Townsville Woodturners Association bring old wood back to life
The philosophy for creating something that lasts a lifetime is a core ideology of the enthusiasts at Townsville Woodturners Association.
Townsville
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THE philosophy for creating something that lasts a lifetime is at the heart of the Townsville Woodturners Association.
The association formed in 1988 to promote the traditional craft of wood-turning and the allied pyrography and scroll saw crafts.
Club vice-president Keith Smith has been a member for 18 years and said his fascination with the craft had been fuelled by his occupation as an excavator.
“Part of my job was to knock over trees and every now you would come across a good piece of timber so you would cut and make things out of it,” he said.
“You get addicted to it, a piece of dead stick you can turn it into a small bud vase and the dead timber comes alive.”
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Mr Smith said over the years he had made countless items including pens, bowls, containers with lids, legs for chairs, biscuit barrels and salt and pepper grinders.
The current plant operator said he was currently working on a vase made from a 130 year old fence post he found recently on a worksite.
Mr Smith recalls one excavation in particular where one tree ignited his creativity to transform the dead wood into
“I cleared a big block of land at Balgal Beach with mahogany trees and there was this one big tree and I thought wow I could make something out of it,” he said.
“So I pushed the tree over … and I got it home and cut it up into smaller pieces and turned it into bowls.”
The club owns four mini lathes, eight larger lathes, two band saws, one large band saw, a thicknesser and a planner for members to create their projects.
The club showcases its creations around town including at The Townsville Show and at the Pineapple Festival in the past.
Mr Smith said wood-turning was the ultimate gift to the planet as a sustainable practice.
“I made these salt and pepper shakers and we have had them for nine years and you buy the plastic ones from the stores and they end up in the bin six months later,” he said.
“I did a lot of work out at the rubbish tip and used to see a lot of electric salt and pepper grinders in the rubbish it is such a sad thing that we are a throwaway society.”
The avid wood-turner said he had just started teaching other members the basics of the craft at the beginner courses and was stocked to pass on his knowledge to a new generation.
Townsville Woodturners Association
Contact: Keith Smith
Number: 0409 101 915
Email: pkaye1@bigpond.com
Website: www.townsvillewoodturners.org.au
Address: 63 Grosvenor Street, Gulliver
When: Thursday and Saturday
Membership: $50 + $20 joining fee + $150 training course
Originally published as Townsville Woodturners Association bring old wood back to life
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