Prince George Woodturners Guild members are hosting sessions for people interesting in learning more about the craft in January, February and March.
“Like many of the older clubs and associations we’re losing people,” Tim Power, woodturners guild president, said. “We run into a lot of people that say ‘gee, I’d like to try, I’d like to start out somehow,’ so that’s how we decided to start out with the three sessions.”
The guild meets the last Thursday of every month at Studio 2880 in the Jack Bryant room but it’s not really set up for hands-on events, Power added.
“So there’s six of us who are going to welcome people into our shops on the Saturday following the Thursday demonstration,” Power said.
The spindle turning session will feature the creation of a pen at Studio 2880 in the Jack Bryant Room on Jan. 25 at 7 p.m. Then if people would like to try their hand at it they can sign up for the in-shop sessions that will take place on Saturday, Jan. 27 either from 9 a.m. to noon or 1 to 4 p.m. where tools and wood is supplied.
“Most people like to start turning bowls,” Power said.
So the next session showcases bowl turning at Studio 2880 in the Jack Bryant room on Feb. 29 at 7 p.m.
The session will feature multiple bowls being turned with the focus on safe and efficient practices.
“The first bowl you make, you’re really proud of, and then by the time you’ve made 10 or 20 you’ll cringe when you look back at your first bowl,” Power said. “The teasing is all about how you’ve made another dog bowl.”
During the session, the wood turners will go through how to mount the wood to the headstock, which is the end of the lathe where all the power and action begins. The hands-on session goes March 2 from 9 a.m. to noon or 1 to 4 p.m.
“For the Saturday session I’ll have a bunch of small bowls that can be turned,” Power said. “I’ll have them ready so that they are on the machine to take the hiccups out of it. We’re looking for anyone interested in coming out to join us.”
Power was a shop teacher for years and then ran a safety training business after that, he added.
“And when I joined the Woodturners Guild I met a whole new group of people and when you’re retired meeting new people isn’t always that simple but this simplified it and we’ve got common interests,” Power said. “This type of activity, I believe, helps with people’s mental health as they discover new things.”
A tool sharpening session at Studio 2880 on March 28 at 7 p.m. will see wood turners demonstrating multiple sharpening systems. The hands-on session goes March 30 from 9 to noon or 1 to 4 p.m. Bring dull tools to sharpen.
For more information call Power at 250-617-6815 or email timpower6@gmail.com.
