by John Fraser
This year was the 24th Q-turn event and we believe that Q-turn may be the longest running Wood turning/crafts event in Australia.
Since 2007, Jim Tutin, our Vice President, and his wife Sue, have been planning and organising this event, assisted by other hardworking members of the club. Jim also devotes each day to those who are new to turning, teaching spindle turning and bowl making. Participants go home with completed articles and a desire to continue with the craft.
Sue manages pretty much everything that happens on site, morning tea, meals and keeps everything purring along.
This year we had 69 wood craftspeople attend the event at The Outlook in Boonah and we were set up in the huge open sided basketball arena. At one end of the shed there are scroll saws, carvers and pyrography artists. Then down the long sides the lathes of the turners are set up. Some have impressive mobile workshops that far exceed my meagre space at home. As I am a novice turner, it had been my intention to spend most of the weekend observing, wandering through the “shed” and learning by looking and asking.
However, our President Geoff had other ideas for me, saying, “come over to my lathe there is a piece of wood with your name on it, you are going to make a turned lidded box.” And with my time and his extreme patience, I did. And this was not unusual. Three other members said that I could work beside them and they would be happy to show me what to do.
In my experience, those who come to Q-turn, while using the time to work on projects for three days without the distractions of family (although there are some family teams attending) had an instructive and creative time. Everyone is happy for you to look on, have a chat and offer advice.
Already looking forward to next year.