June Demo by Jimmy Clewes

Jimmy Clewes was at the Woodshed to give 49 Ulster Chapter members an all day demonstration. Jimmy is a very good demonstrator, making everything clear to the audience in his own inimitable way. A good day was had by all who attended.

Our Competition Results

Jimmy demonstrated how to make a small stetson type hat, a three sided twisted candlestick and a box with silver inlay in the african blackwood lid. To see these projects either scroll down or click the links.

Jimmy with our Sponsors on the wall behind. Our thanks must go to all of our sponsors, for a full list see our Sponsors Page

Jimmy Clewes

Now do it this way, blank set up to start the hat

True up and create a spigot for the chuck

Bring the hat to size

Finish the setail on the shape of the hat

Use a point tool to define the hat band and remove from the lathe

Use one finger to centralise hat in the chuck before starting the inside of the hat

Look over the top of the hat to define where to cut the inside of the hat

Start to remove the inside, finishing the outside of the first inch before starting to go deeper

Repeat this operation until final depth has been achieved, you should be looking fo a thickness of 2 to 3 mm

When final depth has been reached remove from lathe

Make a jam chuck to fit the inside of the hat and remount

Remove the spigot and finalise the shape of the top of the hat before sanding to a finish.

Jimmy's hat getting the once over

A three sided spindle

Bring your blank to the round and mark up at 120 degrees around the  diameter

Use a pair of compasses to set out the 120 degrees, mark the circumference with the radius of the piece to get the correct spacing then mark an inner circle about halfway to the edge, both ends. Mark the points that intersect the circle 1, 2 and 3 , offset them by one at the other end.

Mount 1 at the headstock and 1 the offset 1 at the tailstock. Turn the first side.

Repeat with number 2 and 3, turning each side.

Recentre and turn the top and base to suit.

So that's how you do it !!!!!

The decorated box

Mount a piece of African Blackwood and bring to the round, make the end a good rounded shape

Drill the ends accurately with sizes to match the silver wire, Jimmy used 2mm and 1mm drills, Superglue lengths of wire into the holes.

Turn away the excess wire one the superglue has set. do this slowly, do not rush

Polish and finsh the top before parting off

Make the box

Make the lid to accept the balckwood insert, carefully

The finished box

The spindle

The hat

An attentive audience

The results of the 2007 / 8 competition Charlie Calvin won the Open Competition Colin Brashaw was 2nd and Peter Lyons 3rd There was a tie for 1st place in the Beginners Competition, Liam Gilmore and  Jim Forde were first and Malachy Totten was 3rd.

Liam Gilmore, Jim Forde and Charlie Calvin