Turnings - Tudor Rose Woodturners

Issue 16 - Winter 2008 ‘Turnings’ from the Tudor Rose Woodturners 1 

Newsletter 16, Winter 2008 - Free to members, £1 where sold 

Contents 

The Club Stuff 

2 42 Years On 

3 Hands On, 9 th Oct. 

4 The Secretary’s 

Announcements 

15 Turnathon ’08 

30 The 2009 Calendar 

31 The Back Page 

Demonstrations 

11 Tony Walton 

17 John Berkeley 

19 Nick Arnull 

23 Simon Whitehead 

Articles 

5 Weather or Not. 

7 Ashley Iles 

8 AWGB Training 

9 Stoneleigh Show 

10 Grinding Tip 

13 Unusual 

Commissions 

13 A Monthly 

Competition (or not) 

21 Watch This Space 

22 Tool Tips With 

A Difference 

25 Harrogate Show 

The Rest 

14 Wordsearch 

27 Gallery 

28 Tekno-Page 

29 For Sale 

In This Issue of ‘Turnings’ 

Full demonstration reports for 

Tony Walton, John Berkeley, Nick Arnull, 

and Simon Whitehead 

Also, make yourself a weather station 

We did very well for 

Children In Need Again 

Turnings 

From The Tudor Rose Woodturners 

Affiliated to the Associated Woodturners of Great Britain 

The day at Harrogate 

was clearly too much for 

this couple, or were they 

praying to a new found 

deity whilst facing south ? 

Are you interested in having a monthly 

club competition, tell us what you think ?


42 Years On 

I find it quite amazing that this is already the fourth newsletter I have produced for Tudor- 

Rose, and I would like to express my sincere thanks to all those who have contributed to this 

and the previous issues. I am surprised at how much time it takes to create an issue. Needless 

to say, the more help I get, the better the results will be. I often get comments from people 

regarding the newsletter, and a recent one which pleased me came from David Springett, he 

says “the newsletters are remarkable in their length and content”, thanks David. Comments 

like this show us all that the newsletter is a valued document which can only continue so long 

as I am given material to include, so please, can you all try to help a little, and don’t leave 

things until the deadline before you offer them for publication. Help could involve doing a full 

demonstration write-up, or something as simple as passing on a picture of your latest failure 

to make firewood, so please, keep the bits coming in, and don’t leave it all to one or two 

regulars. 

Now an apology to John Berkeley. I have learned how to spell your name now. 

The newsletter cut-off dates have moved to be the last club event in February, May, August 

and November, and the corresponding issue dates are now the first club event in March, 

June, September and December. Hence, you are now reading “The Christmas Issue” of 

Turnings. When I first laid down a timetable of newsletter dates, it was imperative that a new 

issue was produced as soon as possible (that was April 2008). Without thinking, it was decided 

to produce subsequent issues quarterly from that date on, which unfortunately meant we 

would have issues in October and January but not at Christmas. Some felt this oversight 

needed to be put right, and having now done that, I am able to wish all members of Tudor- 

Rose “A Very Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year”, and please enjoy reading issue 

16 of the newsletter. 

Issue 17 of ‘Turnings’, the Tudor Rose Newsletter 

Will members please note that the cut off date for the Spring issue will be 

The ‘Hands On’ evening on February 26 th , 2009. 

As a general rule, the cut off dates for each newsletter will be the last club event in 

February, May, August and November 

Jon Simpson 

If you want articles or gallery items in the newsletter, please let me have your words and pictures 

in .Doc and .Jpg format as soon as you can, rather than wait till the last minute. 

Please do not use .DocX format as offered by MS Word Version 7.xx 

We reserve the right to edit any article, and any opinions expressed therein 

are not necessarily supported by Tudor Rose 

Jon Simpson, 5 Crabb Tree Drive, Northampton, NN3 5DR. 

Tel: 01604 491510 / 07818 445308, Email: JonAndBron@GoogleMail.Com


The “Hands On” Evening – 9 th October 2008 

Colin Hovland was going to 

make (or had he already made) 

a Beech rolling pin, and a small 

Maple platter (see it on the 

gallery page). 

Alison Scrivens, a visitor and prospective member, having a bit 

of tuition from John Johnson and Geoff Freeman and making a 

Yew needle case (see gallery page also). Alison later said “Its 

been a very good and informative evening, I have enjoyed it”. 

Alan Jennings did an Ash off-centre turning in the style 

of a pottery vase. 

Colin Devlin made a rocket launcher puzzle with some help 

from Harry Readwin. 

Richard Findley gave a bit of valuable 

guidance to Richard Ryan on how to 

roll a bead with a skew chisel. 

Bernard Jolley turned up with a rose engine and 

demonstrated its use. It was suggested that he had 

perhaps purchased the machine with his raffle winnings 

from 2 weeks earlier.


Secretary’s Announcements 

There are still plenty of spaces available for the Eli Avisera Demonstration on Sunday January 

4th, this is due to us wangling the main hall for the day as well. We shall be holding the demo in 

the large hall and using the Lounge for Tea/Coffee breaks & Lunch. So if you or your friends or 

family or any of other clubs you belong to want to attend, as they say, the more the merrier. 

For some reason I seem to be without any other announcements this issue, this may be due to 

our beloved editor deciding to bring forward the issue date, so I would like to say a few thank 

you’s instead. 

Firstly to Guy Ravine. Due to his heavy work load Guy very rarely manages to make club evenings, 

or committee meetings for that matter, but he always makes time to prepare and serve lunch for 

the 20 or so people who attend our Saturday demos. Also thanks to Penny Loseby who can also 

be found in the kitchen helping Guy with the food. Also to be found in the kitchen, not only on 

Saturdays but also on Thursday club nights, is Dennis Stanbridge and Stan Bird. Dennis is always 

early to arrive in the evening, quite often before myself, and is always willing to not only make 

Tea/Coffee for anyone who wants a cuppa but always helps me set up the lathe etc. Stan not 

only distributes drinks but has also been Treasurer for the past 3 years. His tireless work has 

helped the club build not only its bank balance, but also its membership. He can always be seen 

at Woodex, both spring and winter, accosting anyone who strays too close to our stand, and I 

must admit he does it better than I ever could. This year due to my work commitments I was 

unable to co-ordinate our 3rd annual 24hr “Turnathon”. This task was taken on by Martin 

Harper, who not only managed to ably organise the weekend event but secured a pitch inside the 

Clock Towers shopping centre in Rugby from which to sell our turned products. In doing this we 

have greatly surpassed last year’s total, with about £1500 to come in. Martin certainly gets my 

vote to do the job again next year. Finally I would like to thank Jon Simpson for doing such a 

sterling job with the newsletter. When Paul Loseby told me that he was no longer going to be 

able to edit and print the newsletter I was sure it was going to turn into a 2 page leaflet like 

some other clubs give out on a monthly basis, but he took the bull by the horns and has produced 

a newsletter that I think rivals some of the GMC publications, I just hope he doesn’t want paying 

Mark Bakers wages. 

Over the next few weeks I will be starting to put together the calendar for 2010. I already 

have a few ideas for demonstrators but if you have anyone who you’d really like to see, or see 

again, let me know. Also if there is anyone who you really didn’t enjoy then I have no problem in 

not inviting someone who is only going to attract half a dozen people. 

Early next year we will be having our AGM. This is you opportunity to have your say about how 

the club is being run. If you wish to join the committee we’re always looking for additional 

officers, as they say, many hands make light work. 

Finally from myself and the rest of the Tudor Rose may I wish you all a very Merry Christmas 

and a prosperous New Year. 

Phil Manners


So, What’s The Weather Looking Like ? 

During July 2008 Bron and I were on holiday in the Cotswolds, and 

I called in at MeanTime Design to buy a clock, and a set of gauges 

for temperature, pressure, and humidity, each having a front bezel 

diameter of 80 mm. I decided to install them into an Ash plaque 

measuring 280 mm diameter, with the clock at the top, and the 

other three set equally to the left, right, and bottom. 

Having chosen the Ash blank, it was important to decide on the 

front / back / top / bottom orientation of the blank before the 

turning process started, because I wanted to do it without the use 

of spigots or dovetails. Also, very few of us have a lathe capable 

of turning 42 cm over the bed which is what I needed for this 

project (21 cm swing) to bore the instrument holes, so to make it 

all work I did the following: 

1) I made up a 26cm diameter back plate from good quality chip 

board, to which I then bolted a 100mm faceplate ring with 

countersunk bolts (each let into the front outside face of the 

chipboard, with the nuts and bolt ends on the headstock side). 

