Chairman’s Report for 2019 (or Roger’s Ramblings)
Hello Everyone
I feel this is the time for me to gather you all around.
It is a trying time for all but with a concerted effort we will beat the bu..ger. I won’t use its correct name and put it on a pedestal, it just wants stamping out.
No AGM this year or resignations from the committee. Big sigh from audience so the committee will stand
until next AGM 2021.
Last year we had some good demonstrations both professional and from club members. My thanks to the
club members who gave of their time and knowledge.

• Pete Osborn RPT with his goblets, rings and texturing
• Danny Woof RPT – Needle case mushroom, box with lid and goblet
• Donald Brookes and his flying machine
• Mike Earl with his stick making
• Ian Henderson with carving mallets great and small.
• John Gibbs box making and how to fit lids tight or slack
• Our professional demonstrators were:-
• Mark Hancock – Texturing and colouring
• Margaret Garrard – Home made routing table for the lathe, vase and colouring
• Colwyn Way – (Axminster) – Rotating German Christmas turning table decoration.

The January “Hands On” meeting was a huge success. We were making three legged plant stands, each
participating member making either a leg or top. When all the pieces were assembled and the outcome was a total of five, yes five, plant stands. I feel this is the way forward for the club. Participation and the sharing of knowledge.
The monthly “Bring & Tell” table collected a number of pieces from members which were discussed,
lessons learned, good or bad, shape and form liked or not liked. It gets members joining in. This is what the
club is for.

Now during this crisis, you and I will all have time in our sheds, to make plenty of pieces for the Tombola
table for the forthcoming Hawkshead shows. When that will be I don’t know but we will given as much
notice as possible.. A chance to raise money for the club and yourself. Enjoy the “craic” and put money in
your pocket, so come along and join in the fun. That’s what it should be about.
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For the next weeks or months please continue to send pictures and articles to Don Davies our very
hardworking secretary and, at present, news editor.
Roger Busfield, Chairman

Andrew Bowen sent me an email with details of boxes he has been making. Below is an extract from the
email with pictures of his boxes.
I’ve been doing plenty of self-isolating in my workshop recently (well, it’s only big enough for me in
any case) and made time to have a go at a couple of boxes (photos attached). The first is a post box
money box; lower portion in tropical hardwood Wenge, sadly I’m not sure what the body and lid are made
of. The idea came from a childhood toy that I recall, although that had been made of tin. The second is a
bird box. I hollowed out the body from a piece of cherry and took advantage of a knot to form the entrance.
The lid is pau rosa (I think) – whatever, it was as hard as rock and as heavy as lead. The hanger was an
old coat hanger shaped to fit. I put this up outside our kitchen window and it had its first visitor (a blue tit)
within half an hour.


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​Thanks Andrew. A super-deluxe stylish birdfeeder. Makes my plastic one from B&Q look a bit tatty!

Now, I thought it worth reproducing in its entirety the email below I received from Tom Dullage, a relatively
new member. Not because of the kind words about the newsletter but because of what he says about the
club. Thanks Tom!

