Our Meetings
Our group meet at the Club Rooms in Lenzie each month where we have demonstrations, discussions, lectures and share information usually about turning but not always. In the past we also had lectures about making Windsor Chairs, Walking Sticks, photographing work and Basket Weaving which were very popular among members. We have introduced, “hands on” evenings where new and inexperienced members can get instruction and gain confidence on aspects of the craft they require. Our monthly meetings begin with a “Turn and Tell” where members are asked to produce items based on a theme. This is popular and some interesting and diverse items are often produced, and some members are asked about the chosen timber, the design, construction and finish.
Although our name is Strathclyde Woodturners, we have members travelling from as far as Perthshire, South Lanarkshire, the Clyde Coast and Argyle. Our membership is limited by the size of our clubroom to around thirty seven people, with a regular attendance at our monthly meetings in the high twenties. The numbers increase near our limit when we have had some visiting internationally renowned demonstrators. With the assistance of the AWGB, Andrew Hall, Mick Hanbury, Margaret Garrard, Gary Lowe and others who have demonstrated at the club. Some of these demonstrators also held a master class which were enjoyed by the lucky members who attended.
We have recently had some new members join the club and while still enjoying the club evenings, they still consider themselves novices and are often unsure on the proper way to hold, present and use the tools correctly and confidently. Rather than leave them to the vagrancies of “YouTube” we have re-introduced a series of monthly Hands on Evenings where novices, or any member wishing to brush up on certain skills can attend a planned programme, or request a topic to be covered.
These evenings are mentored by some of our more senior and skilled members to help them acquire the confidence and gain the skills which advance their knowledge and ability in the art.
Topics have included, Health and Safety, Chucking and Holding Methods, Tool Control, Basic Turning Techniques. Further topics will be added and introduced by the club Programmer and by the needs of the members.
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Pyrography evening
We held an evening, where members brought along their pyrography kits, to allow other members to try their hand at pyrography. This was a very successful evening where we found some budding artists.
Pyrography is probably not normally associated with a woodturning club, but we try to introduce members to other ideas of how they can decorate their work