Didcot and District Woodturners Club

Didcot and District Woodturners Club draws members from South Oxfordshire and West Berkshire

September Club Night

Wednesday, 24th September.
After a short, sharp AGM we resumed with a standard club night.
The Competition Theme was an off-centre turned item. We had the full range of off-centre turning on the competition table, including Graeme Powell's Oval Box with a round lid.
As well as the TOTY Competition we also judged the Presidents Trophy. Lots of great items but the stand-out item was Kevin Blackman's Tea Service with inlaid accents.

At the AGM the committee showed that Didcot Woodturners were in a good place. There was no need to increase the membership subscription or club night fees, but members were warned that the increased cost of the hall rent and demonstrator fees the membership subscription would probably need to increase at the 2026 AGM
The committee was re-elected with the exception of Mick Curran who was standing down. Mick has been on the committee for a number of years, and was always one of the first to arrive on a club night to set-up the hall.
Kevin Blackman was elected to the committee. After the meeting Freddie Pocock volunteered to join the committee.

October Club Night

Wednesday,29th October.

Our demonstrator was Martin Saban-Smith one of the most respected woodturners in the country.
Martin delivered an excellent demo based on his newly published book which describes the use of the Rule of Thirds, the Golden Ratio and the underlying Fibonacci Sequence.
After a brief description of the concepts, Martin turned a "Balloon Objet d'Art" using the Golden Ration.
This was a small Sycamore, hollow form with a fine Leadwood finial and base. As he was turning, Martin explained what he was doing and the tools he was using and why he was using them.
Martin had to deal with a problem with one of the Leadwood blanks, which required re-starting with a new blank.

Didcot November Club Night - Wednesday 26th November

This is a Practical Night. Christmas is coming so our 'Hands-On' Theme will be Christmas Decorations.

Our Competition Theme will be six Napking Rings on a Stand.

Interested in Woodturning ?

Didcot & District Woodturners is an informal and friendly club with monthly meetings in Harwell Village Hall, Didcot, Oxfordshire. OX11 0EX

If you have an interest in Woodturning it is the perfect place to come and find out more. You will be able to see what woodturning is all about and give woodturning a try under supervision by an experienced woodturner.

If you want to take things further, get advice on the equipment necessary, the types of wood which are ideal for turning and in particular, how to turn safely, then this is the best way to meet and tap into many years of useful experience.

Want to meet others and learn more ?

Our members ( male and female, young and old ) range from beginners who had never touched a lathe before, through the keen 'intermediate' hobbyists who probably make up the bulk of the membership, to highly skilled masters of the craft.

Generally we will have at least four lathes dotted around the hall. One or two of these will be demonstrating a technique or turning a themed item (see the Event List for that month's theme)

The remaining lathes are available for use by all comers. For those new to turning please make sure you have a more experienced turner to act as a mentor.

Come and see what we have to offer.

Please feel free to turn up at any of our meetings, no need to book just come and spend an evening with us. Chat with the members, have a go on one of the lathes.

Guests usually leave with a little something they have made. We have the appropriate personal protection equipment (PPE) to keep you safe.

Your first couple of evenings will be free and we will even provide the tea & biccies.

So what happens on a club night?

On three evenings a year we arrange demonstrations from well known professional turners; some will be working architectural turners, some will be artistic turners, both of which are always popular.

The demonstration nights are generally the February, June and October Club Nights. Check the Events List to see who will be demonstrating.

But the remaing Didcot Woodturners Club Nights are heavily based on practical exercises on the lathe. We will get our four lathes out and turn stuff.

When do we meet?

The club meets on the 4th Wednesday of every month. The hall opens at 7pm so we can get the equipment etc ready for a 7.30pm start.

Activities finish around 10pm so we can get cleared up and leave by 10.30pm.

Extra hands during the set up and break down times are always welcome.

Where is Harwell Hall?

We meet in Harwell Village Hall (OX11 0EX) about 2.5 miles from central Didcot. The village hall is on Harwell High Street, on the right towards the further end if you are coming from Didcot.

There is a small car park at the front of the hall and a larger one at the rear of the hall which is accessed from 'Westfield'.

To get to Westfield, if coming from Didcot carry on along the High St, past the hall and follow the road around a sharp right bend and then take the first right into 'Westfield'.
If coming from Wantage or Reading take the Wantage Road into Harwell and turn left into 'Westfield' as the road bends to the right. The car park is on the right.