About West Sussex Woodturners
Thank you for taking an interest in our club. Our members come from all walks of life but all have a love of wood and woodturning. Most are amateurs, ranging from absolute beginners to those whose skills bear comparison with any professional, and a few are professionals; it is this mix which makes the club a success. Woodturning being essentially an individual craft, the aim of the club is to bring together like-minded people in order to share knowledge and experience.
The club was formed in 1988 by five Woodturners who met in each others' workshops to view and discuss their work and to share ideas and working practices. Inevitably more people wanted to join and so the meetings were moved to a succession of larger venues - we now meet in Storrington (West Sussex). Potential members are always welcome free of charge for their first two meetings, after which they are expected to join as members or pay a nominal daily fee on each attendance. An events programme can be obtained from the Secretary. The membership is limited to 120 and we often have a waiting list. Promotions from the waiting list to membership occur as members resign. Members' ages range from 14 to 80+ with both male and female members. Some members have achieved success in national competitions.
Regular club meetings are held on the first Sunday of each month starting
at 9.30 am. The morning only sessions are usually membership
led, but full day demonstrations and lectures by professionals are featured
several times a year. It is worth noting that attendance at these
are in excess of 60-70% of the full membership.
The AGM is held during the October meeting.
Each meeting is different, with demonstrations on all aspects of turning and finishing or talks and discussions on problems encountered and their solutions. For demonstrations a balance is usually sought between club members, and invited guests and trade representatives. Large screen video with audio has recently been introduced to help everyone get a good view of the proceedings.
One of the most popular events is the "Practical Morning" where two or three lathes, plus grinders are available for everyone to demonstrate or discuss a particular problem or technique. There is always someone who has done it, seen it, or had it happen - why try to reinvent the wheel!. This together with bring-and-buy sales, our regular features of book and video library, sales of abrasives, tools and accessories, plus "swap-shop" and raffle make for an enjoyable time browsing, solving problems and chatting to one's fellow members.
In addition to monthly meetings, sales of work are arranged to provide an outlet to the general public; regular venues are Wakehurst Place and Amberley Working Museum where, throughout the museum's season, in the Woodturner's Hut, a group of us demonstrate the progress of woodturning from Victorian treadle lathes to the modern electric machine. At one time the club also sometimes demonstrated on a pole lathe outside the hut but this is now done by the Green Wood Worker Group
Go to top of pageCommittee for Year 2007 – 2008
| Office | Person |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Ted Hickford |
| Vice Chairman | Jim Young |
| Treasurer | David Parfoot |
| Secretary | Jim Reed |
| Events | Don Pollard |
| Competitions | Caroline Dorling |
| Amberley | Tom Bradbury |
| Inventory – Club Equipment | Terry Rowell |
| Other members | Dave Dean and Keith Greenfield |
All members receive a copy of the monthly Newsletter which gives a summary of the last meeting, news items and important points raised since the previous issue. It also serves as a medium for members wishing to share information, ask for advice from others and exchange or sell unwanted equipment.
The Editor of the Newsletter, Mark Hughes, can be contacted via email
The Club Secretary, Jim Reed, can be contacted via email.
This page has been checked and is valid XHTML 1.1