The first meeting of 2007 (February) consisted of demonstrations by Rob Moss of the uses of the Festo Domino machine (a version of a biscuit cutter), and also spiral turning on a router lathe. TRITON Workshop Systems (SA) then demonstrated some of their equipment.

Rob Moss and Andy Hatting

One of Rob's lamps

The Triton team

Ashwin Ramhith, our member from Fort Beaufort, demonstrated the turning of wooden pens at the March meeting. It is well worth looking at Ashwin's website (www.ashwin.co.za) to see what magnificent work he has done.

Ashwin Ramhith

Ashwin's pens

Justin Erasmus from Rare Woods in Port Elizabeth spoke at the April meeting about woods of all kinds. Members brought along interesting samples of woods to the meeting and the experts present identified and discussed them.

Billy de Klerk

Also in April, Andrew Stevens ran a very successful woodturning workshop on a Saturday morning.

The May meeting is best quickly forgotten! The topic was to have been Woodcarving but, in spite of many reminders, the speaker did not turn up.

The topic for the June meeting was: All about HAND TOOLS. Eric Tasmer spoke about some of his experiences as a woodworker in Grahamstown over many years, and Hugo Nel and Mike Brown spoke about collecting antique tools and put their collections on display.

Eric Tasmer

Hugo Nel

The July meeting was at Andy Hatting's workshop and he demonstrated tray making and the rail-and-stile method of creating frame doors. The winners in a lucky draw for a tray and a corner-shelf, generously donated by Andy, were: tray - Bruce Macfarlane; corner-shelf - Geoff Bennett. You had to be present and paid-up to be included in the draw.

Andy Hatting

In August, Andrew Stevens gave an excellent demonstration of woodturning from spindles to bowls.

Andrew Stevens

Also in August, Bruce Macfarlane ran a workshop on the making of wooden toys and dealt especially with ways of making and fitting wooden wheels. Copies of a CD with plans for over a hundred wooden toys of all kinds are available from Mike Brown.

Chief Toymaker - Bruce Macfarlane

The toymakers at work

In September, members and guests were hosted by Jonathan Voorveldt at D & A Grahamstown, to presentations by Woodoc and Bosch Power Tools. There were lucky draws for prizes supplied by D & A, Woodoc and Bosch and the Group was delighted to have a new Venter Trailer generously donated to it by D & A. The trailer was later auctioned and the funds raised will be used to provide more facilities for members.

In October, Godfrey Howes from Port Alfred gave a demonstration of the use of scroll saws. Several scroll saws were available for those who wished to make a small hands-on project. There was also a chance for members to explore a DVD of the contents, over the last 30 years, of the excellent American magazine, Fine Woodworking.

Godfrey Howes

Admirers of Godfrey's work

The Hegner scroll saw

The November meeting was the final meeting for the year and was held at Rob Moss's home off the GTN -PE road. Members brought along their contributions to the TOYS FOR CHARITY project kindly organized by Bruce Macfarlane. Prizes were awarded for the most appropriate toys. The Occupational Therapists from Settlers Hospital were our guests and helped with the judging of the toys. They were delighted to receive the toys and will guide us on how we can help them in the coming year. Rob Moss also demonstrated some of his woodworking projects and Andy Hatting demonstrated how to bore a hole through the length of a lamp stand. The year's activities concluded with an enjoyable braai.

Toy makers and recipients

Toys for the Hospital