Cork Chapter of the Irish Woodturners Guild

Our March workshop was, again, in our usual venue in Togher.  John Ahern, our Chairman, was the first demonstrator and he decided to repeat a workshop he did about 10 years ago.  This was a napkin ring but with a special emphasis on the jig he uses.

John likes to cut individual squares for each ring and sometimes he drills out the hole (about 35 mm) by clamping it onto a drill press or, sometimes, he might drill it out on the lathe.  The size of the ring is a matter of choice but the one John made for the workshop was 38 mm long.

John Ahern, making the cuts in his jig

The jig is just a base with a stem turned so that the rings fit neatly.  The stem is made of ash because of the flexibility of it.  A hole (size not critical but about 6 or 7 mm.) is drilled down for almost the full length and then the shaft is cut longitudinally, north/south & east/west so that when a pointed tailstock is inserted and tightened up it expands the shaft sufficiently to hold the ring for turning.

Jerry Twomey decided to demonstrate the turning of a banksia nut.  He had prepared one beforehand by cutting off the two ends and gluing in two pieces of wood where he had made the cuts.  He turned the entire lot into a most beautiful bud vase. 

Gerry Twomey's banksia nut bud vase.

Jerry advised holding the nut in a clamp when trimming the ends on the bandsaw, thus ensuring it doesn’t turn, with possible catastrophic consequences.  He also suggests using full-face protection, using tight cuffs on the smock and removal of watches or bracelets, as the debris from the nuts can be quite irritating on the skin.

banksia nuts

March competition entries

The competition was based on the February workshop and was for either an eggcup, with or without an egg, or a sphere.  The entry was disappointingly small but the standard was very high.  Liam Murray won ‘Beginners’.  ‘Intermediate’: Joe Kennedy, Denis Desmond and Marea Power, in that order.  ‘Advanced”: David Lee, Charlie McCarthy and Paddy O’Rourke, also in that order.

Liam Murray (right), winning his first competition, congratulated by Peter Manning

Charlie McCarthy(2nd) and Paddy O'Rourke (3rd) with judge, Peter Manning.

The Chapter Seminar will be held on Saturday, 16^th April and the venue this year is Togher Scout Hall, quite close to our usual Togher venue.  It is on the city side of the fly-over and on the corner of Togher Road and Tramore Road, just where one turns in for St. Finbarr’s Hurling and Football Club.  Colwin Way – well known from his work with Axminster – is the demonstrator and we are happy to report that Des from The Hut will set up shop for the day.  Registration will commence at 9.00 a.m. and the demonstration will start at 10.00 a.m.

The cost of the seminar is €35.00.  In order to keep costs at a minimum we are not serving lunch (bring your own) but will provide tea and coffee.

There will be a Master class with Colwin on the following day (Sunday) at Tony Farrell’s workshop in Waterfall at an additional cost of €25.00 but places are limited and will be confined to those who participate in the seminar on the previous day. 

Bookings can be made with our Hon. Secretary, Mick Bouchier at 086 8520542 or by email to mick.bouchier@gmail.com.  Checking Mick’s list today it seems that booking is strong and anybody interested is well advised to make contact immediately.