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August 2023 – Sedgley Garden Club Flower Show

This is the second year that we have been invited to take part in the Sedgley & District Community Association Garden Club, 28th Annual Flower & Vegetable Show.

Held at the Sedgley Community Hall. Thanks go to club member Richard for arranging for the club to attend again this year.

This event is held inside, so there is no need for the gazebos this time, and there is also no need to think about the weather. The door opened at 9 o’clock for us to get in and set up the area allocated to the turners. The room display was set up with the help of Steve, Rob, Roger C, Roger S, Arthur, Ian, Mike, and Barrie. We were the only ones within this room that had tables situated all around the room, in which we were able to put on a good selling display that covered five tables and included various turned items that were different for each seller.


In addition, there was the usual table space for the donations from club members that were made to raise money for Mary Stevens Hospice. Also, thanks go to Ian and Mike, who looked after this throughout the event.

The skittle set was set up on a separate table after Roger had to slip back home and pick them up; the raffle ticket sales went down well throughout the day, with the club being able to approach the £100.00 mark in ticket sales prior to the last selling day at Mary Stevens, Summer Fayre on the 2nd of September, where it will be drawn for the winner.


There was a craft competition in one of the other rooms, in which Steve, Rob, and Ian entered an item each. All of the judging of the events was done prior to the event opening; this craft event had a good many items entered. Congratulations must go to Ian for having his competition piece come in first with his rendering of Peaky Blinders Ducks.

In the main hall, where the flower competition was taking place, there were also plants and vegetables. These were judged during the morning and all awards were given prior to the general public being allowed in.


The event opened at 12:30 for the general public to have a good look around, to start taking part in the event, and to start buying items.


Arthur was in good flow again with selling his trick toys, which he sold out of all he had turned for the event. Thanks for that, Arthur.

After the opening of the flower show, we had a steady flow of people coming through, both looking and buying. We also had additional members turn up for the event to show their support.
The flower show put on a very good raffle, with over twenty good prizes on offer for those taking part.
Outside under two gazebos, the event put on a folk-type band with an area for people to sit and listen, The band put on three good sets and kept everyone interested.
We also had a couple of people who showed interest in the possibility of joining the club, so we will see if they turn up.
Overall, the event went very well and was enjoyable to take part in.

Report by Barrie Fisher, edited by Steve Hackett

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August 2023 – Members Workshop Evening

The August club evening was a Member’s Workshop Evening. There was no specific theme for the night. We had a couple of club lathes out and available to any member wishing to have a go.

Roger assisted on one of the lathes, and Ian brought in his pro edge sharpening system for members to use.

We also had a good display of member’s work this month.

Report by Barrie Fisher, edited by Steve Hackett

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July 2023 – Chairman’s Challenge

This month’s submissions for the Chairman’s Challenge and other items made by our club members, during this month’s Chinwag Zoom meeting.

The challenge was “A Leaf shaped bowl or plate”.

Next month’s Chinwag Zoom meeting is on 3rd August 2023. The Chairman’s Challenge Theme will be “A Pair of something? or your interpretation of a Modern style Candlestick”.

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Demo Report June 2023 – Emma Cook – The Tiny Turner

For our entertainment this evening, we were lucky to have the excellent Emma Cook as our pro-turner with the memorable projects that she comes up with.

Emma is better known as the Tiny Turner, which she has used as her brand name since 2013, she also continues to move forward and develop her skills in her unique way.

It was with great regret that we were unable to have Emma’s demonstration at our meeting last month due to an electrical problem within the college itself. We were very lucky to be able to Re-book Emma straight away for this month, thankfully she was not booked for the evening.

We had a good start to the evening, with Emma being stuck on the M6 in slow traffic, therefore the evening demonstration was delayed due to this, but only for a short time. Over the last three times that Emma was booked for a demo to the club, the first was cancelled due to Covid, and the second last month for electrical reasons, so now she can attend our meeting tonight.

Project 1

Emma started with a platter made out of Sycamore and explained the relevant process for developing her chucking point for the platter after first mounting the blank between centres. 

When mounted within a chuck an ogee shape was produced for the outside of the platter in addition to a dome and raised ring within the area for a decorative aspect of the foot.  This was then sanded for a smooth finish with Emma stating that she started at 240 grit.

From this point sanding sealer was used first, this was then followed by True Grit Woodturners Abrasive Paste from Taylorsmirfield, both having one coat. This was then followed up with a microcrystalline wax as a polish, again with one coat.

Whilst mounted in reverse the outer edge was removed and this was then smoothed down,  this edge was then painted over the edge part with gold and the other part left as a plain area, this was then covered in the crackle effect followed by a layer of black, this was then covered in the final layer of crackle effect which was the second bottle.  All layers were applied evenly utilizing a brush, at this point, the platter was left to dry, the drying process for this effect takes about 48 hours which should be taken otherwise the first effect layer could cause the top layer to slide a touch. 

