Our club is an active wood craft club that has grown from small beginnings and temporary meeting places in the early 1980s to now having our permanent club room. The club was the second Woodturning club to be formed in New Zealand and continues to grow with increasing number of members.
Affiliations
The club is affiliated to the National Association of Woodworkers of NZ Inc. (NAW). The NAW produces a magazine called “Creative Wood” four times a year. The publication contains articles and tips from NZ and overseas contributors, as well as lists of NZ clubs and dates of conferences and symposiums, weekend “hands on” plus demonstrations that other clubs arrange. The magazine is of great value and so are the listed events. The NAW arranges for overseas and national demonstrators, on occasion, to travel to local clubs. Membership of the NAW is optional but includes subscription to the magazine, voting rights at national level and an invitation to submit your ideas, tips, articles and insurance cover during wood gathering by the club, it is good value for money. Visit their website at: https://naw.org.nz
Equipment
Our club has six lathes, tools and accessories and currently has implemented a new camera system with simultaneous display on two large TVs. The camera captures a very closeup view of tool-to-wood, to help understand the process & technique of turning. Members are mostly hobbyist wood workers, but we enjoy the company of professional and semi-professional wood turners. Help and advice are given freely by members, a characteristic of the wood turning fraternity. Visitors and members give demonstrations on alternate club nights. The other monthly night is a “hands on” event which enables all to ask questions, learn new techniques, use of tools and many other skills. Occasional visits to other wood turner’s workshops are arranged. Combined help with obtaining wood stock, as it becomes available, is another club activity.
Club Room
From March 15th, 2022, the club will operate from its new location at Northtec (Northland Polytechnic), 55 Raumanga Valley Road, Raumanga, Whangarei 0110.
The old club room at Quarry Arts Centre was built by members between 1997 and 2000, under arrangements with the Quarry Trust. The club leased the building and a monthly sum was paid by the club for power and insurance of the building. The club room was used by other craft people, drawing and painting groups, from time to time. At the end of lease agreement, the club moved to its current premises at Northtec.
While using the club facilities, members should be accompanied by another member for reasons of safety.
Annual Dinner & Competitions
Each November, an annual dinner is organised and members’ production for the year is displayed and judged by a visiting judge. Various specific entry categories of turning and wood craft, including furniture, make a broadly interesting and social evening.
Sales
Each year, during December we rent a shop in the city to display and sell the accumulated artefacts of the members. A 15% commission is taken by the club to cover expenses. Two club members volunteer to man the shop each day.
Affiliations
The club is affiliated to the National Association of Woodworkers of NZ Inc. (NAW). The NAW produces a magazine called “Creative Wood” four times a year. The publication contains articles and tips from NZ and overseas contributors, as well as lists of NZ clubs and dates of conferences and symposiums, weekend “hands on” plus demonstrations that other clubs arrange. The magazine is of great value and so are the listed events. The NAW arranges for overseas and national demonstrators, on occasion, to travel to local clubs. Membership of the NAW is optional but includes subscription to the magazine, voting rights at national level and an invitation to submit your ideas, tips, articles and insurance cover during wood gathering by the club, it is good value for money. Visit their website at: https://naw.org.nz
Equipment
Our club has six lathes, tools and accessories and currently has implemented a new camera system with simultaneous display on two large TVs. The camera captures a very closeup view of tool-to-wood, to help understand the process & technique of turning. Members are mostly hobbyist wood workers, but we enjoy the company of professional and semi-professional wood turners. Help and advice are given freely by members, a characteristic of the wood turning fraternity. Visitors and members give demonstrations on alternate club nights. The other monthly night is a “hands on” event which enables all to ask questions, learn new techniques, use of tools and many other skills. Occasional visits to other wood turner’s workshops are arranged. Combined help with obtaining wood stock, as it becomes available, is another club activity.
Club Room
From March 15th, 2022, the club will operate from its new location at Northtec (Northland Polytechnic), 55 Raumanga Valley Road, Raumanga, Whangarei 0110.
The old club room at Quarry Arts Centre was built by members between 1997 and 2000, under arrangements with the Quarry Trust. The club leased the building and a monthly sum was paid by the club for power and insurance of the building. The club room was used by other craft people, drawing and painting groups, from time to time. At the end of lease agreement, the club moved to its current premises at Northtec.
While using the club facilities, members should be accompanied by another member for reasons of safety.
Annual Dinner & Competitions
Each November, an annual dinner is organised and members’ production for the year is displayed and judged by a visiting judge. Various specific entry categories of turning and wood craft, including furniture, make a broadly interesting and social evening.
Sales
Each year, during December we rent a shop in the city to display and sell the accumulated artefacts of the members. A 15% commission is taken by the club to cover expenses. Two club members volunteer to man the shop each day.
Photo by Alexander Shustov on Unsplash