Presented by Lions Camp Kanga in association with The Proserpine Woodturners Group. |
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Article that appeared in the Australian Woodworker Issue #127 June 2006 Written by: George Hatfield |
On the Weekend of the 4-6 November 2005, I was one of 123 people who attended the fifth annual Turnout held at Proserpine in North Queensland. For those readers who haven't been to or heard about the Turnout, I mention that they only have one rule, ie. that there are no rules. The venue once again was Camp Kanga, a Lions Club budget accommodation holiday camp which provdies all meals and allows a temporary bar. The Proserpine Woodturners also supplied most of the wood which was used at the event. It is very unusual when somebody says to you 'go for it and use what you like', while pointing to a trailer load of beautiful Queensland Red Cedar. |
It all happens under the marquees. |
Husbands and wives came along and pursued their own hobbies. In addition to woodturning there was doll-making, pyrography, painting needle work and this year, origami. Two marquees were set up on the sports field - a smaller one for the ladies and their interests and a large one for the woodturning. Attendees brought along their own 'toys' and played. Each year a couple of celebrity woodturners are invited and paid to come along and join in the fun. This year the organisers out-did themselves with three overseas guests - Andi Wolfe (USA) and two Japanese woodturners, Shinobu lizuki (Shin) and Masami Okazaki (Mazy). |
Trailer load of Qld Red Cedar |
The Proserpine Woodturners put together traditional japanese style lathes to make Shin and Masy feel at home. Shin also demonstrated how he forms, tempers and sharpens his traditional Japanese tools. Both Japanese turners spoke no english but the comradeship of woodturning bridged all barriers. I had a session with Shin on basic woodturning techniques which I will never forget. It was a kind of show that tell where we each tried each other's tools and techniques. I was totally hopeless tryng to use his hook tools and he refused to use my skew chisel - he said it was too dangerous! Yet both of us make our own tools look easy to use. |
Shin turning a box |
The traditional Saturday night barbecue was against held at the Proserpine Dam with a singalong in the evening. North Queensland turners like to do things big. A couple of years ago their project for the year was make a 3.66m diameter bowl. This year they made a 3.85m long pen to scale which actually works. You may feel the Proserpine Woodturners are an amazing group of people for organising and running the Turnout each year, bringing out three overseas woodturners and making that huge pen as a project. The really amazing thing is that currently there are only four people in the group. |
Traditional Japanese tools |
This was my second visit to the Turnout and my recommendation is that if ever you get the chance to attend a Turnout, don't miss it. I can assure you that you will have the time of your life. |
12ft 7in working pen |
Andi turning |
Everybody brought their own lathes |
Barbeque at the Dam |
