Demo Report – May 2024 – Club Turners Evening

An evening demonstration from club turners Barrie Fisher & Andy Dore.

First up was Barrie Fisher with a demonstration on decorating turnings with Jo Sonja iridescent paints & marbling with drawing inks.

Here is a description written by Barrie on techniques, he used during the the demo with added photos from the evening.

Development of decoration on either a bowl or vase will always depend on what
effects that you are trying to achieve and the shape of the object to be decorated.

One of the most basic is what is known as a string pull to form a decoration, this can
be either a solid colour or a mixture of several colours.
Either way I tend to use a piece of plastic tube which has been cut through length
ways and fixed on to a flat base. This will hold the paint even with a flow medium to
thin the paint down, and still keep it from running away.
Any new designs are always tried out on a flat piece of smoothed plywood first to see
if they would work. For myself I find that the Jo Sonja paints work the best, which is why I stick with them.

Different effects can be used throughout with differing types of paints, dyes and
inks, all being available. For the vase the paint would be applied first by fingers after putting on a pair of
plastic gloves, the vase is covered in this way to cover the complete surface area, Then, still at this stage still with the plastic gloves that have on, pat the point all round the vase to form a pattern that you are happy with.

  • Cling film
  • Bubble wrap
  • Air blowing
  • Feathers
  • Wool or string
  • Rolled cling film

Feather Effect string pull

  • Step 1 – Lay a length of wool which has had Jo Sonja paint along the length as shown, then pull in the direction shown in picture above.
  • Step 2 – Repeat the process along the opposite side, this then forms the main body of the feather.
  • Step 3 – Lay the wool along the centre and pull back to give the effect of the quill.

Flower Effect

  • Take a length of wool and load it with Jo Sonja paint.
  • Lay the loaded wool line out in a pattern similar to that shown.
  • Put a piece of tape at the base of the design to take up the overload of over-spill paint.
  • Always pull through at the same point.
  • You may need to wipe off any excess paint at the base.

Other effects

Other affects can be achieved using real Feathers or Artists fan paint brush.

Water Ink Dip (Alcohol ink)

This can produce some good effects on the blanks, but you have no control of the
pattern. This is an expensive process due to the waste of ink.
You will need a water bath for this, deep enough for your requirements, then drop
some ink dyes onto the water in a random manner and cause a gentle swirl.
With using water for this method the blank needs to be smoothed down twice, once
dry and the other wet, in this way you will get a smooth bowl.
Then carefully dip the bowl into the water and again carefully remove, at this point
you can see the effect that the inks have produced on the bowl. This then needs to
dry prior to final finishing.

For the second half of the evening, we have club member Andy Dore who demonstrated his process for inside out (involute) decorations.

Andy explained to the group how first came across inside out turning. He read an article in a wood turning magazine many years ago, and the process intrigued him so decided to have go to see what he could do. This developed into the we saw on the night.

Andy turns the decorations from white wood 34mm x 34mm from Wickes. He finds the wood clean to turn, it sands well & is not gummy like most pine woods. He cuts pieces 120mm long, and reduces them down to the 30mm x 30mm using the band saw and had a hand plain, making sure all sides are square. The centres are marked on the end using the corner cross method. The centres were punched accurately & then placed on the lathe between centres.

  • Step 1 – Andy turned a cove into the piece (see pic above) to the sizes in his plan, then its sanded using a round block. The coves then has finishing oil applied with a cloth. Some times up to 3 coats.
  • Step 2 – The block is the accurately cut into 4 pieces. Then turned around and glued back together with PVA, making sure that they don`t move. This leaves the coves now on the inside. They are held together with rubber bands until dry.
  • Step 3 – The centres were the punched accurately again on the ends & then its placed on the lathe between centres. Andy then turned the block round. (see pic above).
  • Step 4 – The round block is the placed in a chuck on the lathe, he the turns the decoration to shape looking to keep an even thickness around the windows, Finally it is sanded, and then is parted off to a point. As before it is finished with finishing oil applied with a cloth.

The club and committee would like thank Barrie & Andy for an excellent entertaining evening. It was enjoy by all present.

Report by Steve Hackett

May 2024 – Chairman’s Challenge

This month’s submissions for the Chairman’s Challenge and other items that were made by our club members during the last month.

The challenge was “Small Pierced Bowl /Platter/Vase / Box /Free Choice” and any other items made by members this month

Next month’s Chinwag Zoom meeting is on the 6th of June 2024. The Chairman’s Challenge theme will be “Bird Box Large or Small”.