2) I installed a chuck with 100 mm jaws to mount the faceplate 

ring. This allowed me to achieve the necessary 21 cm. swing by 

rotating the headstock to no more than 30 degrees, moving the 

work away from the lathe bed. The important point here is that I 

would be able to reach the workface with the standard tool rest. A 

faceplate fitted direct onto the headstock would have meant 

rotating the headstock to a point where the normal tool rest would 

not be able to reach the work. 

3) I used a Jacobs chuck in the tailstock to drill a pilot hole in the 

centre of the back plate for a central location pin, this should not 

be a through-hole. I found a hardwood dowel measuring 6 mm 

diameter was going to be good for this job. While the back plate is 

still on the lathe, scribe a circle having an 8 cm radius, and use 

the lathe indexing to mark 4 points on the circle at 90 degrees to 

each other and drill them through with a 5 mm bit. 

The turning process takes place in two very distinct phases. First, 

I screwed the back plate to the FRONT of the blank with screws 

in the 8 cm locations. Make sure the screws go into what will 

become waste timber where the gauges and the clock will fit. The 

back face was trued up, sanded, and finished with 50/50 sanding 

sealer and friction polish. DO NOT be tempted to cut the edge


profile, leave it in the rough. The next job is to remove the blank and re-mount it by screwing 

the back plate onto the BACK of the blank. Get it as close to centre as you can, and again, put 

the screws into what will become waste wood. True up the edge and the front face, and I also 

added a simple cove detail to the edge. Sand through the grits, and finish with 50/50 sanding 

sealer and friction polish. Now, accurately mark the front with the 4 centres where the 

instruments will be. I set the tool rest on the centre line of the front face, and with the blank 

indexed into the correct orientation; I marked the position of the first instrument, 7 cm from 

the edge of the wood. Index the work through 90 degrees, mark the 2nd position, and ditto for 

the 3rd and 4th positions. Remove the blank from the back plate and drill 6 mm through holes at 

the instrument centres, preferably with a pillar drill. These holes are to accept the indexing pin 

when fitted in the centre of the back plate. End of phase 1. 

The next, and much more interesting phase is to cut the 4 holes for the instruments, this was all 

done with the blank mounted 7 cm. 'off centre'. I needed to bore the blank 59 mm on the front 

and 70mm on the back for the weather instruments, and 74 mm on the front for the clock. 

Complete the clock boring with a 25mm forstner hole on the back. With the 6 mm index pin 

located in the centre of the back plate, mount the blank in one of the weather instrument 

positions with the FRONT FACING OUTWARDS. Drill through 2 of the remaining pilot holes with 

a 6 mm bit, and bolt the blank firmly onto the back plate (with the index pin still in place). 

Mount the back plate in the chuck. Check, double, and treble check that the job will rotate 

without fowling the lathe bed. With the lathe running at about 300 rpm, make the first cut. My 

aim was to cut a trench about 10 mm deep and 10 mm wide, the outer diameter of the trench 

being the correct clearance fit for the instruments, and make sure you leave the central core of 

the hole intact. Remove the blank from the back plate, and repeat this process for the other 2 

instrument locations. When cutting the front hole for the clock, leave the central core at a 

diameter of about 20 mm, with about 5 mm of timber in the bottom of the clock recess. 

Remove the blank, re-fit the other way round, with the back facing outwards and repeat the 

process for the 3 instrument holes. Make the rear cuts deep enough to leave 5 mm of timber in 

the bottom of the hole, clearing out the hole until the central core drops out. This will leave a 

clean clearance hole in the front of the blank and a larger recess in the back to allow for the 

fixing rings. As you rotate the blank for cutting the other 2 instrument locations, you will need 

to insert a softwood block into the rear recess. This will provide a new bolt hole location for 

mounting the blank to the back plate. The final hole to be drilled is the rear access for the 

clock. A simple 25mm forstner hole is all that is needed to remove the final central core. This 

hole will allow the clock to be pushed out from the back for setting and battery changing. 

The last job, fit a hanging plate on the back above the clock, or as I did, a thin copper wire can 

be fitted across the back of the 25 mm forstner hole which offers very easy centralisation when 

hanging the plaque on the wall. 

So, fit the instruments and the clock, hang it on the wall, and most important, don't forget to 

tap the barometer every time you pass it. 

Jon Simpson


A Visit To Ashley Iles - 18 th September, 2008 

On Thursday 18th September Colin Hovland and I went to visit 

Ashley Iles in Lincolnshire. The main purpose of our visit was 

for Colin to describe and discuss the turning tool he made (as 

described in issue 15 of the newsletter). Both Barry and Tony 

Iles were most interested in the 

tool, and it looks as if they are 

going to do an initial production 

run and then offer the tool to 

the trade and a number of 

professionals to test. That is all going to take place in the first 

half of 2009, so, watch this space. This time next year Colin 

could be entertaining riches beyond his dreams, please stand in 

line, I'm at the front of the queue. 

Like all good factory visits, we had a guided tour of the premises, 

which was all very interesting. The factory was a bit smaller than 

I was expecting, but then I had not realised that the entire 

operation consists of no more than about 10 people. On the day, 

several of the staff were out for a variety of reasons (maternity 

leave, holiday, flexi-time, etc.) so the place was quite quiet. That 

aside, we were given a personal demonstration of all the major 

processes involved in the tool production cycle, which is: 

Steel rod, brought in from Sheffield is cut to length and heated 

to 1080 degrees C. This is then forged under a power hammer 

into a bolster and is known as a "Mood". 

After cooling and re-heating, the power hammer is used to draw 

out the blade to the required length and thickness. 

Yet more cooling and re-heating, 

after which, excess metal is removed 

and the shoulders are forged in, 

closely followed by the 'gouging' 

process in a hydraulic press to create 

the final curve in the tool. 

Finally, the tool blank is "normalised"


by re-heating to 800 degrees C. and is then allowed to cool to room temperature before being 

taken into the grinding shop where the front and back of each blade is rough ground (see wet 

grinding note below). Further grinding operations include dry grinding the flute, linishing on a 

belt grinder, and glazing. After hardening, polishing and sharpening, the handle is fitted, and 

tool is ready for use. The process involves a lot more steps than I had expected, and I hope 

the above gives some idea of what takes place (assuming I have written it in the right sort of 

order). The process of making a carving tool is slightly different to the making of a turning 

tool, but the above should be enough to describe the general process chain. 

Wet Grinding Note - see 3 pictures at foot of previous page: The wet grinding wheel 

starts its life as a 42 inch diameter stone running in a wet pit. During its 2 year life, the stone 

will be worn down to almost nothing, as shown. The new stone is ready for fitting, and when it 

is first run up, it is left over night, running at full speed. During this time it "MIGHT" let go. 

This has happened once during the life of the factory, as is evidenced by the hole in the 

ceiling in the third picture, through which a large part of a wheel passed and landed in the 

field next to the factory. 

The Ashley Iles range of tools consists of 400 different carving tools and 350 different 

woodturning tools, all forged, ground and tempered by time-served craftsmen using the 

traditional methods of the golden age of tool making. The guarantee is very simple: Any goods 

manufactured by Ashle Iles which are found to be faulty in either material or edge keeping 

quality will be replaced unconditionally. Also, return ANY Ashle Iles tool and it will be reground, 

free of charge, all you pay is the postage. This is a small, family run firm. Its story 

began in the autumn of 1949 when, as pattern maker, Ashley Iles gave up his day job and set 

out on his own to make and sell tools. He began by renting a small workshop in Sheffield for 5 

shillings a week and ended up with a factory making carving and woodturning tools with a name 

known all over the world. Today the company is run by two of his sons, Tony and Barry, with 

the help of Tony's wife, Christine, who as Company Secretary, looks after the administrative 

and clerical details. 

Jon Simpson 

A.W.G.B. Demonstrator Training 

This is a one day course designed to enable proficient or experienced turners to be taught 

skills to help them present their demonstrating techniques safely and effectively. I have 

spoken to Peter Bradwick (the A.W.G.B. training officer) and he informed me that 4 turners 

would be required to partake. There are already 2 people who wish to take this up, so 2 more 

are needed. Please give this serious thought, and let me know if you are interested. See page 

71 in Woodturning issue 195 for more detail. 

Colin Hovland


The Midland Woodworking Show, Stoneliegh, 10 th – 12 th October 2008 

This is the first show to be organized in the Midlands by SK Promotions, which is the company 

that organizes the successful North of England Woodworking Show in Harrogate and the 

Scottish National Woodworking Show in Glasgow. 

The expected exhibitors list was indeed, very extensive, and included Ashley Iles, Carroll 

Tools, Charnwood, Chestnut Products, Craft Supplies, Crown, Hegner, Lincolnshire Woodcraft, 

Meantime Design, Phil Irons, Proops, Record, Robert Sorby, Scheppach, SIP, Snainton, 

Stobart Davies, T & J Tools, Toolpost, and Turners Retreat. In addition, there was a good 

selection of demonstrators present, many of whom we can all relate to in some way, including 

Barry Iles, Bob Neill, John Berkeley, Les Thorne, Reg Sherwin, and Reg Slack. 

