APTGW - Essex Bodgers Meet Sat 12th October
Akkam jirtu hiriyyoota koo mukaa - (Hello my woody friends)[Oromo]
News - by Wendy of the Wool:
It was a beautiful day to spend in the outdoors at the Walled Garden at our last meet. The sun shone, the squirrels scurried, the birds twittered, butterflies flittered and if you listened carefully you could hear the chop, chop, chop of axes, chortles of chuckle laden banter (and the occasional bellow of Brian, the resident Bedford's Park Stag). David Wilkins and Potty Steve had a spoon carving lesson from Richard. Poor Ranger Dave had a bad back and had to call it a day at lunch time (hoping he's feeling better now). Bowl Mike worked on some bowls, including a bird bowl and kept us entertained with stories about is recent trip to Helsinki. Wendy worked on head number 3 of a dog she is making. No, she's not making Cerberus the three headed hellhound, it's just draft number 3 as it's taking a lot of trial and error trying to get it right!
With thoughts now centred around Sunday's Autumn Celebration at the Walled Garden, we look forward to welcoming Merlin back to the garden to demonstrate his pole lathe skills, bowl carving from Bowl Mike, Richard with his spoons and snowmen, and David Wilkins with various wooden wares. Keep your fingers crossed for good weather and you'll hear all about it in the next update.
Words Of The Week - Mike of the Bowl: Ricasso and more:
When researching Puukkos, after my Helsinki trip, I came across a new term; Ricasso. It is the unsharpened section of a knife blade nearest the handle and, as you all know, is not a feature of sloyd knives or Puukkos. While you're probably already aware of the feature, now you can name it. On a similar vein, Aglet; you know what it is but not what it's called. It's the tube, or ferrule, at the end of your laces. Finally my favourite archaic term, and one reserved for classical sculptures (or down the local gym), Callipygian; having well shaped buttocks. MotB
Spoon Carving Classes with R2 Wood
I’m doing a special offer on Spoon Carving days for APTGW members, held on our regular meet days at the beautiful Walled Garden. The lessons are intimate with just one or two pupils, allowing plenty of undiluted attention.
There are two options to choose from:
Solo Lesson - Regular price £80 - Offer £60
Two pupils booked as pair - Regular price £60 - Offer £40
Lesson Dates:
Sat 28 Sep Fully Booked
Sat 12 Oct Fully Booked
Sat 26 Oct 2 places available
Sat 9 Nov 2 places available
Sat 23 Nov 2 places available
All prices are per person. Offer is only for paid up APTGW members on the dates shown above. Guests are welcome, but will pay the regular price. Please contact Richard at info@r2wood.co.uk to enquire or book.
Sharpening Service
I’m also launching a sharpening service for greenwood carving tools, offering APTGW members a 5% discount. Covering Sloyd and Spoon knives, Axes, Adzes, Gouges and more. Please contact Richard at info@r2wood.co.uk to enquire.
Regular Bits n Bobs:
If you have them, bring your lathe, shave horse, and any other fun equipment. We have a few chopping blocks and one kuksa horse, so if you can bring your own please do. Note for those with Lathes, our floor space is mostly concrete, so treadles may not be able to be pegged down.
Our meets don’t just have to be about making wood chips, we encourage members to bring other crafts to the meets, be that spinning a yarn, weaving a basket, making a tool sheath from leather or bark, and even decorative methods for our wooden items. Feel free to showcase your other craft skills as we are interested in sharing and learning a wider range of skills as we grow as a group. If any members would like to lead a session of various crafts for the group, possibly a paid one day course, please get in contact with me and we will see what we can arrange for the future.
About the venue:
The venue has toilets, kitchen, and is accessible to wheelchairs. I will supply teabags, coffee, sugar and cows milk. Please bring your own non dairy milk if needed. If anyone wants to bring biscuits, cake, snacks to share that would be nice, but bring your own lunch, bowl/plate, drinking vessel, and cutlery please.
Members have suggested a contribution for Tea/Coffee a few times, so I have decided to ask for a contribution of 50p. Obviously if you bring all your own bits, there is no need to chip in.
Free secure parking is available within the walled garden. Follow the main driveway all the way down, past the public car park and the “no unauthorised vehicles” sign, then the Walled Garden’s big gates will be on the left. Toot your horn to let us know you’ve arrived.
See site map, and map links at bottom of page.
Hope to see you there, and please contact me if you have any questions.
Richard Roberts - Group Coordinator APTGW Essex Bodgers
APTGW Membership:
Our meets are free of charge to members of the Association of Polelathe Turners and Green Woodworkers.
Non members are welcome to join us a few times to see if it’s something they’d like to pursue further. We then ask that folks join the APTGW. It’s only £20 per year and membership runs from January to December each year.
Join the APTGW here: https://www.bodgers.org.uk/joinus
For just £20 a year you get:
A quarterly Gazette with news views and articles on all aspects of green woodworking.
Attend the UK Bodger's Ball always held in mid-May (this is chargeable, but a bargain!)
Win prizes for your creations at the many craft competitions at the ball
Connect with other Green Woodworkers, tool makers, rural crafters.
Learn new skills in a variety of length courses.
Attend and participate in the Annual General Meeting which is held at the Bodgers Ball
Vote on how the organisation progresses and elect, or even stand for the committee!
Here is a "what 3 words" ink to the location: https://w3w.co/sizes.soup.puddles
Google maps link to location: https://goo.gl/maps/f6rYfb92p6n43Uz99