At this point, Emma moved on to her second project, but I will carry on with the first.  At the end of the evening, Emma returned to this project and mounted the platter to remove the centre.  At this point the crackle effect had taken place but whilst on the lathe it just started to slip,  When taken off the lathe Emma used an acrylic lacquer to cover the affected area.

Project 2

The second project was a textured banded bowl, which was again mounted between centres and mounting point produced, this was then turned to a curved rounded shape, sanded and finished.  Emma then cut two groves around the bowl.

The area within the two bands was then cut out with a carving chisel 3F/12, 3 is the shape of the curve on the chisel,  F states the shape of the chisel which is a fishtail and the final 12 is the width of the chisel.  Before starting the carving, Emma explained the problems of cutting across the crown at 45 degrees so this is cut at 90 degrees.  Emma started across the bowl after the crown and she continued all around the bowl with neat clean cuts.  

A sealer was then applied around the textured area before a layer of black gesso was applied around the band area and then allowed to dry.  When dry a size was applied ready for a metallic flake effect to be applied, these flakes are brushed on and rubbed into the size.  When complete this then becomes the finished effect with no spray being applied over the flaked area.  The bowl was then reversed and the centre was taken out, Emma also explained how she went about turning within bowls due to her size.  When complete a 2mm diameter leather band was applied to the cut groves of the bowl, this was applied with a 45-degree cut on the end of the leather and laid into a layer of Fabritec glue, when coming back to the start another 45-degree angle was cut to line up with the original first cut.

Project 3

For a third project, Emma finished off a piece that she had with her, it had a dry layer of black lacquer applied on the inside of the bowl, She then used a Jo Sonia colour which she mixed with a flow medium of about 50 – 50 mix.  This was then applied to the inner edge of the bowl and then mounted back onto the lathe and covered by cardboard before spinning up to speed, this produced a radiating shape around the edge of the bowl.  

When dry a layer of size was also put around the inner edge of the bowl and allowed to spin.  This was then taken off the lathe and a metallic powder was applied, this being brushed on in the same direction of the flow, this is to prevent the crossover of the powder and take it away from the centre.

We also had a very good turnout of the member’s work which was out on display for all to see, well done all who took part in this section.

Thanks go out to all club members who undertook the setting up and breaking down of the equipment, also to Rob for the technical backup, Steve for looking after the raffle and Barrie for this report and Photos.  And special thanks to Chris who got down on his knees for Emma, to remove the flying dust.

Thankfully we got through the night without needing the lights in the college rooms as they were not working.

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April 2023 – Saturday All-Day Members Workshop

Blackcountry Woodturners had their Saturday All-Day Members Workshop on April 29th 2023. It started at 10.00 and went on till 16.00, this is an event that is popular with members and takes place at least once a year.

The project for the day was to turn a set of nine oak Skittles

The workshop day was well attended by the committee and had a steady member base drop in during the day with most being in attendance all day. 

Members’ workshop days and evenings will be ongoing events in the coming years for the members to get hands-on with the club lathes. 

We had three lathes on the go during the day, which were used to good effect, each lathe was looked after by a “lathe master” (an experienced club member) giving guidance to members turning the Skittles.

Though out the day members were able to help themselves to tea and coffee with biscuits, cake and savoury items provided for everyone

Robert kindly brought along one of his 3D printers to demonstrate to members that were interested. He was kept busy most of the day with questions and demonstrations.

These are some interesting infrared Videos, thanks to Chris Clay.

Report by Steve Hackett – Photos thanks to Andrew Bache, Chris Clay and Greg McAteer.

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April 2023 – Members Workshop Evening

Toy Car Competition

Thanks go out to both Ian and Roger who have spent time in putting together the car kits for each car with all items being prepared and drilled ready for the exhausts and wheels to be mounted, all of which were included within three boxes for the teams.

The room was set up with three lathes being set out in a row for this competition with each team made up of three club members, there are three lathe masters who will be offering individual guidance to the team members as they progress through the project.  The lathe masters for the evening were Paul, Roger and Steve.  Each team had the same  pattern to follow.

At the end of the challenge event the teams will have two car bodies which would need to be split apart, the idea of this being to have a balanced system within the lathe speed, when complete the teams will need to concentrate on one car to complete, and this must be able to run along the floor.

Different members took part in this process and all gained some additional experience and knowledge to upgrade their individual skill level.

For this evening, Rob took over the role of looking after the raffle, whilst Steve was looking after one of the lathes.

Report & Photos by Barrie Fisher, edited by Steve Hackett.