The pre-show publicity stated that in excess of 60 

exhibitors, demonstrators, clubs and associations were 

attending, bringing in the widest possible range of 

manufacturers, and the show was expected to be the 

biggest and best woodworking and power tool show seen 

in the Midlands for a number of years. Was this true, I 

don’t know, but Stan Bird paid a visit, and all that follows 

is his account of the show. 

“Its quarter past ten, its seven pounds fifty pence to go 

in, and I’ve only two hours to spare, I hope its worth it” 

were the thoughts in my mind as I walked towards to the 

exhibition hall at Stoneleigh. Four hours later I was 

thinking that I could stay all day. By then I’d seen most of the stands but I hadn’t watched 

any of the advertised demonstrations. 

Guy Ravine was on the RPT stand – what a useful place 

to leave our bargains as we did our shopping. 24” Dewalt 

tool boxes at £5 each; a bargain I can’t resist even 

though I don’t need one and now haven’t the faintest 

idea what to do with it. Alan bought one, Bert bought 

one; other club members bought one, I even think Guy 

bought one. The stack of tool boxes behind his stand 

grew steadily. 

The RPT stand had some very nice pieces on it. Two 

ideas that caught my eye (see pictures) were offset 

candles and shallow natural edge bowls, both of which I


now intend to try. 

We watched Reg Slack turning a nice offset goblet and while turning to speak to someone, he 

withdrew his gouge sideways, instead of straight back, catching the side of the work and 

spoiling it. He shrugged his shoulders and said “hazards of demonstrating”. Although it’s 

always sad to see nice work spoilt its somehow quietly re-assuring that even the experts 

occasionally make the sort of mistakes that we amateurs do, all too frequently. The show was 

never really crowded even at the busiest time, in the middle of the day. I’m told that 

Saturday was quieter, with Sunday very quiet. Will it survive and continue in future years? I 

hope so; time will tell. I eventually went home, with my toolbox and another bargain, three 

bowl blanks for a fiver, having thoroughly enjoyed the show”. Jon Simpson / Stan Bird 

Take Your Time When You Are Grinding 

Very recently at a tuition night I noticed a person on one lathe in some difficulty. He was 

attempting to hollow out a blank mounted in a chuck with a spindle gouge, and the noise from 

the ensuing vibration was quite horrendous. 

The reason for his difficulty became apparent when I examined his gouge. Instead of a nice 

fingernail shaped curve, the tip was ground to a point, and this was despite using a jig to get 

the "so called" perfect grind. The grindstone wheel removes metal more slowly when a greater 

area of steel is presented to it than when a thin section is; so the centre of the gouge, having 

a greater area than on either side will need more time spent on grinding in order to attain the 

correct profile. 

Jigs are fine for getting your tools sharpened with a consistent presentation angle etc., but 

practise is required in order to keep the edge profiles correct. This is very important, 

regardless of whether you grind free-hand or with a jig. 

Colin Hovland 

Back To The Joey Richardson Demonstration, 11 th September 2008 

In Joey’s demonstration, she said “the optimum wood thickness to pierce is 1/16", using a 

#169L bit for soft and medium density, and a #699L bit for hard wood”. I have decided to 

give it a try sometime, and so needed to track down a supply of suitable bits for the drill. I 

found a supplier on the internet who was quite happy to send bits out with an invoice, “payable 

upon receipt”, most unusual these days. I purchased 7 bits which were sent out ‘post free’ for 

the grand sum of £14.63, if you are interested, the company is Roots Vet Dental Supplies Ltd, 

1 Knox Crescent, St Nicolas Park, Nuneaton, CV11 6DS. Try taking a look at 

WWW.VetDentalServices.Com Jon Simpson


The Tony Walton Demonstration, 23 rd October, 2008 

It was at Secondary modern school in Stratton (just outside Bude) where 

Tony was introduced to woodturning. Tony has had a number of jobs over 

the years including an injection moulder in a plastics factory, a fettler 

(files the burrs of the mouldings) in an aluminium foundry, sharpening 

band saw blades, and a wireman in the telecommunications industry 

working on telephone exchanges. In 2005 he was accepted onto the 

Register of Professional Turners supported by the Worshipful Company of 

Turners. Like many of our demonstrators, this was a proud moment for 

him. 

Tony is associated with two woodturning clubs, and enjoys all forms of 

turning. A pet hate is people who pick up a piece of wood and then decide 

to make something with it, rather than having a feel for what they want 

to make and then finding a suitable piece of wood. Also, an important 

thought is to let the tool do the cutting, rather than applying pressure to 

force the cutting edge into the work piece. 

The theme of the demonstration was going to be “THIN”, and he started off with 

a thin stemmed goblet from a piece of WET Sycamore. Having set up the log 

between centres, he explained the importance of making sure that the pith was 

well off centre, as this would ensure that the stem had maximum strength. The 

first task was to turn a spigot, reverse the log, mount it in a chuck, and bring up 

the tail stock to add support until you are ready to hollow out the cup. A bowl 

gouge was used to rough down to a round section. When using branch wood, this 

method often gives a lot more tool stability than can be had from a traditional 

roughing gouge. The next stage was to cut the outer profile of the goblet cup. If 

you want to do any sanding on this project, make sure you do it as you go, because 

you will not be able to return to any area after you have moved on. Use a spindle 

gouge to trim the end, drill out, shape, and finish the inner profile of the cup. 

With a light set up inside the cup, continue to work on the outer profile leaving a 1 

to 2 mm thin-walled cup. You should never try to return to working on the cup in 

any way after you start working on the stem, it WILL break. With a piece of folded tissue in the goblet 

cup, hold it in place with a "used" live centre at all times now, and do not stop the lathe, re-starting it 

will (you have guessed it) snap the stem, and if you use a new live centre, it 

will be too tight to revolve freely and will also twist the stem off. Work on 

the stem in very small stages working down to a final diameter of about 2 mm 

using the side wing of a spindle gouge in the same fashion as you would a 

skew. Continue to work back along the stem in 1" stages with the spindle 

gouge, and then a skew as soon as there is enough room to get the tool into 

the wood. Support the stem with your fingers at all times. By the time that 

Tony had cut about half of the stem down to size, it was quite clearly 

whipping, and I think that most of the audience were expecting it to break at 

any moment (or tie itself into a knot). To part off, work from the chuck end 

with a skew, making progressively deeper 'V' cuts on each stroke. You need 

to create a cone of wood in the chuck which comes to a point in the centre 

of the (hollowed) goblet base. In this way, the goblet finishes up supported


by a point at both ends, and does not drop off the lathe when the final cut breaks through. During the 

demo, Tony had one minor dig-in while shaping the base, most of which disappeared into the ever growing 

pile of shavings on the floor and over the camera stand. As a result of this, Tony had to cut a new base a 

little nearer the chuck, which also created a problem with the space needed for the skew while parting 

off. Tony's only comment was "well, we can all make mistakes", well done Tony for rescuing a very 

interesting and skilful demonstration. When finally parted off, the goblet stood on its base, and moved 

around in the air currents in the room. 

Next, a thin walled cup, again, from WET Sycamore. This demonstration was aimed at showing how to 

create work suitable for piercing. As always, mount the log between centres, turn a spigot, reverse, mount 

it in the chuck, and use the tail stock to add support until you are ready to hollow out the cup. Turn log 

down to get rid of any sap wood, leaving the firmer interior grain. Using 'V' cuts with the skew to form 

the general outer profile, you can then refine the surface with a spindle gouge and the skew. Cut out the 

bulk of the interior with a spindle gouge or a mini Rolly Munro if you have one. Don’t drill too deep with 

the spindle gouge at any one time, it will then stay a lot cooler. With a light on the outside of the form, 

continue to work on the interior of the cup. A good tool for this is a round nosed scraper which has been 

ground well up the side of the blade. Tilt the tool over to avoid too aggressive cuts, and don’t be put off 

by comments like "DON’T USE A SCRAPER", you should use whatever tool you have which will give you the 

finish you need. Work down the interior of the cup an inch at a time, leaving a wall thickness of between 1 

and 2 mm. At one stage, Tony checked the work piece and said "I'm getting a bit thicker as I go". An 

instant comment that back from the cheaper seats was "What about the wood?", M.H., we know who you 

are. Leave the bottom of the base section at about 10mm to give the cup some weight, and blend it into 

the thin wall section. Gradually work your way round and through the exterior base section with a spindle 

gouge using the light on the inside of the cup to help maintain a correctly graduated thickness as you go, 

and make the final parting cuts with the skew. Having created a thin-walled cup, it can be pierced straight 

away, but may well be easier to work and sand to a nice finish if left to dry out first (which does not take 

long with this type of work). 

