what to expect at a woodturning club?

[nev]

I realise that all clubs are going to be different, but how goes the typical club meeting?
Is it usually a lathes out, room full of shavings, this is how I, (or could someone show me how to) use this tool, produce this finish etc. or is mainly chinwagging amongst a group of like minded individuals over a cuppa, with discussions over which demonstrator to invite and the annual charabang outing?

 

[=Adam=]

Hi nev,

I would also be interested in what people have to say to this! I would like to join a club, however my lathe is not very portable so if it is a case of bring your own then I guess I would be doing a lot of spectating haha!

 

[henton49er]

At Mid Wales Woodturners we have two different types of meetings. They are both daytime meetings held on a Sunday, usually the third Sundaay of each month.

For about 7 meetings per year we have professional demonstrators who make a variety of turned items, depending upon their speciality. Often four or more items are turned in the one day meeting. We have recently had Tracy Owen, Simon Hope, Tobias Kaye and other well known turners come to Carno - attendance is usually very good for these meets.

For 3 or so meetings per year, we have "hands-on" sessions. The club has two lathes and a member usually brings another so that there are three lathes in operation. The more experienced turners then turn items such as bowls, boxes etc and provide advice to the less experienced and all are allowed (even encouraged) to have a turn. There is also usually some finishing work, some carving and perhaps some shadow copy turning.

There is a woodturning shop, good refreshments, free tea/coffee and a good chance to network with fellow turners. Members bring there latest work in for critical acclaim (or mild criticism if appropriate)..

If you want to know more, PM any questions, Nev.

 

[Tony Spear]

Henton, that bl**dy Avatar of your gets me every time! #-o

Another greasy fingerprint to get off the screen! :roll:

 

[petercharlesfagg]

Woodturning clubs in my experience are valuable resources for discussion and exchange of ideas but concentrated on woodturning!

I have been a member of several clubs over the years, I am a founder member of Wight Woodturners on the Isle of Wight. (I used to live there)

Clubs can be a pain and pleasure for all but without sounding stupid, they are only as good as their members and anyone joining will only get a pleasurable experience if they put in as much effort to make it work for others as they would like for themselves.

TOO MANY turn up at woodturning clubs with the whole purpose of being entertained instead of mucking in and helping the club to prosper.

Any advice I would give to prospective members of ANY club is to attend several different clubs (If possible) and experience the ambiance. Ask questions, do not expect everyone to come rushing up to you because you are a new face, find out who is the chairman or a committee member , they are after all committed to making the club work!

Above all try and enjoy it even when it is a demonstrator who is making something that is boring or not your scene.

Woodturning clubs are the future for many younger and aspiring turners and for those who have yet to experience the thrill of making something from firewood!

To all those who have any interest but as yet have not committed themselves to trying, give it a go, attend with a clear mind, ignore those who think it is funny to talk in technical language to someone who has no knowledge, take notes, get involved.

Have fun!

Regards Peter.

 

[Noggsy]

Nev, at my club in North Wales we meet every other Tuesday and there are always half a dozen lathes out, at least. There will usually be a few members making their own thing, whilst people watch and ask questions and then a senior member (to be fair, most people are senior there ) will often be doing a specific demo on hollowing or square bowl turning or something similar. So, there are a couple of different grinders there and these will be demonstrated for people who want practice in this.

My club is a carving club as well, so there are always about ten people sat carving as well. Most people are happy to chat and its a very friendly club and my turning has benefitted hugely from attending.

 

[Tazmaniandevil]

Unfortunately the nearest club to me is some 50 miles away. I would love to have a club closer to home, and would be more than willing to muck in despite being somewhat a beginner. 100 mile round trip would just stretch the finances too far at present.

 

[boysie39]

I would agree with Peter entirely , if its going to be your club you should put every effort into making it into one you enjoy and look forward to ,not feeling you have to go .
You will find that if there is an elected committee that they will or should be interested in what the members and will be open to suggestions of what you and other members
would like to see at the club . Learning and enjoyment are very important structures within the club.

