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) where we have a membership limit of 120 and we often have a waiting list. Potential new members are invited to attend one meeting free of charge then put their names on the waiting if they wish to join. (If there is a vacancy they can, of course, join at once!) An events programme can be obtained from the Secretary.

Regular club meetings are held on the first Sunday of each month starting at 9.30 am. Most meetings are half-day events but demonstrations by professional demonstrators are usually all-day events. Four meetings per year include a competition; two judges per competition are drawn from a panel of members. The AGM is held during the October meeting.

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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 been introduced to help everyone get a good view of demonstrations.

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.

At Amberley Museum and Heritage Centre throughout the museum's season, in the Woodturner's Hut, a group of us demonstrate woodturning. The Hut also contains a collection of lathes and associated items. At one time the club occasionally demonstrated on a pole lathe outside the hut but this is now done by the Green Wood Worker Group who are not directly related to the club.

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All members receive a copy of the monthly Newsletter which provides 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 can be contacted via email.