Transferring an image onto the piece was all very similar to the demonstration write-up for Joey 

Richardson (see newsletter 15, page 23). But in brief, Tony gets an image, enlarges it to cover a full A4 

page, trace round it, and then he scans it back into the computer and reduces it to the size he wants. 

This will get rid of any inaccuracy in the tracing process. Print out the image you want to use on a laser 

printer or get a photocopy, you cannot transfer an inkjet image. Cut it out, tape it face down onto the 

work piece and use a graphics blender pen on the back of the paper to transfer the image to the wood, 

use a hard edge on the back of the paper to help with the transfer process. Use a straight cutter for 

piercing operations, not forgetting to leave some wood in the outline sections. If you don't, the whole of 

the image falls out. Use a ball cutter to add texture. If the vessel changes shape while drying, the effect 

can often be hidden by creating an indented rim. All in all, an excellent demonstration enjoyed by 

everybody, thanks very much Tony. 

Jon Simpson 

Brian Berry: Very interesting, I learnt a lot. 

Peter Fagg: Absolutely brilliant. 

John Johnson: I really enjoyed it, a good demonstration. 

Kevin Divine: Very entertaining, but I am not sure how the goblet stayed together. 

Nick Godwin: Very good, very impressive.


Unusual Commissions! 

Most of us have heard of the car or know of the film 

"Genevieve" about a car race from Brighton to London (the film 

was vice versa!). The car in question was a British Darracq, 

made in 1904. I was approached by the present owner to make 

a piece for the car instrument panel, apparently the gauges, 

speedometer etc. are mounted on Oak rings that lift the 

instruments away from the dashboard. The ring was to be 

precise in its dimensions, 13mm thick by 72mm outside diameter 

and 52mm inside diameter. 

It was these precise measurements that proved difficult because 

although the Oak was kiln dried, it obviously cut much more easily 

with the grain than across it, and tended to be oval internally 

rather than round. At times I found myself cutting more air than 

wood but managed to complete the piece as the picture shows. 

Eventually the ring was sealed and varnished and by all accounts 

it gives the vehicle a completeness which it previously lacked. 

Secondly, our friend John 

Berkeley reports on how he was 

approached with a view to making a walking stick incorporating 

an artificial hip joint from someone’s grandfather! He states 

that “fortunately” the commissioner did not pursue the 

arrangement! 

Thirdly, another poster who calls himself Tonyletournier, his 

sister-in-law advises the youth of today on sexual health issues, 

a subject which also involves the correct and safe way to fit a 

condom. The picture is self explanatory (I hope)! 

Peter Fagg 

A Monthly Turning Competition At Tudor Rose ? 

The West Northants club holds 

a monthly competition. The 

walking stick pictured here was 

submitted by Colin Hovland, and was judged the competition winner in early November. The 

judging is done by the members attending the club event on the night, each putting a ten pence 

piece in a cup next to the items on display, the winner (who then gets to choose the subject for 

the next competition) is the item which draws the most money during the evening. In the case of 

West Northants, the collection goes to the Air Ambulance. The Tudor Rose committee would be 

interested to hear your views on a regular activity of this sort. The idea certainly gets my vote. 

Jon Simpson


Word Search Competition 

I had thought the issue 15 competition was going to go un-claimed, but 

then, with only 2 hours and 49 minutes to the absolute cut-off, Dick 

Wright came up with the winning word, well done Dick. For those who 

were frustrated by not being able to find the answer, you were 

looking for ‘Purpleheart’, which appeared in the position indicated in 

the small grid on the right. A small number of members (slightly less 

than 2) thought the answer was ‘Eli’. Sorry, but the occurrence of 

those 3 letters was a pure fluke. 

So, once again you can win what I 

believe to be a very worthwhile 

prize (a piece that originated in 

Sheffield this time), courtesy of 

the John Johnson Woodturning 

Emporium. 

The search grid offered contains 

all the words noted below, plus one 

EXTRA which is not included in the 

list. 

The prize will go to the first club 

member to email, text, tell or call 

me with the mystery answer, which 

as always, is most definitely, 

wood or club related even though 

the offered clues are all Christmas 

related. 

The words you need to look for in this grid are: 

Christmas, Presents, Candle, Tinsel, Turkey, Crackers, Baubles, Streamers, 

Nativity, Carols, Holly, Mistletoe, Trifle, Santa Clause, Reindeer, Sleigh, 

The Three Kings, Stocking, Mince Pies, Plum Pudding, Decorations, Cards, 

The Queens Speech, Boxing Day 

Happy Hunting (and don’t let the squirrels get your nuts), Jon Simpson


The “Children In Need” Turnathon, 8 th / 9 th November 2008 

For the third year in a row, Tudor Rose held its 

Turnathon event in aid of “Children In Need”, 

and I had wondered for some time how to 

cover this event in a couple of pages. It was 

going to last for 24 hours, and there was no way I could 

see that would give all concerned the coverage they 

richly deserved. So, I needed 

a plan. My first idea was to 

cover the start (the first 

pieces to go on the table), and 

the end (the last pieces to go on the table). My second idea was to 

go with plan (a). 

The first half hour or so saw several events, in that Phil Manners 

was turning a piece of glued up Beech and it fell in two in the lathe, 

where upon he moved on to a piece of Mahogany, and in the early 

stages he was left with the 

foot in the lathe and the bowl portion in his hand. This 

piece was then re-branded as a desk calendar. Albert was 

also having problems. First he could not reach the lathe 

and had to go and get his box to stand on, and then the 

first light pull he worked on fell in two where a 

particularly large knot 

passed through. 

Regardless of that, he managed to rescue the piece of Yew, 

completed it quite nicely, and had the first piece on the 

table. 

Elaine Morrice made a ring stand from Spalted Birch, and a 

small shallow bowl 

from the stub left in the chuck. Jane George made a 

spinning top and launcher. John Holtom made a goblet 

from a length of Ash which was surprisingly damp 

considering it had been felled almost a year 

previously. This item was promptly bought by a couple 

of my guests who had turned up to see what we got up 

to when we were left to play. So, the first sale of the 

day had also been made, thanks go to Nick and Carolyn 

for their much valued donation to the cause.


By late morning on Sunday the table was a-wash with turned items of all descriptions, 

basically, you name it, and it was there somewhere. The final item made, and on the table 

within the 24 hours was from David Spencer. I thought it was a mushroom, but David was very 

quick to correct me, saying it was a toadstool, because there was not mush room on the table 

(what a fungi he is). 

As noted in the Winter Woodex report in newsletter 15, Nick Arnull donated a decorated 

hollow form to the club to be sold off for the best price we could raise, thanks Nick, it was 

very much appreciated. The piece was raffled off within the club, it raised £61. The raffle 

was drawn by Nick Arnull on Saturday 15 th November, and was won by Mike Peverill. 

Geoff Freeman: It’s all gone pretty well, we have made much more smaller stuff this year 

which hopefully will be easier to turn into cash. 

Malcolm Hill: We’ve had a good time. I made about 19 bottle stoppers which we should be able 

to sell for about £2.50 each. 

David Spencer: I enjoyed myself, it is wonderful, and we have made a lot more stuff this time. 

Martin Harper : Over all, a good event. My thanks go to Phil, Geoff, and many others for the 

help they gave setting up and clearing away. I am very pleased with the quantity and quality we 

have produced, and I look forward to selling all that we can, hopefully, with increased takings 

over previous years. 

Also, my thanks go to those people who provided work to put on the table rather than turn 

during the event. As for the turners, I need to thank Phil Manners, Albert Haughton, John 

Holtom, Jane George, Elaine Morrice, Bryon Brumfield, John Johnson, Paul Miller, Stan Bird, 

Alan Jennings, Dave Stewart, Eric Milner, Geoff Freeman, Alison Scrivens, Malcolm Hill, and 

Dave Spencer for the time they all put in on the lathes, and just as important, Dennis 

Stanbridge, who turned cold water into hot drinks for us. 

It was a great effort which looks as if it is going to raise 

close to £1600, and it gives us an improved base on which to 

build next time. The centre management at the Clock 

towers seem warm to us actually turning in the mall next 

year. Thanks to Geoff for the idea. We had a good day 

selling albeit we had quiet times which I am sure would be 

more than enhanced by actually producing some items in 

situ. Sorry if anyone has been missed in the thanks, blame 

me, and let me know. 

Jon Simpson


The John Berkeley Demonstration, 13th November, 2008 

John, who is based in Lutterworth, began turning about twelve years ago, 

having previously been involved with the restoration of metal antiques, a dirty 

job! From the first time his arm was twisted to make bone cribbage pegs, an 

interest in things softer than brass began to grow. He "graduated" to 

earrings in bone, and then wood, dolls house bits, including goblets, chess 

pieces, rattles and many other things. His current speciality is puzzles and 

boxes, mostly with hand chased screw threads. 