 

[chipmunk]

To answer Nev's original question - I'd say, based upon my experience of 4 clubs, you can expect a combination of more formal demonstrations by professional turners (who'll be very open to answer your questions), informal hands-on or demonstrations by club members and like-minded people who'll usually be more than happy to help you with your problems.

No need to worry about taking your own tools or lathes (!) but perhaps be prepared to take along some of your work to discuss if you're interested in findingout where you may be going wrong or where you could improve.

I'd really recommend you go along and visit your local club(s) though.
Jon

 

[nev]

The reason I ask is that I recently discovered and attended a club. They meet once a week. I took along a recent bowl and my gouges to get an opinion on sharpness / profiles etc.

let me preface this.
'I describe myself as a grumpy old git. I'm not really a smalltalk person, but i realise this is non-optional social convention that i need to take part in :wink: I like to learn - be told, be shown, have a go, told where Im doing wrong or doing well.
So, I'm not really a chatty cathy.

At the meeting there were about 30 people in attendance, way more than I was expecting.
There were a couple of gents taking the register, a table with one or two recently turned items for c&c, Tea, coffee and cake, and a small 'shop' (table) with finishes, glues, project kits, pen blanks and the like for sale.
I was shown the club kit available - 3 or 4 lathes, plenty of gouges etc .
A friendly and welcoming bunch they were too...'been turning long?' 'nice bowl' 'look out he's brought his tools :wink: ' tea? and so on.
so far so good!

What usually happens at meetings? I ask.
''Someone gets a lathe out if they feel like it , if you fancy a go help yourself to the kit etc. we have a couple of trips a year, arrange for a demo now and then (the last one was Mark Raby) etc,'' as one expected.

I asked about my gouges - 'that's the chap!' someone points, 'he sharpens all the clubs tools'. :?
He kindly introduced my gouges to the pro edge, explained what he was doing, and made a good job of it. re-profiled my skew which is now a lot easier to use .

Tea up! someone shouts from the kitchen, then everyone grabbed a cuppa and stood around in group having a chinwag and a laugh.

and that was about it till home time.
not a shaving in sight!
A few guys apologised for there not being a lot happening, and it being a bit quiet...

So thought I'd try week2.

took along the sierra pens i just made, to get an opinion (all positive, thank you )
I arrive and theres a couple of lathes out! and a pile of 2x2 on the table.
OK! thinks I, something happening !
Chap starts roughing, proceeds to skew, plenty of banter between operator and onlookers...
Tea up!
tools down.
committee meeting, vote for this, discuss that. thank you very much.
continue with tea.
tidy up. :shock:
go home.
pile of 2x2 remains untouched. I dont know what happened to the piece on the lathe.

So whilst they're a nice friendly and welcoming bunch, I'm not sure if week 3 is on the cards. I think I need a more hands on approach, someone elses or mine.
Probably just me being a miserable old scrote :roll:

 

[chipmunk]

Hi Nev,
Did you think to grab one of the 2x2's and ask whether anyone minded if you had a go?

The trouble I find is that people are generally very shy at coming forward and turning beyond the relative familiarity of their own workshops and many people expect different things from a club - from a social gathering, to entertainment event and only a proportion will be "100% dyed-in-the-wool woodturners" like you were hoping for.

HTH
Jon

 

[nev]

Hi Nev,
Did you think to grab one of the 2x2's and ask whether anyone minded if you had a go?
HTH
Jon

You are quite correct, I didnt have the temerity to have a go myself . But in my defence it was only my second visit and there was a room full of existing members. I thought that there may have been some pre-arranged thing/ challenge/ whatever, as there was lots of milling about, but then 'tea up' was declared, queue (cue?) mass stampede to get the tea and cake! and that was it.

I am not dissing (youth speak!) the club or the guys there, they seem like a good bunch but it in this case there seems to be more emphasis on club rather than woodturning, and being a slightly unsociable old git have found that this club is probably not for me. (or even more likely, I'm not for the club)

I didnt really know what to expect, probably hoping it was a little more like Mikes club at the head of the post, but thats a bit of a drive from Carmarthen.

 

[chipmunk]

Stick with it Nev please!

As with all clubs, they are almost always what you make of them, as Peter says, and do require a degree of perseverance.

