FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Our next BIG commitment is the week-end demonstration at the Cogges Country Museum on Saturday and Sunday 13th - 14th June. Public entrance from 11am. We are hoping for plenty of support from the members, as it is our only outside demonstration this year. The Nuneham Courtney August Show has been cancelled as the University no longer has the funds to finance it, despite it being a success. So come along to the Farm Museum, with the family and have a look how work was carried out on farms in the area before tractors and combine harvesters were introduced.

THE ELEPHANT MAN?
Like many of you I have seen hundreds of demonstrations at the Club and various shows, and there are very few that I can now recall. But the demonstration by our Chairman, Tony, on the making of an elephant is one I do not think I will be able to forget, and speaking to members I was not alone. The only thing missing is a piece from one of you, giving your opinion. How is he going to top that? The end result was beyond belief, but the commentary that went with it, including the jokes was also top class. Some of you will have noted in the Editor's notes of Woodturning this month, that even Mark Baker makes mistakes when demonstrating and took the corners off his square edged box, as it is difficult to commentate and concentrate on turning at the same time. I kept asking myself, 'How does he work it out?' thinking he went for one particular set of dimensions, and then when he produced a whole herd, all in varying sizes, that was really breath-taking. Is there no end to his talents, I only hope he can sell them at a realistic price and make some money, as it is a facet of woodturning that I never believed possible. I half expect him to turn up to the next meeting in a car that he has turned out of plywood!!

MEMBERSHIP
At our last Committee meeting, this did take up a great deal of time, as our membership is down this year, and the cost of demonstrators is going up. When some demonstrators are now charging in excess of £150 due to costly travel expenses, and we need to cover 11 meetings a year, it is easy to estimate that we need a considerable cash turnover to

keep the Club afloat. I am not saying that demonstrators are charging excessive amounts, as it takes most of them a day to prepare and then the evening is taken up with the demo. The number of members is obviously the key and membership has declined over the past two years, we have tried various advertising, with very little success. The best way of getting new members is through recommendation from our current membership, so if you have a friend or associate who shows any interest in woodturning, it is your opportunity to 'turn' on the charm and get your recruiting hat on.

SAVING WOOD?
I note in this month's magazine a great deal of space is taken up with the variety of coring tools that can be purchased to enable the turner to make two or three bowls from one blank. It is long time since I have seen any of these tools demonstrated at the Club, as I know the original purchase is considerable, and you have to have plenty of confidence to hang on to the tool with thoughts of ending up in the J.R. emergency department with a broken arm. Perhaps I am being pessimistic but I would like to hear from any Club member who has one of these tools and perhaps they would be willing to bring it along to a 'Hands on' night and show us the advantages. The magazine tested six different systems so there must be a market out there somewhere, perhaps we even have a number in our Club?

TAILSTOCK
Just some football quotes, sorry ladies!! Ian Wright, 'Without being too harsh on David Beckham, he cost us the match'. Alan Shearer. 'I have never wanted to leave the Club, I am here for the rest of my life, and hopefully after that as well' Neville Southall, 'If you don't win, it is just not worth getting up at the end of the day' Mark Viduka, 'I would not care if we lost every game, just provided we win the League'. David Beckham, 'My parents have always been there for me, ever since I was about 7' Paul Gascoigne, 'I have had 14 bookings in the season, 8 of which were my fault but I strongly dispute the other 7'.

 John  Green  Ed.