April 2017 Newsletter

For our March meeting we had Ed Oliver with us for the day. Ed’s demonstration was also all about decoration but with a difference. His first piece of the day was a hollow form and his choice of wood was lime. After turning it and finishing to a fine finish he stuck a couple of transfers of doves that he had copied from a book of outlines on to the side. He then went round the outline with a pyrography burner before changing to a much more powerful and hotter machine to actually texture the bowl. Finally he painted the doves white to end up with a very attractive piece.

Ed’s second item was another hollow form but his method of decoration on this one was to first drizzle hot melt glue over the surface and then spray it black with ebonising spray. When this was dry he highlighted the glue streaks with paint applied with his finger. It was then sealed using an clear acrylic spray.

Ed’s third piece was a cherry bowl. As he started to turn he saw there was a small split in the wood and also some signs of wood worm. However he decide that for demo purposes it would do so after treating the affected areas with a dose of super glue he carried on. He turned the back first and then the front face leaving a broad rim for decorating. First he sprayed it with ebonising paint. The he dabbed on different coloured acrylic fluorescent paints with a folded piece of paper towel. The paints can be obtained from Hobby Craft. After going over both the front and back of the bowl with various shades of colour he turned the centre to remove all the over spray and finished it with first with “Yorkshire Grit” and then “Hampshire Sheen” In the first picture you can just see the wood worm damage at the rim.

Ed’s last item of the day was a bowl made with an undercut rim. For this he used a lump of lime and the finish on this piece was just to ebonise it and then finish with the Yorkshire Grit followed by Hampshire Sheen. For all of his work he finishes it to a very fine finish. He has even bought himself a pair of very strong ready read glasses that almost magnify what he is looking at to be sure there are no sanding marks left. “If you can’t see them with those on no one will see any marks with the naked eye” he said.

That ended a very interesting and enjoyable day and I am sure we will be inviting him back before too long. There will not be a meeting in April because the trip to Yandles is on. I am told this will be the last one. BUT. For those interested, Dawn has set in motion a club buffet lunch at Milstead on the 27th May. It will include a Dawn Inspired game of table tennis. Don’t ask me to explain how it works but I think it will most likely be noisy and quite competitive and a lot of fun . The cost is £5 per head and if any one would like to bring along any goodies to eat as a donation to the day this would be most welcome. Our next meeting is on Saturday 13th May when we will have Margaret Garrard with us for the day. I went on to her web site to see what she does and her turning is highly decorative with some pieces looking almost like lace. Graham

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