For the clubs’ entertainment this evening we have Ian Ethell who is a member of Trent Valley Woodturners and has been turning for a number of years now but still works full-time.

Off-centre honey dipper

For his first project, Ian will be turning an off-centre honey dipper and stand, and for this he produced a handout diagram of how to mount the piece between centres. The piece of wood was 200mm long by 30 mm square with the position being marked at 6mm each side of the centre line on each end of the blank, so we now have three points marked on each end of the blank.

Tools used were:

• 1” oval skew with a 15-degree angle
• 3/8 bowl gouge with 40 degree bevel and no wing
• Parting tool

The speed of the lathe was set to 3200 rpm.
Ian used the skew using the toe to mark the first area to be cut, these are marked first by using a story stick with all measurements on. By cutting in, only 40% of the blade and bevel must be in contact.
The skew was used to produce the shape of C, and then the bowl gouge for the shape of A. You must start in the centre of the area to be shaped and as you move along the shape open the flute of the gouge up. When sanding, you must keep the strip of abrasive tight across the turned section. To make the shape crisper, you need to go back to stage C.

Stage B
This is to cut the area for the honey itself again we use the long side of the skew and then with a peeling cut produce the required shape cut with the point whilst rolling the skew, the parting tool was then used to produce the slots on the end of the shaped blank, these slots are then sanded to remove any roughness

.
Shape G The thin spindle
Using a gouge again to remove some of the unwanted wood, work towards the headstock for this. Ian used the gouge laid over on it’s side to produce a type of skew cut, the shape of the spindle should have a slight taper to it.

Shape I
Sharp tools and clean cutting is essential for this, this is the first cut, using a bowl gouge cut the curve to the required depth.

Shape H
Same cut as for I

Shape F

Same cut again for this bevel

Shape D

The very end of the tail stock.  Take this down to about 5 to 6mm, at this point we still need the offset positions.

Shape E

We need to watch the amount of pressure being applied to the item now so that it does not flex.

Cut the handle back towards the headstock.  Take it down to a thickness that is still sound, as the other end still need to be finished.  At this point, go back to step D for removing this additional waste. The ends need to be finished off by using a carving knife for each end, then sand to the required finish.

Yoke now which is made out of Cherry

A flat piece of cherry is held between the square jaws of the chuck.  Then a slicing cut across the end with a spindle gouge.  Hollow out the centre from the end so that a hollowed out section is all the way through the wood.  The tool rest is now turned square on to the side of the wood and run down the side of the blank, then curve the cut into the blank to form a Y shape.

At this stage it pays to have a plain colour background which helps you see what you are cutting.  A bowl gouge was used for the side.  Produce a chamfer prior to parting the yoke off the wood.

Now for the base, again use the flat stripe of wood used for the yoke, this is used to mount the yoke into to form a bed for the honey dipper to be mounted on.

Bottle Stopper 45mm square

Produce an inverted cone, now a dome is formed on the end which is the widest part of the cone.  This is then textured on the end by using an elf texturing tool and also frame this texture with the point of the skew. At this stage apply sanding sealer to the end grain and then apply wax into the created pattern.

Now tip the blank within the chuck and re-tightened, this will produce the off-centre effect.  Slice off a section of the wood at the chuck end whilst using a skew, the blank can now be put back into the chuck so that it is running true again, at this stage remove any surplus wax that may be present.

Remove the waste at the chuck end so that a plastic bottle stopper will fit, this reduction being done by the use of a parting tool.  Remove the item from the chuck and affix the plastic end onto the turned item.

I have never needed one of these as the bottle is always empty.

Ian was able to answer questions throughout the evening.

Once again we must offer our thanks to all those who make the night run smooth, without them, we would not have a club.

Report by Barrie Fisher & edited by Steve Hackett

This year’s all-day professional demonstration event for the Black Country Wood Turner’s is with the very talented Jason Breach.

Jason will be demonstrating the following:-
Simple box – Pagoda box – Decorated box using the Axminster Eccentric Spiralling Chuck and finally a Decorative Owl head.

Jason has developed his reputation for woodturning over several years and has been teaching the subject for over 25 years now, and he lives near and works for Axminster Tools.

Links to reports on Jason’s projects for the day.

• Project 1 – Simple Box
• Project 2 – Pagoda Box
• Project 3 – Decorated Box using an Axminster Woodturning Eccentric Spiralling Chuck
• Project 4 – Owl’s head

Jason had a display of his work, some of which he demonstrated how to turn during the day. 

Jason had several special tools made to his design, for sale during the event.

Henry Taylor Jason Breach Box Refinement Tools

During the day we had a display of member’s work and a member’s tool sale. The cost of the event of £15.00 for the complete day, in this reporter’s opinion, was well worth the value and the members who did not attend missed out on a very enjoyable day. We would like to thank all club members who brought in items for the display table.

The club thanked Jason for his input on the projects and tips as he worked through them, and also for answering all the questions asked throughout the day. Jason demonstrations went down well with all who were there, with a lot of new ideas and tips to use. It was well worth the cost of the day.

We would like to thank Ian’s wife Kim for the preparation and presentation of the food at midday.
Thanks also go to all who helped set up the event and in taking everything back down, also Ian and Kim for helping set some of the work up on Friday night.

I would like to say it was nice to get our rooms back again without the animals and the jumble junk. So we must also thank the new administrator that we have for making sure we had a clean room and kitchen area with all rubbish removed and also for having a good supply of chairs

Report by Barrie Fisher & edited by Steve Hackett