Danny Mc Geever
There was a threadle lathe in the in the shed and I have a memory of “playing ” with it, the fly wheel and threadle were an attraction, a magnet to any little chap including neighbours. The lathe was removed in the interest of safety. I tried to locate it when I got much been scraped. Woodwork and Metalwork were part of my childhood and all the tools were at hand. I had a hacksaw made for me by my dad it worked perfectly unlike the toy tool kits at the time.
I went to Teacher training collage in Goney Co. Wexford in 1964-1966 and I used a Lathe for the first time. The lathe was seldom used by anyone, no instruction except unsolicited advice from the odd chancer looking over my shoulder. The results 8 legs for 2 easy chairs and 2 chestnut bowls (still have them in the workshop.
My first lathe was a Coronet Major in 1977. The 1st course that I attended was with Gordon Stokes in Bath in 1979. It was spindle work only but good methodology of teaching. Everything learned is still valid today. The 1st Seminar I went to was in Letterfrack in 1983. My influences from those early seminars, where dell Stubbs Chico, California, Mark O’ Donnell, Caithness, Scotland, Liam O Neill Galway and I’m still not comfortable with a chainsaw after Ciaran Forbes demo in Letterfrack (The good Lord much watch over him)
I had the privilege of having Dell Stubbs warm up-practice in my workshop in prep for the Sligo Seminar. He produced Translucent turning in holly on that occasion. After the Riverstown (Gorey) Seminar I spent a week with Mick O’ Donnell and eight other participants in Willie Stedmond workshop. Robert Conroy, John Rynne and myself spent a week with Tobias Kaye “cutting wood the way it wants to be cut” a further reinforcement that Gordon Stokes was right all along. So you either cut it or have an argument with it. Favourite wood? I started off rummaging through the firewood and sawmill off cuts and still can’t visit a workshop or mill without throwing an eye on the off cuts. Danny Mc Geever
