CWA Newsletter 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
****************
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.
*************
‘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:-
​
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.
**************

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

---