Midland Chapter - Sept 2023
The monthly meeting returned on the 11th September 2023 and was held once again at the Carpentry Store in Naas. Everyone was delighted to meet up after the summer break. Emmet Kane was our demonstrator on the night. Emmet demonstrated turning a hollow vessel made from a 6” cube of Native Irish Ash. He said before he makes a decision on what he would like to make he looks at the grain direction and the structure of the wood. Emmet likes to use wet timber as it is better for hollowing.
Once the outside was turned, he began hollowing by drilling a hole to the finished depth. He used gripper jaws to hold the piece as he prefers these jaws on wet timber. The goal with a hollow form is creating a consistent wall thickness, with a slightly thicker bottom to steady the form as it stands. There are various callipers that can be used to measure the thickness. Remember to leave a heavy wall if you are going to texture.
Keep the speed of the lathe low at approximately 1100 rpm for hollow forms as the slower the speed the less likely the tool will catch. Shaping the interior of the vessel with a narrow opening requires caution so make sure the tools are sharp and the tool rest is at the correct height and position. It is advisable to stop the lathe frequently and remove the shavings.
Once the hollowing was complete Emmet returned to the exterior and finished shaping the vessel. He demonstrated texturing, embellishing, scorching using a hot air gun, sharpening tools and discussed sanding and finishes. On display were two of Emmet’s hollowed gold leaf table pieces. Thank you, Emmet for an engaging and informative demonstration.
Emmet collected pieces from members who created a turned piece for the TT40 Ash Project. Best of luck to all who participated.
Liam Quirke informed members that a ten-week wood turning course will run from 12th October 2023 in conjunction with KWETB Community Education. The course will be tutored by Emmet Kane at St. Conleth’s Community College, Newbridge, Co Kildare.
The next meeting will be held on the 16th October 2023.