April 2024 – Chairman’s Challenge

This month’s submissions for the Chairman’s Challenge and other items that were made by our club members during the last month.

The challenge was “Three Pieces of Fruit (Different woods)” and any other items made by members this month

Next month’s Chinwag Zoom meeting is on the 2nd of May 2024. The Chairman’s Challenge theme will be “Small Pierced Bowl /Platter/Vase / Box /Free Choice”.

Demo Report – March 2024 – Bryan Milham

For tonight’s demonstration, we have Bryan Milham who has travelled up from Weston Super Mare to entertain us with his skills and knowledge. Bryan is also the secretary of the AWGB.
Tonight Bryan will be going through the process of applying texture and colouring from the ceramics industry, and applying them to the wood-turning environment. Beyond colour is what the evening is all about. Bryan went through Health and safety information at the start of the evening, before starting the turning process.

Bryan reminded us about the three things that all turners need to keep in mind while turning, these are:

  • The tools to be kept sharp
  • The tools bevel angle needs to be controlled
  • Think about the design of the project

Decorated Bowl from Ash – 8” x 2.5”

Bryan used a pull cut to form a flat face across the surface of a blank followed by a push cut to make the blank round and balanced on the lathe at about 750 rpm. The shape is then cut to a regular shape. Bryan used an aggressive cut when removing the waste wood from the outer-shaped area. A foot was produced for the bowl to stand off the table, this was then sanded down to 120 grit to give a key for the next stage.

Next white gesso was applied to totally cover the blank in a thick layer, black gesso could also be used. Then a dog comb or bamboo sticks were used, these had points on the end and were placed across the gesso as the lathe was running to form a row of groves all over the outer area of the bowl, the gesso was now allowed to dry before moving to the next stage.
When it was dry a layer of blue and red spirit stains was applied to the gesso with a Mouth Atomiser, on an equal basis around the bowl, this would then need a lacquer finish applied.

Decorated Vase from Sapele – 4” x 4” x 8”

Placed into the lathe axis and turned to a round by use of a roughing gouge, a skew was then used to get a smoother surface which was used by using the skew as a planning tool, this was also used to form the shape of the vase, a parting tool was used to form a foot on the base of the vase. A Velcro pad system was used for the sanding abrasives which were fixed to a flat shape and used in varying grits to the vase.
It is at this stage that the vase needs to be completely finished with a polish or wax before moving to the next stage.


An area was marked off at the top of the vase about 1” from the rim and again by use of the skew the area edges were cut with the toe of the skew and then the inner area just marked out an extra layer of waste wood was removed. Decorator tape was used to mask off the edge of the cut area and additional paper was fixed to the other area not to be worked on. The edge of the decorates tape was again cut with the skew to the outer edge already cut.

A hot glue gun was then used to apply the hot glue to the open area in a random manner around the open area. When cool a black lacquer was applied over the entire area which was open and then left to dry.
The edge of the decorated area was again cut with the skew to give a very clean edge. A guilt cream was then applied over the top of the dry glue, place some guilt on the back of your hand and keep going back to this whilst applying it over the glue, if it goes over this is not a problem.

Decorated Platter

This was already turned and just the inner hollowed-out area to be decorated.
Tacky craft glue was used in the hollowed-out area of the platter and then allowed to dry a bit before applying some ultra-thin metal foil, this was applied by putting your finger into the metal foil and applying it to the tacky area of the platter till it was totally covered. This is then rubbed with your fingers to get a smooth surface and remove the loose parts from the hollowed area. This then requires a covering of lacquer to embed the foil.


Bryan also showed how to use modelling clay to form decorations which can be set into moulds and then painted and then applied to the outer areas of the bowls or vases for additional decoration.

The evening finished early, so we finished off with a question and answer session and Bryan stated that if any member needed additional information they could contact him directly, his information is given in Revolutions.

Materials used:

Once again the club would like to thank Bryan for the evening’s demonstration and explanations of what was taking place during the demo.

The club would like to give their thanks to all members who helped out with both the setting up process and also the cleaning up at the end of the evening.

Report by Barrie Fisher & edited by Steve Hackett

March 2024 – Chairman’s Challenge

This month’s submissions for the Chairman’s Challenge and other items that were made by our club members during the last month.

The challenge was “Vase with Decorated & or Textured Rim” and any other items made by members this month

Next month’s Chinwag Zoom meeting is on the 4th of April 2024. The Chairman’s Challenge theme will be “Three Pieces of Fruit (Different Woods)”.

February 2024 – Chairman’s Challenge

This month’s submissions for the Chairman’s Challenge and other items that were made by our club members during the last month.