Hi Don,
Thanks for the newsletter, I'm already looking forward to the next one! Pretty grim times at the moment,
but at least we've got a roof over our heads and a garden to sit in, when the weather is nice and, of course,
I've got my lathe, which takes my mind off everything! I thought I would send a few pictures of some of my recent turnings and some thoughts from a turning beginner.
I was quite keen to try a lidded box, hopefully I'd manage one I felt was good enough to enter in the club competition, so I found some suitable wood and had a go. The first attempt was the mahogany box in the attached pictures
I like the shape and was quite pleased, but the lid is far too loose and the inside finish was not as good as I would have liked.
So it was time to try again, this time with a beech spindle blank, that's the one shown in
two pictures below one with the lid off. This one was better, but the lid was a little tight and the joint a little
small, still, quite a good attempt, for a second go.
I had bought some Olive wood, from Olive Wood Turning in Lytham St Annes, I turned a small bud vase from one of the spindle blanks and had a small piece left, just big enough for another small box, I added a small finial, nothing too complicated and I really like that one.
Finally, with another piece of the beech spindle blank, I turned another small box, to which I added a
sycamore insert on the lid.
I'm getting better at this, but still a lot of learning to do!
Having only started turning last September, I soon realised I had a lot to learn, and wouldn't progress too
far just by watching YouTube videos, although that has been very entertaining and quite informative.
Looking online, I found several turning clubs within a reasonable distance and thought I would go to a
meeting at each, to see whether I would fancy joining one.The first meeting I could get to was the CWA at Burneside, in November and I haven't bothered to go to any other clubs, as I was made so welcome here and had so many offers of help. I've been to all the subsequent monthly meetings and I'm really missing them at the moment!
A couple of members had offered me some tuition, the first was Ian Henderson and it happens that he is
also, I think, the nearest to me, so I trust the others members who offered haven't been offended by my not
taking up their offers (although that doesn't mean I might not in the future). I've had one lesson with Ian,
when he had me practising beads and coves in the morning and making a tea light holder in the afternoon, I came away with lots more confidence and a couple of extra gouges, as well as plenty of lessons to remember and practice. I've since been to Ian's house for coffee a couple of times and we're corresponding by email on a regular basis, swapping pictures of items we've made. Ian's constructive criticism and the knowledge he's passed on have been invaluable to me.
The hands-on day at the club, turning mushrooms, was also a great way to learn and get some more
experience, both from having a go myself, under the watchful eyes of several experienced turners and from
watching others.
To summarise, before I waffle on any further, joining the CWA has been one of my best decisions and my
wood turning has progressed far faster than it would otherwise have done, so I'm looking forward to the
resumption of monthly meetings in the, hopefully not too distant, future. In the meantime, newsletters and
email will keep me motivated and in touch, thanks to everyone involved.
Regards,
Tom ​

Next up is Frank Rice whose email is self- explanatory

A few weeks ago I was requested by my wife to make some light pulls to replace our old ones. We have seven light pulls in the house and the old ones were some of my first attempts at turning and I am sure everyone will agree they look rather gruesome. I am sending a selection of the new ones with three of the old ones in the rear as a contrast. I have given the name Big Ben to the small one in the front as it just seems to be a miniaturized version of the real thing. The height of the old ones are around 88 ml whilst the latest are around 72 ml. and were made from damson wood that came from our own garden. I would like to think that my skill level has improved since the early days.
Frank




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……………….except for why he felt the need to grow a tree for replacement turning blanks!
Thank you Frank

The next contribution is from Ian Henderson.

I find making brackets for drives and revolving tailstock and Jacobs chucks invaluable.
I have just made another one. Also after making other things around my workshop I realised I should move
some of them to a better, more convenient location. So I did, this has made things a lot easier. Finally, if it
can be seen, the location of the brackets adjacent to the tail stock of my lathe. Also note the tools behind lathe.
Anyone who has visited Ian’s workshop knows how clean and tidy he keeps it. It’s very clean and tidy.
Very, very, clean and tidy. If I didn’t know better I would say he couldn’t possibly do any turning in there and
keep it so tidy. But of course we know he does and with excellent results.
Thank you Ian.





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​We come to the end of this particular letter and hope that it helps keep you motivated and inclined to send
me a contribution of your own. It doesn’t have to be of great length. If you have sent me stuff and can’t see
it here then fear not, it is waiting in the wings. I almost have enough for the next newsletter already.
Don Davies
18th April 2020

​Hi All,
Hope you are all bearing up under the strain of being forced to spend so much time in your sheds.
We are looking forward to seeing the results of your labours. Now I have managed to find a few
bits and pieces to cobble together a newsletter. Had we met in March you would have been able
to see the following article, written by Gordon McIver, in the latest AWGB magazine
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Not too long ago the West Sussex Wood Turners had an article published in this magazine
showing how they had produced work for sale for their local hospice to sell. Inspired by their lead
we at the Cumbrian Woodturning Association (CWA) decided to do the same for our local, St
John’s, hospice. Well they do say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

