Welcome to our
friendly woodturning club which is also a registered charity raising money towards a new clubhouse/workshops.
We provide fully supervised turning evenings with professional tuition to all members, along with monthly meeting and themed competitions.
we also run courses for
non-members
see below.
Cornwall Association of Woodturners Registered Charity number 1209705
REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 1209705
"Everything from regular monthly club nights,
to visits to the club by professional demonstrators".
Our Mission Statement -
The Cornwall Association of Woodturners is dedicated to promoting the art and craft of woodturning in the Cornwall region. Our mission is to provide a supportive community for woodturners of all skill levels, offering workshops, demonstrations, and resources to enhance their craft. We aim to inspire creativity, foster learning, and preserve the tradition of woodturning for future generations.
About Us
Established in 1992, the club boasts a fully equipped and dedicated workshop with 12 lathes permanently set up, together with excellent facilities to hold demonstrations of woodturning and club social events. We moved into our new premises in September 2004. Premises that the club refurbished at Wheal Jane Mine near Truro. For the first time we were able to offer our members the use of a club house, with storage for all our equipment. Here we hold our monthly club night meetings that vary from demonstrations by other CAW members, to lectures by visiting guests on all manner of topics related to woodturning.
Club Nights.
Our club nights are normally held on the last Friday of each month (except December, date to be advised). Each night features the monthly turning competition along with a guest speaker, or a demonstrator either from within the club, or a visiting guest. These prove to be extremely popular with members and guests alike. Several times a year we host demonstrations by Professional Turners. These all-day events are enormously popular, and are often held on Saturdays.
Club History
Back in 1992, five people with a common interest in woodturning got together to share ideas and decided to form an Association. Subsequently, 19 people attended the inaugural meeting and the Cornwall Association of Woodturners was born. The numbers grew and at our peak had a membership of just over 100. Over the years we have met at various venues in Mount Hawke village, the last one being the W.I. Hall before moving to Probus Gardens. In September 2004, we moved into our new premises that the club refurbished at Wheal Jane Mine near Truro. And now, in 2024, we have become a registered charity in a bid to raise enough funds for yet another move, this time to a brand new clubhouse and workshops that we intend to build on the Wheal Jane site.
Club Committee.
Each of the Committee positions are elected every year at the Annual General Meeting, which means that every committee member steps down each year, and each position is then subject to election/re-election by ballot of the club members. The Committee comprises the following positions: Chairman Vice Chairman Treasurer Committee Secretary/ Membership Secretary Data Protection Officer Safeguarding Officer Magazine Officer/Editor Health and Safety Officer Workshop Officer Events Coordinator Charity Liaison Officer Raffle/Fundraising Officer TOTY & Trophies Coordinator
Wood Shavings.
As a club that runs tutoring nights four days a week, running up to 12 lathes a night, a lot of wood shavings are produced! Since Autumn 2019 the club has been working in partnership with Nancarrow farm to help find a more sustainable method of disposing of the wood shavings produced. All of our wood shavings are now taken by Nancarrow farm, where it is mixed in even quantities with food waste using a "hot composting" method to produce compost that then goes back onto the farm's vegetable gardens. Read more about this innovative scheme and the benefits of it by clicking on the link below.
Turner of the Year (TOTY) -
Our Latest Competition:
March 2025
Category: Goblet.
Medals awarded Gold, Silver & Bronze to 1st, 2nd & 3rd places in each category.
(Click on an image to view full size)
Categories
The subject categories are as follows - November -Matching Pair - A pair of turned items of the same size. December - Open - Any turned item + Collaboration January - Box - Any turned item with a lid. February - Natural Edged Bowl - A turned bowl with a natural edge. March - Goblet - A drinking vessel with a stem. April - Open - Any turned item. May - Hollow Form - An item where the inside has been turned blind. June - Miniature - A turned item(s) that when finished will fit into a 35mm film canister (with lid in place) + Collaboration July - Spindle - A turned item started and finished between centres. August - Platter September - Bowl - Any bowl turned from any wood. October - Decorated Turned Item - A turned item decorated in any way.
A just-for-fun competition between club members which has a different theme each month.
There are 4 levels, Beginner, Novice, Intermediate and Experienced. Judging is carried out by a ballot of fellow club members.
The competition runs from November to October each year.
ADVANCED
INTERMEDIATE
NOVICE
BEGINNER
Courses for non-members
Learn To Turn
Learn to Turn £120.00
5 x Saturday mornings, 0930-1230
Minimum group size 4 - requires 2 tutors
Course content
You will work through a project handbook which covers:-
Lathe fundamentals and operation.
Critical health and safety protocols.
Detailed instructional guidance from experienced craftspeople.
Comprehensive Tool Introduction.
End grain and side grain turning.
Outcome
Production of several wooden items e.g. a bud vase, candle stick, small bowl and a goblet.
Next course dates
Stay Tuned for upcoming course dates.
Half Day Taster
Taster Session £50.00
3 hours on a Saturday
Minimum group size 4 - requires 2 tutors
This course is designed for the beginner who wants to try their hand at using a lathe.
You will be given fully qualified tuition in how to use a lathe safely.
Course content
Lathe fundamentals and operation.
Critical health and safety protocols.
Detailed instructional guidance from experienced craftspeople.
Comprehensive Tool Introduction.
.
All equipment and materials provided - no need to invest in expensive gear before you start.
We supply all necessary tools, safety equipment, and materials.
Outcome
You will make at least one thing to take away with you e.g. small bowl, tea light holder, garden dibber.
No prior experience necessary – just bring your enthusiasm and creativity!
Next course date:
May 10th (To be confirmed).
One to One
One-to-One £95 for half day
£190 for full day
A bespoke woodturning course with one of our qualified and experienced tutors.
A choice of either half a day or full day course focusing on the skills you want to learn or perfect. For example – pen turning, pepper grinders, thread chasing, hollow form, long hole boring, texturing, box making, off centre turning, pyrography.
This course is designed for those with some experience of woodturning who want take their skills to the next level or want to learn a particular technique.
As this is a bespoke course the content is agreed by discussion with the tutor.
All equipment is provided although you can bring your own tools and PPE if you prefer.
For Safeguarding reasons there needs to be a ratio of two tutors and two turners in the workshop at each session.
Please contact us for availability.
Our New Premises.
We're excited to share our vision for the new clubhouse project within the historic Wheal Jane complex. This ambitious development will provide a vital community space while respecting and preserving the natural heritage of the site. Our fundraising campaign is currently underway to turn this dream into reality, creating a hub that will serve our community for generations to come.
One of the most unique aspects of our project is our commitment to protecting the existing wildlife at the site. The current location is home to a colony of bats, and we're working closely with ecological consultants to ensure these protected residents remain an integral part of our plans. The final design will incorporate specialized bat housing features, allowing these remarkable creatures to continue thriving alongside our activities. This approach not only fulfills our legal obligations but also aligns perfectly with our values of environmental stewardship.
As we progress with our fundraising efforts, we're working with architects and environmental specialists to create a building that will harmoniously blend with its surroundings while meeting all modern sustainability standards. The finished clubhouse will provide flexible spaces for our various activities while serving as a model for how development and conservation can work hand in hand.