About GAW
The Gloucestershire Association of Woodturners (GAW) was formed in 1991 and today has over 100 members. We are a voluntary, non-profit making organisation which exists to promote woodturning in a friendly atmosphere. We meet on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at the Hucclecote Rugby Club in Gloucester (7pm for 7:30pm start). At most meetings we have a top class demonstrator and a chance to chat to fellow turners. If you are interested then please come along and join us. However, if you want a free tea or coffee, YOU MUST BRING YOUR OWN MUG.
Here’s what one of our newest members has to say about a training day with the GAW :
Thoroughly enjoyed the day and came home buzzing with enthusiasm. If the committee are in any doubt of the value of these training days, please don’t be. I, and I’m sure all that attend, increase their skills and are very grateful for the time the tutors give for free. Now, with the guidance I received, I have made my first box and learnt a lot.
Demonstrations @GAW
February Club night
We will be joined by Arthur Kingdon for a demonstration of ornamental turning and how he built his ‘rose engine’.
Arthur’s major passion in woodturning is the making of complex ornamental boxes. He has several ornamental turning lathes and for a while had an “MDF Rose Engine” on loan from a friend. He has now made his own version of this machine. The rose engine has been made pretty much in accordance with the design available on the Internet at Colvin Tools. For anyone interested in ornamental turning or rose engines – how they work and what sort of pieces can be generated etc.- a few hours spent on this website will provide a fascinating insight. If you’re not sure what ornamental turning is and the kind of thing that it can produce, then have a look in the latest edition of Woodturning magazine. On Page 15 you will find pictures of the prize winners in the Ornamental Turning Competitions at October’s ‘Wizardry in Wood’ event. Arthur won second prize in both competitions, so I think he must know a thing or two about the subject!
January Club Night
The start of the year sees the usual ‘club night’ with a variety of topics being covered – some regulars and some new ones. There was :
Problem Solving – Keith
Tool Sharpening – Sorby & Tormek – Mike & Phil
Turning Christmas Trees (or something else) – John G
Woodturning magazine index – Andrew
Pyrography – John H
Jigs to hold your work – Brian
Shop – Daniel
Wood sales – Phil Y
Unfortunately the session on ‘learning lessons from our failures’ had to be postponed. I’m sure that we will learn from this ‘failure’ and be better prepared to run it next time!
New Project Plan
With less than 60 days to go, its time to get started on the Christmas decorations and where better to start than with the man himself! John has created a new Project Plan showing how to make a Gonk Father Christmas