The two large tables were full of our products and were duly sold in the hospice gift shop and at
various events over the last few months. The hospice was able to raise approximately £500 (and
rising) for their invaluable work. Thanks for the inspiration WSWT! It was a joy to be able to turn
and to see the finished products going to a good cause.
Anyone visiting the Lake District is more than welcome to visit us at one of our meetings. We
usually, but not always, meet on the 3rd Saturday of the month. Our programme, along with all
contact details, is available to view on our website www.turningcumbria.co.uk . Like most clubs we
have a mixed programme of demonstrations by both professionals and our talented club members
along with “hands on” sessions.
We are fortunate enough to be able to hire the Market Hall in the lovely village of Hawkshead, in
the heart of the lakes, every May and October half term. There we are able to provide
demonstrations and are able to sell our wares. As is the way with these events no fortunes are
made but it is good to engage with the public and, now and again, we gain a new member or two
and spread the word that the craft of wood turning is alive and well. Come and see us there if you
can’t make it to a meeting!

 Pete Osborn has been busy making new chairs for his kitchen. Read on for the 1st instalment describing the process.
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‘I am in the process of making some Kitchen Chairs in Ash. The back has 3 curved rails. I worked
out the lengths & turned them accordingly. I have made a Steamer using a stainless steel flue pipe
& a wallpaper steamer. After steaming for just over an hour I took them out & clamped them onto a
former
I left them for a couple of days & then removed the cramps. They sprung back slightly but stayed
in a good enough shape for my requirements. 
More pics when the chair gets put together

Jon & Roger’s Demonstration at the Lakeland Farm Visitor Centre, Ings on Saturday November 23rd 2019
The club was invited to demonstrate at the Lakeland Farm Visitor Centre by the owner, Isaac
Benson. Several members of the Committee went to look around the venue in August but, due to
commitments at the Westmorland Show and Hawkshead, it took until November to agree a date.
The Visitor Centre has a café and a shop selling meat (lamb and beef) reared on the farm and
gifts. In the tourist season there are regular demonstrations of wool processing (carding and
spinning) and shows of livestock in a purpose-built arena. Isaac also does drystone walling
instruction. For more information see https://www.lakelandfarmvisitorcentre.co.uk/
Isaac and the staff made us very welcome and provided us with plenty of space for a lathe, the
club banner and a sales table in the walling and wool processing room which is beyond the café.
This proved to be a good location – We had the room to ourselves, were visible from the café with
the added benefit that anyone needing the loo from the café had to venture into our room! See the
set-up below.
Sales on the day proved to be a bit slow as we were informed that visitor numbers were down
compared to a “normal” Saturday. This was explained by the centre staff as a result of competition
from the Ulverston Dickensian Christmas Festival.
Roger and I had a good time though – free coffee, a day woodturning and a few sales made it
worthwhile.

  we can’t meet for the foreseeable future the AGM has been postponed accordingly. I realise
this annual 45 minutes of high drama is the highlight of the turning calendar but fear not, it will
happen eventually.
However the other event in the April calendar is our annual competition and this year it was meant
to be Boxes. It could well be that you had already started planning or even making your own entry
for the competition. We can worry about the competition another time but it doesn’t mean we can’t
tell each other about what we are doing.
Ian Henderson has kindly supplied photographs of two boxes he has made recently.
The first was to be his entry for the competition:-
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Ian has told me what it is but I am not going to tell you. You have to guess. What is it for? The only clue you get is that you have to remember that Ian is interested in somewhat esoteric, historical items. Let me know what you think it is.
He has also produced this rather nice box in Yew as a commission for a local jeweller as a presentation box for a bangle.

Nice one Ian and thank you for the contribution.
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I have run out of space and have run out of material. Let me know what you are doing. Doesn’t
have to be boxes. Send a picture or two and the what and why of what you are doing so we can
share.
Happy Turning~~~~~~~~~~Don