Though he rarely used oak, it was easy to see how "large trees from little 

acorns grew", learning from magazines and books, and watching demonstrators 

at shows. John says "All my senses drew me to the writings and demos of a 

certain Mr. W Jones, who I regard as my mentor. and now fortunately as my 

friend. I unashamedly try to emulate his skills and do so with varying degrees 

of success. We all owe him such a lot for his help over the years". Quite clearly, John is a total 

professional, and highly skilled at what he does, and there is no way that this demonstration 

report can go into the skills and techniques of thread chasing. To find out more, please consult 

the various DVD’s available, or talk to John. I am sure he will be able to pass on much more 

than I can say here. 

The first half of the demonstration was to be a screw top box 

made from Anjan with a recessed lid and an African Blackwood 

knob. A right hand thread on the lid, and a left hand thread on 

the knob. The length of Anjan was mounted between centres, a 

section was brought into the round and a spigot was added at the 

tailstock end. Having reversed the piece and mounted it in a chuck, 

add a spigot at the new tailstock end, and parted off a section for 

the bottom half of the box. Put a new spigot on the blank and part 

off a section for the lid. With the box section now mounted in the 

lathe, the body was planed and sanded, drill a hole in centre of the 

top surface to act as a depth marker, and hollow out with either a spindle gouge or a scraper. 

Under cut the inner wall to allow space for the thread to be chased in without encountering 

problems with a 'rear wall'. Sand and polish the interior. With the lathe running at about 450 

rpm, John used a Uni-Chaser (from Ashley Iles) on an arm rest to cut the box thread. Keep the 

chaser moving at all times when the tool is in contact with the work. If you don't, you will either 

create circular grooves or a 'stripped thread'. Remove the top half of the thread to create a 

recess for the lid. Clean out the piece, and wax the thread. With 

the lid section in the chuck, reduce it in size to fit the recess in the 

box rim, add a new shoulder to match the maximum size of the box 

thread, clean the inner surface and add any decoration you may 

require. Chase a thread onto the male spigot to fit the box, clean 

and wax. With the lid still in the lathe, screw on the box section and 

refine the final shape of the base and foot, sand, and finish. With 

this particular box, it was going to be helpful to keep a foot on the


box with an external shoulder, capable of being mounted back in the chuck. Remove the box and 

part off the lid. Put the box base back in the lathe with the foot protected with tissue, screw 

on the lid, clean off the top surface of the lid with gentle cuts, and add a small bevel to the 

edge of the box. Bore out the centre of the lid for the knob, chase in a left hand thread, 

clean, polish, and wax the thread. Apply patterning to the lid as required. The top knob was 

made from African Blackwood, cut a spigot to match the maximum thread size in the centre of 

the lid. Chase on a left hand thread to fit the lid. Shape and refine the knob with fillets and 

coves, sand, part off and reverse the knob in the jaws to finish it off. 

The second half of the demonstration was done with a piece of 'Zebra' cast polyester resin 

(plastic, not acrylic). This material turns well with small scrapers, not gouges, and keep the lathe 

speed low to avoid heat build-up in the work piece. Put a spigot on the end of the blank and part 

off the box section. Hollow out the lid section, cut a recess in the side wall behind where the 

thread will finish, chase in the thread, clean up with T-Cut or burnishing cream and part off. 

Mount the box section in the lathe, hollow out as required, create a spigot at the rim to match 

the max thread size of the lid, add a chamfer on the leading edge. Chase a thread onto the box 

section, trim the rear shoulder and depth of thread until the box and lid fit and the patterns 

match correctly. Put the lid on the box and finish the top surface. With this type of work, you 

often get a 'gappy' joint between the box and the lid, so make a feature of it with a point tool. 

Sand and polish the lid and the box interior with T-Cut. Re-mount the box on a "spare" thread 

to complete the base, sand and finish as before. 

A great demonstration from John, which also contained the following selection of valuable tips. 

If members of the audience want to talk, they should do it OUTSIDE the demo room, so as to 

not provide distraction for the others who want to listen to the demonstrator. 

Good dust protection and extraction is most important at all times. 

As said by Richard Findley on 14th August, the first sanding is the most important because any 

marks left at this stage will not be removed with finer grades of paper. 

When applying melamine lacquer to wood, always do it with the wood stationary, apply the lacquer 

along the grain, and make sure it is dry before you turn on the lathe to polish it. 

When you first start trying to cut threads, leave yourself plenty of room, make long male 

threads fitting into long, shoulderless female threads, and normally, it is easier to cut the 

female thread first, then cut the male thread to fit. 

Jon Simpson 

Brian Berry: An absolutely fabulous evening, I am going to buy the tools and have a go. 

Maurice Medhurst: Very very good indeed. I liked the alternate materials, and I will go in the 

workshop tomorrow and have a go.


The Nick Arnull Demonstration, 15 th November 2008 

Nick Arnull describes himself as a professional turner with an 

artistic background. He lives near Norwich, from where he 

writes for GMC, demonstrates, and teaches. Also, he has 

demonstrated in the USA and South Africa. 

For the morning session Nick demonstrated the making of a 

rippled Sycamore "Celestial Bowl". Having mounted the blank on 

a screw chuck, Nick started off with a series of long pull cuts 

to true up the face with a long grind bowl gouge, and gradually 

refined this action with 3/8” and 1/4” square grind gouges to 

create the outer profile, working ever closer towards the top 

of the rim with each stroke. This was all done without 

putting a tool on the outer edge to bring the piece into 

balance, this was saved until the main outer profile was 

complete. Mark up for a spigot by setting a pair of 

dividers to the required radius, and with one leg in a 

central dimple, mark the spigot size while the second 

divider leg is resting on the tool rest. Do not apply a 

vernier to the work piece, Nick say’s it is too dangerous 

(I tend to agree). Plunge a parting tool into the wood at 

the marked point to create the spigot, and make the dovetail 

undercut with a round skew. Complete the final outer profile 

of your bowl with long, slow cuts with the bowl gouge, and 

don't forget to breath as you go. The gentle application of a 

round skew chisel to the outside profile will create a super 

smooth finish if you are careful. Sand to 400 grit, and make 

sure you are using good extraction. NOTE: if your grinder is 

fitted with an 80 grit wheel, that should be the size of the 

tool marks on your work piece, so there is little point in 

starting to sand any lower than about 120 grit. Finally, Nick 

finished off with a 400 grit disc on a hand held sander fitted with an interface pad. This allows 

the sanding disc to make good contact with the work. In 

brief, the finishing process for the bottom and rim was 

1) acrylic sanding sealer, 2) cut back with Nyweb, 3) 

0000 wire wool, 4) matt black car paint, 5) acrylic satin 

lacquer. Turn the piece round, and mount the foot in the 

jaws. No chucking marks will be left so long as you cut 

the foot to the correct size to match the jaws, also, do 

not over tighten the jaws otherwise the piece will move 

off-centre. Use a bowl gouge to true up the top face 

with a clean, steady cut, and sand through the grits. 

Seal and finish as per 1 to 4 above without using the


final lacquer coat. Decide what size the bowl rim will be using the 1/3rds rule as a guide. On 

this 9" piece, the rim looked good at 2" wide, which was then decorated with a countersink bit 

applied in a random pattern to create the effect of large and small stars. Turn out the bowl 

centre, and finish off with a fine scraper if necessary (but be gentle with it). Sand, seal, 

lacquer (including the rim area), and burnish to a high gloss shine giving a wet look. 

Once again at a Saturday do we were treated to a fine cold lunch and pud, put on by the Guy 

Ravine School of Catering. 

The afternoon session was used to create a large, end-grain, thin walled vessel. Having roughed 

a Sycamore log into the round, a parallel spigot was put on at the tailstock end (because the 

chuck had parallel jaws), the piece was turned, mounted it in the chuck, trued up with the 

tailstock in place to add extra support, and drilled out with a spindle gouge to provide the 

required depth marker. Proceeding with the hollowing, Nick used a variety of tools including a 

long grind bowl gouge, a Rolly Munro, and a Woodcut hollowing tool amongst others. Having 

shaped and sanded the interior, he proceeded with a bowl gouge on the outside, and a lamp on 

the inside to create the outer profile. The top inch or so of the vessel wall was parallel cut and 

no more than 2 mm thick. Aim for consistent translucency, as indicated by the lamp shining 

through from the inside. Part off most of the way, and when down to about 1/4", cut the piece 

free using a junior hacksaw. This will avoid that annoying patch of torn and twisted fibres in the 

centre of the base. 

