The Bodgers Ball Hollowdene Farm Withington Shropshire 10-14^th May

Our 27th Ball - organised by Tony Newby and the West Midlands group.

I arrived on the Wednesday afternoon, later on the way back from a walk to the Bull’s Head I spotted this Birch growing out of a stump!

 The evening sun made this Oak glow.

Saw this in Gavin’s area;  the middle section was adjustable left to right.

Great bit of timing – just about to make another for myself.

Bardster holding his Thursday leatherworking course.

I met this Lady at Cherry Wood a couple of weeks ago – I think this was her first course and first Ball.

Nicholas Raynaud (  I didn’t  get the opportunity to talk to) with the steamer guy.

I saw Nicholas shaping a bowless spoon on a shavehorse on Thursday and then he split the handle into quarters  – Friday he steamed it and twisted the quarters back on themselves.

 

Lots of great carved kuksas, dishes and bowls.

A great knife handle from Martin Hazel

John Mullaney’s coloured ware – stunning!

My favourite

 

The bonfire entertainment was outstanding – so many joining in.

Many thanks to all those that took part. Mike Ashton, Lee Southall to mention a few.

Shariff Adams on the fiddle

What a great singer this young man - who is he?

Everyone having a great time

Peter Wood + Nicholas Raynaud again – a bit of practice for the team log to leg – which they came second to Kevin’s  team.

The cake that everyone wants to cut, the final knife stroke of the closing ceremony.

Kevin Downing ready to do the deed. 

So the end of another great ball, so many people to thank – well read the next Gazette for that.

NEXT YEAR THE WEALD AND DOWNLAND MUSEUM AT SINGLETON SUSSEX.

Fairlop Woodturners Monday 25^th April at King Solomon High School.

Greg Moreton – our favorite demonstrator – good banter and

Boring centre for mandrell mounting later – unseen but set up with a hollow centre that does not damage auger bit when it breaks through!

Ram chuck with gaffer tape!

Wet end grain diablo shape – we could not identify the species.

Off centre weed pots, makes good use of small bits of Yew, Laburnum – anything with a good contrast in heart and sapwood. 

Our next demo is the 12^th June at the school with Gary Rance.

Things are looking up since Health & Safety condemned our lathes which stopped our hand on. With a bit of luck we will be back in business in the very near future.

Bancroft RFC Colts reunion dinner at Chigwell Golf Club Essex 6th May 2017

Well I never played for the colts but did teach one or two of them. Later on I played with many (probably all) of them in the senior teams on Saturday afternoons.


Malcolm, Paul and Gabby. I can remember being a passenger in Gabby’s beautiful Mercedes sport car, with the concave roof (he still has it!), going to the many Old boys clubs that we played in the early days before the leagues destroyed the game we all loved. Some clubs had no tills and the money just went into buckets behind the bar.

For my money – their hero was Russ Tustin the coach. What an inspiring coach – a few of the player also turned into great coaches.

Did have a soft spot for the Welsh accent.

 

 Many old faces here – Russ Tustin, Carl Panday, Janine and Julian Swayne, Nick Yealds, Sean Hurley, Gabby Ayres, Joe Preston, Gary Edelman, Charlie Wallace, Bob Ayton, John Dadd, Colin Guite, Malcolm Fleet – apologies for the names I have not mentioned.

Well one thing is for sure – they have not changed, still the very special group of rugby players I had so much fun with for many years. 

 Food and Folk festival – Weald and Downland Museum Singleton Sussex 29^th April – 1^st May

 

Aiden was part of the medieval  group, a friend of James Pumfrey  I delivered the personal message to James.

He is Mr Poo and has great setup showing how it was handled in the past. He has fake poo to hand out!

The traditional My Day parade – the front

And the back

Our Ball co-ordinator Mark Allery – he often runs courses from the museum, you will however have to book up very early in the season if you want to get on one.

 

I bumped into Ben Fairlight again a storyteller, I think we first met at Bredhurst wood a couple of years ago.

He showed me his ‘tingo’ a banjo made from his mother’s cake tin (actually a Huntley and Palmers biscuit tin).

 

Well food for thought here, it sounded very good as well












I missed the label on the rim that was hand written by Ben's Mum - how sweet is that!

One or two of his other instruments looked home-made – well that does not mean that they were a little rough since Ben has worked in piano making with a very well-known name.

Even the local ducks were showing a keen interest in what we were doing. (I think someone hand feeds them).

The choir outside another one of their spectacular timber framed buildings.

All in all an excellent Bank holiday weekend. A very interesting setting - good toilets with heating and hot water, easy access with loads of room. The spectacular buildings, the new visitors center and I could go on and on and on, but the best thing is that it may be the venue for the next Ball 2018

22^nd April White Chimney Wood (Burbage Towers) Benenden, Kent group meeting.

 

Who else – another of Ed Murphy’s spectacular cleaved ladders, 27 rungs = 21’ split from one piece. Thatchers / fruit pickers’ style. Normally the rounds are on the outside but thatchers like it flat on the outside to help them dress the thatch on the flat.

Ed pestered Derek Body (86) the last long straw thatcher in Kent now retired for help with his laddermaking.

View of John Burbages workshop from the top of Ed’s ladder.

 

Graham Aslett always has something interesting to show me.

 

Timber scribing tool with cap removed (actually permanently since he lost it and had to make a new one).

Keith Leonard making candlesticks – maybe for a ball competition?

Ed very kindly took me to see the Roundwood, long straw barn built by Derek Body 30 years ago. Apparently  he built it as a kit inside another barn and then re- assembled it having used the usual convention of numbering the bits using Roman numerals. Well Derek being Derek he used a felt tip pen for the numerals.

Some of Derek’s ladders still in use.

Ed pointed out this godfather post repair as well as a few others to gates etc. done by Derek Body normally unconventionally!

  

 

Chris King was lacemaking – amazing, never seen it done.

This bowl making thing is really taking off, someone was making hook tools with the help of Robin Etheridge – did not get a picture however.

This is Jeremy Cox – good lathe design it all breaks down very quickly (intelligent design).

 

Mark Fenn was also having a go, his first bowl – it was very very good – even wall thickness first time – wow!

Mark was on hand to chainsaw up all our materials – thanks for that.

Amy leake and family were still tinkering with their new shelter to use at the Kent show.

 

And later on made one!

Tom Standen made this Kuksa look really easy – he scooped out the bowl with Ashley Illes gouges.

Terry Jones was basket making with bark again.

Phill Piddell has bought himself a Ball bell tent without pegs so He and Harry busy making them. Harry was cheating – using a stock knife!

 

A good days production!

Graham was making hurdle components from some tricky wood.

 

Amy and family later on entertaining us on the smoky stage.

 

Damien Goodburn was making loom components for a replica Saxon piece.

Needless to mention that he is very well organised. They do say a picture is worth …

Carol Leonard was leading in the cake making contest.

Shelter finished Amy set up her bowl lathe with side mounted pole.

Another great weekend with the Kent group, John Burbage is a very generous man – thanks John. He holds another weekend at the end of the season.