Mwasuze mutya mikwano gyange egy'enku [Luganda] - (Hello my wood friends)
News - by Wendy of the Wool - Pics by R2 Wood:
Saturday 8 Feb
It was a damp day for our meet up on 8 February, but we had some great conversations in the classroom, fortified with usual tea and biscuits. David Wilkins worked on a spoon and brought along another he’d made with some kolrosing. Bowl Mike continued working on a large vessel, while Jamie carved a fox and Ranger Dave worked on his nunchucks? Bob and Richard carried on with spoons in progress and I inserted eyes into the dog I’m needle felting with was an exciting milestone.
Saturday 22 Feb
We were grateful for the mild weather at our last meet - umpteen layers not required! There was a hint of spring in the air with cheerful daffodils in bloom and I saw my first bumblebee of the year!
David Wilkins ran a skill sharing session on kolrosing with Jamilla. Carl worked on a shrink pot, Bob continued working a cooking spoon, Ranger Dave was carving a warrior character with a shield. I carried on with my needle felted dog and am making good progress on the head, ears will be the next step. Rich was doing finishing cuts on a spoon. It was good to see him doing some carving as he’s been hard at work on the Bodgers Gazette.
We had various visits from the Gardens volunteer crew. Daphne & Dave popped in with their lovely dogs, and we had a great conversation about a long bow and coracle that Daphne made some years ago. Lois & Bill dropped in and brought a wooden bowl and other items that had been turned by Lois’s Dad.
Members Services (See Listings at bottom of page)
Where local members can offer charged services to other local members: Craft Courses, Tool Repairs, Lathe building, Lathe for sale etc. Have a service to offer? Please reply to this email.
Listings will be approved at our discretion and are limited to local sole traders. There are no listing fees. We do not take responsibility over any transactions, so please be mindful of where your money is going.
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 near bottom of page.
Hope to see you there, and please email me at essexaptgw@gmail.com 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
Members Services
Sharpening Service - R2 Wood
I’ve launched a sharpening service for greenwood carving tools, offering APTGW members a 5% discount. Covering Sloyd and Spoon knives, Axes, Adzes, Gouges and more.
Please visit: https://www.r2wood.co.uk/new-page-1 or contact Richard at info@r2wood.co.uk with any questions you may have..