Nick then proceeded to give us a demonstration of piercing and patterning, both on the vessel 

and on a blank panel which was marked off in squares, each used to show different ways of 

creating carved effects with a ball cutter in an Axminster Multi-Tool. You can use a brass 

bristle brush to clean up the work, or a soft blue nylon brush (100 mm diameter), it costs 

£4.70, and is available from Phil Irons. The bristles of these brushes are loaded with fine 

abrasive, and can be used to sand without destroying definition. They are also very useful for 

cleaning debris from the rims of natural edged bowls, and with the brush held in a drill chuck on 

the lathe small items can be cleaned or sanded easily. This was actually a very good 

demonstration on how to cope with problems, as the piece of Sycamore Nick used turned out to 

be most un-friendly. Many problems were encountered during the afternoon, such as tool rest 

and banjo problems, lots of vibration and chatter which resulted in cutting a couple of inches off 

the blank to reduce the overhang, problems reaching the bottom of the hole (chasing the pith), 

possible issues with the blank being too wet, and maybe the jaw set and spigot should have been 

a size larger, BUT, perseverance provided us with excellent demonstration material. 

Jon Simpson 

John Holtom: Very good, very interesting, the things Nick showed us are going to be useful. 

Paul Loseby: Excellent, several techniques I have not seen before, great. 

Mark Innes: Very interesting, more techniques to try out. 

Note: Axminster AMT Multi-Tool, Part number 340029-26, a complete kit containing drive unit, 

flexible shaft, hand pieces, and a set of cutting bits and burr's, £69.50, look at 

WWW.Shesto.Co.UK for cutters, look at WWW.ProopsBrothers.Com for 20 assorted dental 

burr's, ref S7028, for £4.95


Watch This Space 

For the A.W.G.B. clock competition in May I selected a small 

watch for my entry, which measured 1” diameter. The wood I 

chose was Oak measuring 4” diameter by 1” thick, with an Ebony 

inlay. A hole ½” diameter by 2” deep was drilled in the top to 

take a glass tube for dried flowers. I needed to make sure that 

the hole on top did not interfere with the watch recess. I give 

special thanks to Paul and Penny Loseby for sending the entry to 

the A.W.G.B. via their computer for me. 

Also, while I am in print, Hot Tip 1: Fit a bathroom / kitchen 

extractor fan in your workshop, they only cost between £25 and 

£30, they come complete with ducting and fittings, and are 

available from B&Q, Wickes, Focus, Homebase, etc. Hot Tip 2: 

Join 2 4” strips of Velcro together back to back. Wrap them 

round your fingers, and use this to mount sanding discs etc. This 

method lets your fingers stay a little further away from the work. 

The One-Eyed Redhead 

Maurice Medhurst 

A man is dining in a fancy restaurant and there is a gorgeous redhead sitting at the next table. 

He had been checking her out since he sat down, but lacked the nerve to talk with her. 

Suddenly she sneezed, and her glass eye flew out of its socket towards the man. He reached 

out, grabbed it out of the air, and handed it back. "Oh my, I am so sorry" the woman said as 

she popped her eye back in place. "Let me buy your dinner to make it up to you" she said. They 

enjoy a wonderful dinner together, and afterwards they went to the theatre, followed by 

drinks. They talk, they laugh, she shared her deepest dreams and he shared his. 

Albert Standing In 5’ 3” Of Snow 

After paying for everything, she asked him if he would 

like to come to her place for a nightcap and maybe, to 

stay for breakfast. They had a wonderful, wonderful 

time. The next morning, she cooked a gourmet meal 

with all the trimmings. The guy is amazed! Everything 

had been SO incredible! 

"You know" he said, "you are the perfect woman. Are 

you this nice to every guy you meet? " 

"No" she replies, "you just happened to catch my eye."


Tools And Their Proper Uses, Part 1 

DRILL PRESS: A tall upright machine useful for suddenly snatching flat metal bar stock out of your hands 

so that it smacks you in the chest and flings your soda pop across the room, splattering it against that 

freshly-stained heirloom piece you were drying. 

WIRE WHEEL: Cleans paint off bolts and then throws them somewhere under the workbench with the 

speed of light. Also removes fingerprints and hard-earned guitar calluses from fingers in about the time it 

takes you to say, "What the h...." 

ELECTRIC HAND DRILL: Normally used for spinning pop rivets in their holes until you die of old age. 

SKIL SAW: A portable cutting tool used to make studs too short. 

PLIERS: Used to round off bolt heads. Sometimes used in the creation of blood-blisters. The most often 

tool used by ladies. 

BELT SANDER: An electric sanding tool commonly used to convert minor touch-up jobs into major 

refinishing jobs. 

HACKSAW: One of a family of cutting tools built on the Ouija board principle. It transforms human energy 

into a crooked, unpredictable motion, and the more you attempt to influence its course, the more dismal 

your future becomes. 

VICE-GRIPS: Generally used after pliers to completely round off bolt heads. If nothing else is available, 

they can also be used to transfer intense welding heat to the palm of your hand. 

WELDING GLOVES: Heavy duty leather gloves used to prolong the conduction of intense welding heat to 

the palm of your hand. 

OXYACETYLENE TORCH: Used almost entirely for setting various flammable objects in your shop on fire. 

Also handy for igniting the grease inside the wheel hub you want the bearing race out of. 

WHITWORTH SOCKETS: Once used for working on older British cars and motorcycles, they are now used 

mainly for impersonating that 9/16" socket you've been searching for the last 45 minutes. 

TABLE SAW: A large stationary power tool commonly used to launch wood projectiles and testing wall 

integrity. 

HYDRAULIC FLOOR JACK: Used for lowering an automobile to the ground after you have installed your 

new brake shoes, trapping the jack handle firmly under the bumper. 

EIGHT-FOOT long PINE 2X4: Used for levering an automobile upward off of a trapped hydraulic jack 

handle. 

TWEEZERS: A tool for removing wood splinters and wire wheel wires. 

More Next Time......... Courtesy of Peter Fagg


The Ssssimon Wwwww-ww-whitehead Ddd-demo, 27 th November 2008 

Anybody who reads "GMC Woodturning" will be familiar with the antics of Simon Whitehead, 

some say, for all the wrong sort of reasons. So, is what we read really true? If a log would not 

fit in the lathe, Simon would attack it with all manner of tools, ranging from a chain saw to an 

electric carving knife (not recommended). Simon openly admits to being "Dangerously Untidy", 

and has related tales of band saw blades being buried in the shavings, flying wood, broken 

windows, and run-away Banksia nuts. Some members of Tudor Rose were in favour of getting 

the exhibition safety screens out for the duration of this demonstration. Were they right to 

be worried, all would be revealed in the next two and a half hours. 

Having been a wood turner for 22 years, Simon appears to have started as a pro, but is now an 

amateur? He is a member of the West Riding club, and does woodturning to simply enjoy it. 

Basically, he loves standing in front of an audience and having fun. The fact that Simon has a 

sssssss-stuttt-t-ttterrrrrr doesn’t phase him out, for him it is all part of the demo. He has 

noticed however, he can swear and yodel as much as he wants or needs without a problem. 

So, on with the demonstration. Part one was an Ash 

bowl with a coloured rim. With the blank on a large 

screw chuck, Simon said “why bother rounding off the 

blank, when it is going to finish up round anyway”, so he 

didn’t. Instead, he simply got on with rounding off the 

bottom, and stopped when he had got about half way up 

the edge of the blank. With a dove tail foot added, 

Simon very quickly moved on to the sanding stages. 

HOT TIP: if, after the turning is complete, you have a 

bit of grain tear, wet it to raise the grain, then sand 

through the grits. Also, don’t use the ordinary sandpaper you get from DIY stores, the only 

thing you will do is sand blast your groin, not a good idea, and 

don’t be tempted to drop old sand paper on the floor in with the 

muck and shavings, because it is too easy to be tempted later to 

pick it up and use it again. Seal, wax, and polish. Turn the blank 

in the lathe, and do it all again from the edge of the rim to the 

centre, so that you finish up with a rather fat discus shape. 

Raise the grain and sand as before. This piece was going to be 

coloured with spirit stains, so when sanding, you need to take 

extra care to ensure you get every mark out of the piece, as 

stains will reveal them all. Apply the stains with tissue in any 

random pattern you like, working from dark to lighter colours. 

When first applied it often looks bad. If that opinion remains 

when the piece is complete, you can always cut it all out and


make an open bowl instead. If it looks ok, press on, they normally turn out ok. After staining, 

turn out the centre of the bowl. Don’t be concerned about using a scraper to help with the 

finish, but do use a gentle touch. Sand out the bowl section, and take great care to NOT 

scratch the stained area, and then seal the centre section only. If you are happy with the 

colour distribution you have applied, dab sealer over the top surface, if not, you can use the 

(spirit based) sealer to massage the colours on the surface. Rub back the whole of the top 

with 0000 steel wool. Look at the top area with care, and if there are any faults, mask them 

with a decorative score line, and finally, wax and polish, jobs a good’un. 

