WEEK COMMENCING 15 JUNE 2025

Hi

Things are hotting up at Chestnut Towers, and it’s nothing to do with the current heatwave we’re enjoying. Our Woodturning Weekender is fast approaching, it’ll be upon us in no time at all!
We’re busy getting the goodie bags ready, making last minute plans, and checking everyone knows what they’re doing.
If you haven’t got your ticket yet, now would be a good time to get one! If you really can’t get there, the Livestream is a great option and you’ll be able to view it as many times as you want for six months afterwards.
All sorts of tickets available on the Weekender website.

Last week’s Newsletter, regarding our Livestream of the Ivory Lacquer created a huge amount of feedback. Thank you everyone who wrote or rang about it. I reckon that many other Newsletter writers around the web would be delighted to get half as many responses. It’s great to know you read these ramblings, and are so interested in them.
There was so much reaction—and, frankly, it’s been such a manic week!—that I’m going to cheekily dedicate this Newsletter to sharing them with you.

One comment was that the images shared last week, of the finished pieces, wouldn’t enlarge. I should have thought of that, and you can now see them on the ‘Readers Picture’ page, just click >>>HERE<<<

Speed drying of products also sounded a chord with readers, offering their suggestions of how to accelerate the drying time of products.

Ash told me that he “runs his lathe at its slowest speed throughout drying to achieve air movement over the piece, whilst also preventing runs. In very cold weather, a fan heater can be left on low throughout the process, even placed on the far end of the lathe bed & pointing at the piece, but I don’t like doing it really.”

Simon said “The late Mark Baker always used to advocate use of a hot air gun to heat the wood before applying a finish (often Ebonising Lacquer in his case).  That way you get all the benefit of heat to accelerate drying with none of the risk of blowing the actual surface of the finish into runs or even distributing dust that than lands on the finish.  Genius!”
I haven’t tried this one, so any comments on it would be welcome.

Phillip added “I’m always reluctant to waft too much air past a ‘wet’ finish, fearing that the atmospheric dust (always present in a workshop) stick to the surface and degrade it.”
This is a very valid point, but always worth remembering that this lacquer (and most of the others in our range) are touch dry—importantly a.k.a dust free—after about five minutes, so this only applies for a limited time.

Opinion was divided about adopting a Blue Peter style approach to the demo, and having ‘one we prepared earlier’ ready to drop in at relevant moments.

A great suggestion was to have two pieces on the go at the same time, and switch from one to the other during the demo.
This could lead to some confusion when watching it, especially if the viewer looks away for a moment whilst the swap takes place!

But it would have worked well for the Livestream, as we were using the same product in two different ways, and this is hopefully something we might be able to use in the future.

I was also asked for images of the Ivory Lacquer being used to give other decorative effects. I haven’t had time to do so this week, but I will return to this.

I had a great time up in Stratford-Upon-Avon last Friday, with the Heart of England Woodturners. Thanks for braving the heat to come and see me! And, if you signed up as a result of my visit, welcome!
It’s Nathanael’s turn to give a demo this week, this time for Ryedale Woodturners. This is a remote demo, though, so no travelling involved. I’ll be in the studio, but behind the cameras this time.
If you’re not joining us, I’ll be back again next week.

All the best

Terry