HTH
Jon

 

[Elapid]

I've just got a lathe after wanting one for years. I have tried using it once and the bit of wood looked lovely while it spinning but was super rough and had chunks missing everywhere when I stopped the lathe. The wood was just a bit of tanalised timber I found at the bottom of the garden. I'm not even sure what chisels to get.

While looking for info I noticed there is a wood turning club that meets not far from me. Would joining a club help me to learn or is it for more experienced turners?

 

[nev]

I started with kieth rowleys book, this forum, you tube (beware) and white knuckles. I've come on a bit since then but think i would be a bit further up the learning curve and would have wasted a lot less wood had i have someone to show me where i was going wrong and how to correct it. So Yes, i think a club would be great for a beginner, even before buying a lathe. (even if you are an antisocial old git like me )

 

[henton49er]

Probably just me being a miserable old scrote :roll:

If so, you would fit in well at our club. :lol: :lol:

If you can face an approx 80 mile drive to Carno, we are meeting on 21st October with Frans Brown as the demonstrator. The meeting kicks off at 11.00 am and runs to around 5.00 pm. Its only £8 (I think) for visitors. You would receive a wamr welcome (even if it is, as usual, raining in Mid-Wales!! :roll: :roll: ).

There is also Crow Valley Woodturners (who meet here - http://www.crowvalleywoodturners.org.uk/Facilities.htm). They have Frans the day before us on the Saturday, and may be a lot closer to you than Mid-Wales Woodturners.

 

[petercharlesfagg]

Unfortunately the nearest club to me is some 50 miles away. I would love to have a club closer to home, and would be more than willing to muck in despite being somewhat a beginner. 100 mile round trip would just stretch the finances too far at present.

No club near you should not be a hindrance. I started Wight Woodturners simply because there wasn't a club on the island and the nearest would have been in Portsmouth!

It can be a daunting task but just ask the AWGB and they have a comprehensive advice pack for starting a club.

I thought, after attending dozens of shows on the island and being asked about a club that there would be about 10 people interested. BUT, after I had convinced the local paper to write a little article with my contact details, nearly 45 people attended the very first meeting!

Please do not feel isolated simply because of distance, the internet, Skype and a myriad of other contact methods can mean that woodturning like minded people are only a moment away!

Hope this helps, regards Peter.

 

[paul johnson]

I have been turning for just under two years and bought cheap and cheerful tools and lathe and little idea, and found out through the AWGB their was a club a few mile away Pembrokeshire woodturners. So i plucked up the courage to go along and got to say i've never turned back I was welcomed in with open arms, we meet the 2nd and 4th thursday of the month the first meeting consists of one of the club members doing a demo and discussion on form and tools etc tea and cakes half time with raffles and the winner of the competion gets announced and more of the demo. And on the second meeting of the month is a hands on night were we pull out four lathes and members can get turning, sharpening systems are set up for them thats wants to learn how to sharpen. I would recommend anybody with an interest go along and you can try before you buy not like me three lathes later and a new bunch of tools.

Paul.

 

[tekno.mage]

Probably just me being a miserable old scrote :roll:

If so, you would fit in well at our club. :lol: :lol:

If you can face an approx 80 mile drive to Carno, we are meeting on 21st October with Frans Brown as the demonstrator. The meeting kicks off at 11.00 am and runs to around 5.00 pm. Its only £8 (I think) for visitors. You would receive a wamr welcome (even if it is, as usual, raining in Mid-Wales!! :roll: :roll: ).

There is also Crow Valley Woodturners (who meet here - http://www.crowvalleywoodturners.org.uk/Facilities.htm). They have Frans the day before us on the Saturday, and may be a lot closer to you than Mid-Wales Woodturners.

I'd also add Mid Wales Woodturners next meeting after that is on 2nd December from 1:30pm - 5pm, which is a "Hands On" - we should have three lathes in operation, woodcarving, sharpening system, display of member's work and maybe other things going on. As "Henton" has said, you would be very welcome to join us if you can face the drive to get there. We are actually a very friendly bunch of grumpy old gits (and whatever the female equivalent of git is) and are certainly more interested in turning than tea drinking New faces will be made very welcome (we are always on the lookout for new members).