Site updated - - October 10, 2006

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Regular monthly meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month except July and August.
Each meeting features a Show and Tell Segment and a Monthly Challenge Project. There is always 
a presentation by one of our own members or by a guest turner on some aspect of woodturning or 
on a closely related subject. The meetings themselves give rise to lively discussions and the sharing 
of information on sources of tools and supplies.

Detailed information is found on the MEETINGS page

Shop nights have been restored on a monthly basis on the Monday following the Regular Monthly meeting,
the facilities of the  Woodworking Shop  are made available to members who might require use of
stationary power tools.
Supervisory personnel are all experienced turners who can provide assistance to new and inexperienced turners.

DATES WILL BE POSTED ON THE WEBSITE, IN THE NEWSLETTER AND AT GENERAL MEETINGS

* * * September 18 Shop Night is  cancelled * * *

Experienced members conduct informal seminars and help organize and plan club activities.

Formal seminars by world class turners are organized from time to time and we have had the good fortune of visits
 from Vic Wood, Stephen Hogbin, Steve Zwerling, Michael Hosaluk, Clay Foster, Maurice Gamblin,
Melvyn Firmager, André Martel, John Jordan, Frank Sudol, Rolly Munro and Jimmy Clewes to name a few.

News of upcoming seminars is published in the Club Newsletters and the Monthly Calendars

(Information updated September 24, 2006)

Here is the proposed Saturday Seminar schedule.

9:30 a.m - 12:30 p.m.

Sept 23  - Cutting logs for woodturning and Keeping wood from cracking
Bart Poulter and Bill Neddow

Oct 21 - Chainsaw seminars (all day) Note: seminar at Paul Matteau’s place
Jeb Anderson  (The man with the Axe)
The chainsaw seminar has been cancelled because we failed to raise the required minimum 25 attendees.

Nov 4 - Tools, tool steel and bowl turning techniques
Bill Neddow

Nov 18 - Making Toys for Christmas
Mike Courteau

Dec 2 - (Ottawa Wood Show)

Note: 1.  All seminars are at Louis Riel School, except the Chainsaw  seminar, which is at Paul Matteau's place.
2.  Seminars cost participants $10 per session -- except for the  Chainsaw seminar as we are inviting someone from outside the club.  
Price is yet to be fixed -- Jeb is thinking about it.

Training courses are offered for the benefit of new members. Courses are of 6-weeks duration and
 are scheduled 3 times a year. Each course is limited to 10 candidates. Courses cover basic theory of
woodturning, health and safety considerations, tool selection, wood preparation and mounting and tool
sharpening techniques combined with hands-on experience. At the completion of the course each student
will have learned the basics of face-plate and spindle turning and have completed a couple of projects.

These courses have proven to be extremely popular and the course scheduled for October 2005 
is fully subscribed. There are lots of spaces available for the course commencing in January 2006 
but they will go fast. You are advised to register now if you hope to attend  this course.

For more information about these courses and how to register contact the Training Coordinator:

Bart Poulter

The mentoring program seeks to find matches between more experienced tutors and people who have an 
interest in any of woodturning's various disciplines, including peripheral disciplines such as sharpening 
and tool or jig making. Mike Courteau is hoping to set this up is by compiling a database of people who have shown a 
desire to learn and those who have the ability and willingness to pass on their knowledge.

At the present time mentoring is available in the following areas:

The Valley Woodturners premiere activity is its annual participation at the Ottawa 
Woodshow in Lansdowne Park. While the hosting of the Woodturning Competition 
takes center stage, the club also erects a very handsome demonstration booth with 
several lathes running constantly and club members on hand to respond to visitor questions.

On each of the three days, Valley Woodturners members conduct a formal turning seminar.

This is an event begun in 2001, which we hope will become a staple of our activity 
programme. It is an excellent opportunity for club members to see one another at work - 
something we rarely get to do throughout the year - to share each other's techniques and
ideas while having plenty of opportunity for hands-on experience as well. 

The Perth Campus of Algonquin College was the site chosen for this event. It is the home of the 
Centre for Canadian Heritage Trades and Technology. Specializations include carpentry, masonry 
and architectural technology. Its resources include a large very well equipped carpentry 
shop including three lathes: a General 260, a General 160 and a Wadkin-Bursgreen. 

In addition, the club makes available our recently acquired NOVA DVR as well as 5 or 6 smaller lathes
and a couple of medium sized machines - what a sight to see a dozen or so lathes all in action at
the same time and everyone having a great time.

Throughout the day some of our more experienced members put on demonstrations on various aspects of turning.

After a full day of turning, we gather at Last Duel Park on the banks of the Tay River for a BBQ and picnic.

For anyone interested the park offers excellent camping facilities as well

The following members are prepared to offer private training:

Bart Poulter
Glenn Hetherington
Glen Marshall
Sinead Bomba

Interested parties should contact them privately to discuss details.