Part 2 was an Ash box, mounted between centres, bring it into the round and add a dovetail 

foot at one end. HOT TIP: When rounding off with a roughing gouge, keep moving, it will help 

keep you fit. Now mount the blank in the chuck to finish the roughing operation. Part in at 

about the mid-point, 1/4" deep and about 3/4” wide, and keep the bottom of the groove flat 

because this will eventually become the lip on the lid. Also, you can part in to leave the wood 

ready for the top and bottom beads. Cut away the waste wood, leaving the raw outline of the 

domed top and the finial. As and when you cut to harshly and the finial drops on the floor, you 

simply re-shape what is left into a short sharp point and say “that lllllooks nice, ddddoesn’t it”. 

Refine the entire top shape, leaving a step in the dome which will later be fitted into the 

chuck to allow the interior to be completed. Sand, seal, polish, and part off. Using the lump 

left in the chuck to make the bottom, hollow out the centre, and using a skew on the flat, part 

in to shape and trim the rim until the top is a nice fit. Continue hollowing to the bottom using 

either a spindle or bowl gouge, sand, seal, and polish. Part in at the base, shape the foot, and 

refine the outer shape, sand, seal, polish and part off. HOT TIP: an industrial high speed 

steel saw blade will make an excellent parting tool, but take the teeth off first. Turn the base 

round in the chuck to complete the bottom, sand, seal, etc. Using the small shoulder you left 

on the domed top as a mounting point (don’t over tighten it, otherwise you end up with two half 

tops), turn out the interior of the top, and sand, seal, etc. 

My personal point of view on Simon Whitehead: This was one of the most enjoyable 

demonstrations I have seen, and. I hope Simon is invited back again, and is what we read really 

true, ABSOLUTELY. 

Jon Simpson 

Frank Barnstable: Very good, very entertaining, and genuinely funny 

Clive Taylor: Most entertaining, I thoroughly enjoyed it 

Mike Peverill: Brilliant, absolutely brilliant, and I am pleased with my Nick Arnull prize 

Colin Hovland: The most entertaining demo I have seen in a long time, really good. 

And finally, 

Martin Harper: ZZZZZZZZ................


The Jolly Boys Outing To Harrogate, 28th November 2008 

For the 16th year, the North of England Woodworking and Power Tool Show was held at the 

Great Yorkshire Showground from the 28th to the 30th November 2008, and Tudor Rose put 

on a coach trip for the day to go and see what it was all about. An unprecedented range of 

exhibitors, demonstrators, and craft associations were expected to turn up, plus of course, 

the Association of Woodturners of Great Britain was to be in attendance. This makes it the 

biggest, friendliest and best woodworking show in the country (or so the event organisers 

would have us believe). 

The sharp eyed amongst us will have noted that the Simon Whitehead demonstration was on 

Thursday night the 27th November which finished early, but then I sat up till after midnight 

to write the report. This day trip was to start quite early, less than 7 hours later in fact. So, 

for me, the day started with a quick bowl of shreddies, and then a drive back to Daventry for 

06:45 a.m. I actually thought (but not for long) about sleeping in the car at Daventry. I am 

glad I didn’t, because it was !”£$%^^&* cold. 

The trip was organised by Stan Bird with his usual efficiency. The coach was hired from Swift 

Valley Caches of Lutterworth, a UK company providing luxury coach hire across Leicestershire, 

Market Harborough, Birmingham, Coventry, Warwickshire, Northamptonshire and throughout 

the UK and Europe. Our transport for the day turned out to be a Toyota Caetano Optima, 

registration number BV55 TXH, powered by a 4 cylinder 4.009 litre diesel, and driven by Iain 

Dolman. I dug a little deeper, and discovered that Iain was expecting to use a burger van for 

his lunch, what did he know that I didn’t? If you want to read more about the coach, please 

visit www.Caetano.Co.Uk. 

Having got on the coach, Stan seemed to be in his element, doing a roll call and a head count, 

with lots of money being handed over. We were sure it was going into Stan’s ‘new lathe’ fund. 

Albert was quite concerned about all the noise down the front, as several pensioners were 

trying to sleep, and John Holtom took precautions before 

wee started off, and paid another visit to the toilet. 

Knowing that 

many who were 

not able join us 

would want to 

know, I enquired 

which way we 

were going, and 

the chosen route 

was the A361/A5 

One Of The Best One Of The Worst


to Crick and then the M1 / M18 / A1 / A1M to junction 46 where we cut off for Harrogate. 

Few realise that the M1 as we know it is really a modern feature, first opened late in 1959 as 

far as Crick at junction 18. By late 1969 however, the road had been pushed through to 

Doncaster, and the upper reaches of the M1 and the M1-A1 Link were not opened until the 

12th February 1999. 

Our journey was quick and easy, but the weak bladdered amongst us needed to stop off at 

Woodall Services for a wee while. Some had a smoke, some took on further liquids, and 

Richard Findley fuelled up on a king size ‘Yorkie Bar’. Having arrived at the show ground, the 

coach managed to drop us right outside the main entrance where we were able to take full 

advantage of our advanced tickets and walk straight in with no delay. 

Of the dozen or so demonstrators on show, the high lights were watching Mark Baker give a 

master class on salad bowl turning, Ray Jones showing how he taught the absolute basics of 

spindle turning, Jimmy Clewes doing anything, Bob Neill, who is demonstrating to us on 11 th 

December, and Andrew Hall. Andrew makes and sells wooden hats, I suspect, for a great deal 

of money. His first influence in woodturning was in 1975 at the age of 14 when the woodwork 

teacher gave freely of his evenings to educate three very keen students in woodworking and 

furniture making. (Phil, I think this man should be asked to demonstrate to us, he does come 

down this far). The low points of the day just had to be the never changing pair of demo’s for 

“these bits will drill through concrete, masonry, high speed steel, wood, ceramic, and you 

cannot blunt them”, and that interminable man trying to sell the “15 in 1 tool to strip wire, 

sharpen knives, cut glass, ceramics, tiles, etc., etc.”. I was looking for an ‘Air Cap’, none were 

on display, some bristle sanders from Phil Irons, he hadn’t brought any with him, and a Xylene 

blender pen, nobody knew what it was or what it was for. I did buy a Super-Nova chuck from 

the Record stand; I paid for it, and left it for collection later. By 3 pm it had been stolen, and 

they had to give me another off the shelf. 

Back on the bus for 3.30, all loaded up with goodies, to the extent that some needed to use 

the boot space. The person with the biggest box appeared to be Stan, so perhaps our earlier 

thoughts about our money and his spending intentions were actually true. Back to Daventry by 

7 pm, not a bad drive back considering that it was Friday tea time rush hour. This was a really 

tiring day, as is evidenced by the picture on page 1. The Harrogate show is THE place to go for 

almost anything related to woodturning and to meet up with the trade, the professionals and 

old acquaintances, plus, we had a grand day out. It is hard to know what else to say about the 

show, was it big, “Yes”, was it busy, “Yes”, was it tiring, “Yes”, was it any different to many 

other shows, “Well, no not really”, I know I am not alone in this view, but I also know that 

others thought it was all “Top Notch”. Loads of trade stands, a very good demonstrator mix, 

and a really poor restaurant (for £5.80 I got a cup of tea and a bacon and egg roll you could 

have used as a mallet). Will I go to this show again, probably not? Was it worth going, most 

definitely, but not with 6 hours travel and 5 hours to loose? 

Jon Simpson


Gallery 

Two more rose engine pieces from Bernard Jolley, 

African Blackwood and Lignum Vitae. 

The Yew needle case made by Geoff Freeman with Alison 

Scrivens at hands on night on 9 th October. 

Colin Hovland’s small Maple platter also made on 9 th October, 

and donated to the Turnathon. This picture was taken with a 

club program tucked under the edge to show the size. 

This finely coloured turning (left) was done by an unknown member, and gives us 

all a standard to aspire to. 

A Spalted Beech platter (below right) turned by Paul Loseby, and 

pyrogified by Penny Loseby. The piece is entitled “Walking On The 

Beach”. 

These unique awards, made by Richard Findley, were 

sent to The Old Bailey in London for a prize 

presentation. Made of Oak, these Gavel Awards are 

scaled down, each being 3/4 the size of the previous 

one. 