The challenge was “Platter with decorated Rim 150 to 200 mm in diameter” and any other items made by members this month

Next month’s Chinwag Zoom meeting is on the 7th of March 2024. The Chairman’s Challenge theme will be “Vase with Decorated & or Textured Rim”.

Demo Report – January 2024 – Wolfgang Schulze-Zachau

We start this new year off with our first demonstrator of the year, Our very own club member Wolfgang Schulze-Zachau kindly agreed to start the year with what is becoming his annual demo club, Wolgang is fresh from appearing on Handmade: Britain’s Best Woodworker 2023, in which he came an excellent 2nd place. During 2023 Wolfgang also transitioned to a professional wood turner. The club wishes him well in his future endeavours.

For tonight’s demo, Wolfgang will be covering some helpful turning basic tool use.

  • How do wood-turning tools cut the wood?
  • Why do you get catches & how to avoid them?
  • Achieving a good surface cut.

To help explain how turning tools cut, Wolfgang will be using extra large dummy tools he has made. There was a Skew, a Spindle Gouge & Bowl Gouge that were all made from wood.

The first tool Wolfgang demonstrated the use of was the spindle roughing gouge.

The skew chisel was next. Wolfgang explained about following the bevel and cutting in the correct area of the cutting edge. He also demonstrated how catches occur.

Next, Wolfgang covered Spindle gouge use.

And finally the bowl gouge.

Members asked relevant questions throughout the evening which is a good thing, with everyone taking in the relevant techniques employed by Wolfgang.

Once again the club would like to thank Wolfgang for the evening’s demonstration and explanations of what was taking place during the demo.

The club would like to give their thanks to all who helped out with both the setting up process and also the cleaning up at the end of the evening.

Report by Steve Hackett

January 2024 – Chairman’s Challenge

This month’s submissions for the Chairman’s Challenge and other items that were made by our club members during the last month.

The challenge was “Any Style Bowl between 100 -150 mm in diameter” and any other items made by members this month

Next month’s Chinwag Zoom meeting is on the 1st of February 2024. The Chairman’s Challenge theme will be “Platter with decorated Rim 150 to 200 mm in diameter”.

December 23 – Mary Stevens Christmas Coffee Morning and Jigsaw Festival

Well, it’s that time of year again when we are taking part in Mary Stevens Charity Coffee Morning and Jigsaw Festival, there were tables with various Christmas-themed items and a few tombola tables all for the benefit of Mary Stevens Hospice. Again it was nice to be invited along for this annual event and take part in the fundraising for the benefit of the hospice and the people who rely on it.
The stalls attending the event were showing a varied amount of items and were displayed to the best and people were able to get round the hall easily. In addition to this, a hot drink and cake stand was being used to its fullest by everyone who attended.


The weather for the day was very cold with snow being advised at some point, thankfully we had a stand inside the hall and not outside unlike the jigsaw gazebos. We had to be at the event by 9:00 to set everything up and be ready to start at 10:00 and was open during the hours of 10:00 and 14:00. The event attracted a steady footfall throughout the opening hours, although the weather could have caused a few not to show up.


We had a few of the normal crew to set up the event which included Ian, Rob, Steve and Brian, along with this we had a few members arrive during the day and help and support the event, they were, Arthur Roger S, Roger C, Paul & Barrie
A lot of turnings were as per normal donated by the club members for the charity table and those members who were selling their own pieces, gave a donation at the end of the day, out of their profits.

The club had a three-foot wood block snowman donated for a raffle, Tickets were sold at our last club meeting (Nov) and the Coffee Morning and Jigsaw Festival throughout the day, this was donated by Paul Wiley and it was appreciated by the committee for his generosity with all proceeds going to the hospice.

The ticket for the raffle was drawn at the end of the day by James from Mary Stevens Hospice. The winner was our own Elwyn Jones. The snowman raffle raised £79 for the hospice, Throughout the year the cub has raised a total of £1644.75 for the hospice over the last year, which has been handed over to the hospice.

We can now all look forward to the club’s Christmas Bash on our normal club night at Dudley College as usual.

Report by Barrie Fisher, edited by Steve Hackett

Handmade: Britain’s Best Woodworker 2023

Congratulations to our very own club member Wolfgang Schulze-Zachau for competing in this year’s “Handmade: Britain’s Best Woodworker 2023” TV program. Wolfgang was the woodworker of the week in many of the episodes and got through to the final episode. Unfortunately, he did not win, but Wolfgang’s kitchen island, which he designed and constructed in the final was excellent.

Well done also to the winner Nathaniel Griffiths.