Forest of Bere Woodturners Association
Newsletter
Saturday Club Workshop 9th March 2024
Tonight started as any other Saturday club with the introduction of who the mentors would be unfortunately John was not available. Therefore, we would have a spare lathe for those members who wanted to have ago whilst Alan would be describing Hollow Form whilst Don would explain how to turn Apples and Pears. Richard helped on sharpening. Mid-morning break discussions took place were it was decided that we would go back to hands on for beginners with Alan showing and explaining the next month’s competition piece. (Just a reminder that at the May Saturday club I will not be available neither will John). The following photos taken by Kate show the lathes in action and are self-explanatory.
Club Night 19th March 2024
The evening started in the usual way with welcoming new members followed by notices before introducing Stewart as tonight’s demonstrator.
Demonstration by
Stewart Furini
Stewart started by stating that before taking up Woodturner he had been a schoolteacher for many years teaching English.
Stewart stated that this evening would be about applying colour to your turned piece using many different techniques.
Taking a bowl blank Stewart trued up the face and outside before adding strips of tape at angles and spraying each strip with Black ebonizing lacquer.
Photo 1 shows the beginning of applying the tape and paintinga shaddow to either side. This was repeated until the circle was completed.
Photo 2 shows a number of colours already applied, created by removing one strip of tape at a time and spraying that area a different colour, club members being asked to suggest the next colour in the circle.
Once this operation was finished, Stewart then sprayed it all over with Black Acrylic paint Photo 3.
Photo 4 using a piece of paper towel rolled in a ball using white acrylic dabbing a pattern over the black surface as an alternative decoration.
The next two photos show two other alternative ways of decorating. The first by using a paper towel folded to give a long piece of paper, applying paint to the edge and dabbed on to the disc as shown in Photo 5. The second method shows a pattern created by rolling up the paper towel, dipping one end into paint and dabbing on for a circular pattern Photo 6.
The next technique was taking a new blank already sprayed black and setting up a wood frame on to the lathe covering the object blank (this was to stop spray back whilst carrying out the next procedures.
Turning the lathe speed down to around 300 rpm and using a paintbrush applied a circle of paint around the centre of the blank. The lathes speed was increased and the paint flowed outwards as seen in Photo 7. Applying extra colours in the same way Photo 8 shows you the effect.
Stewart’s next colouring project was to take another pre-painted blank and dab on some colouring before adding a large amount of paint around the centre of the blank Photo 9. It was then spun at high speed to spread the paint and create the pattern seen in Photo 10.
Two more colour’s were added and processed in the same way and the final result is seen in Photo 11.
The final project was yet another way to colour your piece. Placing a plain blank onto the lathe the first thing was to true it up. Then using a Proxon Angle cutter Stewart textured face before applying the colours. Photo 12. Using an Air Brush and with the lathe on a slow speed proceeded to paint a number of circles round the piece. Photos 13 & 14 shows the final effect after being spun at high speed.
During the whole of Stewart’s demonstration the equipment that he used was either Air Brushes of which he had six all filled with different colours or applying the dyes with a brush or swabs of paper toweling.
The dyes that he used were Chestnut Spirit Dyes or Acrylics.
I hope that this write up reflects what Stewart did on the night and that it helps you if you wish to try your hand at colouring.
Written by Don Smith with photos from the laptop and myself