blank rather than an offset chuck. He explained the mark up of the settings with a handout which he insisted could be attempted by anyone. The bowl was then turned using three offset positions with great care. This was followed by texturing as explained earlier. The end result was a lovely bowl.

 

Gabriel Wall’s first project was an occasional ash table with a top, shelf and three legs. The blanks for the top and shelf are prepared and rounded. Next the shelf is carefully marked for drilling and drilled through on the drill press vertically. Three holes are then transferred to the top (bottom side) and drilled partially through to later receive the leg spigot. A full length blank (leg & foot) is then prepared and in turn the leg and the foot turned from this. Both are carefully fitted to the top and shelf. This was an interesting and challenging project that will find many uses around the home.

Gabrial’s other project was a wing bowl. The bowl was shaped on the outside first and a recess turned close to the top to later receive the wing (to correct width). The inside was then hollowed. The wing was a square of contrasting wood with a diameter larger than the turned bowl. The trick was how to get this to wrap around the bowl. Like all those radio recipes long ago when the lady used to say “and this is the secret” there was a secret cut made on opposite sides to the depth of the bowl recess cut earlier. The cut was then held with some “hot melt” to support turning. The square was then mounted and centered on a blank and supported on all four sides by a homemade wooden clamp. The inside was then removed to the width of the bowl recess. What was left was a square blank held in the middle by the “hot melt”. This was parted and then attached to the bowl. The bowl bottom could then be finished. Nice project Gabriel.

See photos below that tell more of the story.

 

A big thank you to both Clive and Gabriel for a wonderful day.

Winner   Pat Walsh        Dublin        (Ash Platter)

Second  Pat Walsh         Dublin        (Burr Elm Bowl)

Third      Paddy Murphy  South East (Finial Bowl)