This shallow bowl (left) was 

made from Rippled Sycamore 

and is finished with 50/50 

sanding sealer and friction 

polish. The bowl was made as 

a wedding present for a close friend. Jon Simpson


Tekno-Page 

John Johnson (RPT), a member of Tudor Rose, decorative, utility, and architectural turning, plus sales of 

Chestnut, Multistar, and Record equipment. See www.johnjohnsonwoodturning.co.uk 

John Berkeley (RPT), a member of Tudor Rose www.johnberkeley.co.uk 

Richard Findley offers a wide range of turned wooden items for the home and kitchen, plus a good range 

of wood turning products at www.turnersworkshop.co.uk 

Jon Simpson’s web site – for what its worth, www.Wood-Be-Nice.Co.UK 

Stiles & Bates (Dover), 01304 366360, www.stilesandbates.co.uk, The shop is well stocked, and the staff 

are helpful and knowledgeable. 

Axminster Power Tool Centre, 0800 371822, www.axminster.co.uk, huge catalogue, decent prices, good 

customer service. 

Metal Finishing Supplies Ltd, Cannock, Staffs., 01543 505771, www.thepolishingshop.co.uk is well worth a 

visit, where it is possible to buy polishes and mops at the very best prices. 

Good Timber, New Creation Farm, Nether Heyford, 01327 344550, www.GoodTimber.com In the shop you 

can fill a bag with off-cuts for £20 

Everybody should acquaint themselves with the web site belonging to Brian Clifford. There is so much 

information there. The site address is www.turningtools.co.uk 

Snainton Woodworking Supplies, 01723 859545, an excellent company to deal with, and good stocks of 

tools and timber. www.snaintonwoodturning.co.uk 

If you browse www.laymar-crafts.co.uk make sure you set aside plenty of time. 

Phil Irons, purveyor of VicMarc lathes, chucks, turning tools, and many other good things. Visit 

www.philironswoodturning.co.uk to see what is available. 

www.woodturningonline.com has some very useful information on it. 

Bob Prichard leads you into the world of lamination at www.outofcontrol-woodturning.com 

www.peterchild.co.uk is another of those web sites packed full of good information 

The web site for Tony Osborne is www.t-jtools.co.uk. He specialises in diamond sharpening tools and top 

quality abrasives, all at very competitive prices. 

All the Chestnut products can be seen, plus a full list of the UK suppliers at www.chestnutproducts.co.uk 

WWW.MeanTimeDesign.Com - Purveyors of clocks, watch inserts, thermometers, barometers, magnifiers, 

pen kits, box hinges, letter openers, pot pourii lids, calendars, etc., etc.


For Sale 

Myford Mystro woodturning lathe. Electronic 

variable speed control. Bowl turning up to 20 

inches, 40 inches between centres. Swivel 

headstock, 24 point indexing, Reverse rotation, 

Taper roller bearings. 4” and 7” facelpates. 

Insert for Vicmarc chuck, 4 tool rests from Record Power BS300 band saw. 

5” to 12”. Price: £700, Contact Colin Hovland Reasonable offers to Alan Watts 

on 01604 642924 for further details. on 01676 532133 please. 

“Big Brother” hollowing system. 

An excellent tool for that large hollow form you 

have always wanted to create. Contact Colin Hovland 

as above. £75.00 

Coronet Minor lathe. Fully restored, and mounted on a portable base. Quick release handles, 3 

step multi-groove belt drive giving 450, 1000, & 2000 rpm. Hinged motor (with new starter) 

allows for easy speed changing. 4 

tool rests including a double stem 

unit for longer turnings. 1MT head 

and tailstock, 3/4" 16 tpi thread 

with protector, centre ejector, and 

face plate. Contact Colin Hovland as 

above. £150.00 

Mike Place (an ex Tudor-Rose member) is selling an Axminster 4” belt & 6” disk sander, a 

Rexon fretsaw, and a Rexon pillar drill for £20 each, and a Band Saw, approx 3’ high which 

requires a new rubber on drive wheel, £30.00, Please contact Mike on 01327 705016 

(evenings) if you are interested.


Forthcoming Club Events – 2009 

th . . . . . . 

SUNDAY January 4 

Eli Avisera 

Thursday January 8 th . . . . . . . Andy Coates RPT 

Thursday January 22 nd 

. . . . . . Guy Ravine RPT 

Thursday February 12 th 

. . . . . . AGM & Bill Care RPT 

Saturday February 14 th 

. . . . . . Allan Batty 

Thursday February 26 th 

(Newsletter 17 Cut Off) . Hands On 

Thursday March 12 th . (Newsletter 17 Issue) . . Stuart King RPT 

th. 

Thursday March 26 

. . . . . 

. Steve Heely RPT 

Thursday April 9 th 

. . . . . . Richard Findley 

Thursday April 23 rd . . . . . . . Peter Fagg 

Thursday May 14 th 

. . . . . . . Alan Truman RPT 

Saturday May 23 rd . . . . . . . Bob Chapman RPT 

Thursday May 28 th 

. (Newsletter 18 Cut Off) . Hands On 

Thursday June 11 th 

. (Newsletter 18 Issue) . . Mark Raby (Chestnut) 

th 

Thursday June 25 

. 

. . . . . . John Johnson RPT 

th 

Thursday July 9 

. . . . . 

. . Gary Rance RPT 

Thursday July 23 rd 

. . . . . . . Brian Froggatt 

Thursday August 13 th 

. . . . . . Hands On 

Thursday August 27 th 

(Newsletter 19 Cut Off) . Paul Nesbitt 

Thursday September 10 th 

(Newsletter 19 Issue) . . Ian George 

Saturday September 19 th . . . . . . Sue Harker RPT 

Thursday September 24 th . . . . . . Colin Hovland 

th 

Thursday October 8 

. . . . 

. . Malcolm Hill 

Thursday October 22 nd 

. . . . . . David Springett RPT 

Thursday November 12 th 

. . . . . . John Berkeley RPT 

Saturday November 14 th . . . . . . Phil Irons RPT 

Thursday November 26 th 

Thursday December 10 th 

(Newsletter 20 Cut Off) . Hands On 

(Newsletter 20 Issue) . . Jennie Starbuck


We are on the internet and can be found at: 

WWW.Tudor-Rose-Turners.Co.UK 

Previous issues of the club newsletter can also be browsed on the web 

Tudor Rose Woodturners Club 

The club was formed by a steering committee in the summer of 2002, as it was felt that there was a need for 

an AWGB branch in Northamptonshire. The first meetings were held in Willoughby, but the club soon moved on 

to Braunston, and then on to our current venue, the Community Centre at Ashby Road, Daventry. The club is 

fortunate in that it has several professional turners in its ranks, all of whom are regular demonstrators. 

At present, meetings are held on the 2 nd and 4 th Thursday of the month, doors opening at 7 pm for a 7.15 start. 

The programme is based on demonstrations and lectures, and we hope that there will be something worth 

learning at each meeting. There is always time for socialising at the meetings, and the club is trying to build a 

strong and friendly identity. There is usually some wood and woodturning supplies on sale at the meetings. 

Our full day demonstration programme is intended to present the leading contemporary turners to both club 

members and a wider audience. 

An excellent quality buffet lunch is always on offer at these demonstrations, and is included in the price. It is 

hoped that the club will continue to grow, that it will accumulate its own equipment, and present an ever 

improving programme for its members. 

Guy Ravine – Founder Member 

Committee Members 

Chairman: Paul Miller, 4 Wheatens Close, Brixworth, Northampton, NN6 9UP. 

Tel. 01604 882912 chairman@tudor-rose-turners.co.uk 

Secretary: Phil Manners, 67 Brinkburn Grove, Banbury, Oxon, OX16 3WX. 

Tel. 01295 264539 phil_manners@hotmail.co.uk 

Treasurer: Stan Bird, 94 Tennyson Avenue, Rugby, CV22 6JF. 

Tel. 01788 813162 treasurer@tudor-rose-turners.co.uk 

Richard Findley, 9 Grosvenor Close, Glen Parva, Leicester, LE2 9UG. 

Tel. 01162 782687 richard@turnersworkshop.co.uk 

Geoff Freeman, 2 Gleneagles Close, Daventry, NN11 4PF. 

Tel. 01327 705205 / 07752039712 geoffrey.freeman@homecall.co.uk 

John Johnson, 7, The Slade, Silverstone, NN12 8UH. 

Tel. 01327 857032 john@johnjohnsonwoodturning.co.uk 

Guy Ravine, Old Dairy Farm, Upper Stowe, Northants, NN7 4SH. 

Tel.01327 340410 g.ravine@btinternet.com 

Nick Godwin, 39 Overslade Lane, Rugby, CV22 6DY. 

Tel. 01788 813187 angbt@btinternet.com 

Jon Simpson, 5 Crabb Tree Drive, Northampton, NN3 5DR. 

Tel. 01604 491510 / 07818 445308 JonAndBron@GoogleMail.Com

Turnings - Tudor Rose Woodturners

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