From: Phil Boulter [mailto:phil.boulter@ntlworld.com] Sent: 23 February 2014 11:36 Subject: Wood you believe it

Hello Kennet Valley Woodturners (and those who aspire)

As It sit by the fire watching the rugby, with my pipe and slippers flippers, (it has been wet). Is it just me? How come the media are telling us that specific Somerset villages are completely cut off and starving, the police and essential services can’t get through, and yet the sports reporter from BBC Points West is happily stood in the high street with a full camera crew and sound-man pointing out where the bus stop used to be?

Apparently with much of the country under water there are now fears that badgers are giving cows verrucas instead of TB !

Enough

So here we are entering another year of fun and wood-shavings. I now have to ask myself where I should draw inspiration for this month’s pathetic attempt at a blog?

I could draw it from the very welcome volunteer who has joined the club committee at this month’s AGM

I could draw if form the fact that Stuart King is coming to see us this month

Perhaps the fact that we are making idiot sticks this Saturday (as well as helping beginners – well, begin I suppose).

I could draw inspiration from the links shown below to some really good web sites and wood-turning videos – including a wonderful one from Stuart King himself.

…or just prattle on as usual.

I have attached Nigel’s newsletter as usual, thanks Nigel. Don’t for get we have Stuart king with us this month – a sore point that. I have missed every one of Stuarts last three visits to KVWT through work. I was so convinced I would not miss it this month that I have convinced Claire – my good lady wife (remember her – I do spoil that woman) that she should join me in coming to see Stuart because she always enjoys it when he demonstrates at Kennet Valley. The law of sod however does apply because I have to be in Gateshead for a meeting the following morning at 10.00am – bugger!!! I really am very miffed – Stuarts is simply one of the best and I am sorely tempted to come anyway and then get up at 4.00am and go to Gateshead early the following morning.

Frankly I am often up at 4.00am several times of any given week, but I don’t have so far to go and am generally back in bed again about 3 minutes later!

Stuart is a bodger – he can explain, look at his splendid web-site for details http://www.stuartking.co.uk and a very entertaining trip through many video clips and notes. Stuart has looked back into the history of woodturning and has some fascinating notes and videos on his web-site. Go there – look at it.

Moving on.

We have finalised the whole year’s event diary now, if you look at the web-site you will see we are up to our usual standards thanks to the earnest endeavours of our chairman and his endless hours on the phone. Well done Ken. I am getting diary cards printed at the moment and we may have them in time for Stuarts visit on 11th March. Also, we will have new membership cards for 2014, but of course those will cost you £30 for the honour of wearing one for a year. Remember that please everyone – annual membership is due now. In case you were wondering, it costs you 57 pence per week to belong to the best woodturning club I know.

Where else would you get a full programme of events, organised, catered, booked and presented for so little.

I will take a second to thank all of those who turned out for the AGM in February. AGM’s are not the most exciting things to attend, but they are a required event in our year, and as such we appreciate it wen we get a good turnout. In order to make it more entertaining, I have suggested that we get some ideas of having something to do in the second half of the evening. I have suggested a few things in the committee meeting last week, but could I take this opportunity to ask you all what you think we could do after tea at an AGM that would add a little excitement and help us to fill the hall?

On the subject of the AGM, I would like to add a warm welcome and also many thanks to John Austin for agreeing to join the committee this year. Thanks also to Ken for agreeing to act as our figurehead for another 12 months – the rest of the committee will do their best to support him and take on a lot of what he does every year to make sure the club stays on the straight and narrow.

Now. Assuming you are reading this on a screen, you have a computer, and it is connected to the world wide interwebnettwitterbook thing. That means that instead of some very poor jokes – I can add some links to videos that I am hopeful that you will enjoy. (No Tony – not those sort of videos.)

Firstly – a you tube clip by Stuart King – think twice before you wonder how many tools you have and how good your lathe is. See what one man can do with one tool!!

http://youtu.be/wnv0DAR_gWA

Then from a friend of Jim Coombs – https://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=1yWmqbltB-c

Finally this guys has it nailed. (Through wood) http://youtu.be/fEATei2wewY

So there you are – three to start off with.