North Canterbury Woodcraft Club members ave been honing their wood turning skills on some new equipment, thanks to a recent Lion Foundation Grant.

They are also finding the new lathes are much more powerful and reliable than the older models which the club has had for 15 years.

Club president Howard Pettigrew says the four new lathes are a “vast” improvement.

"We have been very fortunate to have some members in the club with the necessary engineering skills, or contacts, in the engineering world to keep these old machines working beyond their usual working life, at little cost to us.

“But for safety and reliability, we really needed to work on a replacement programme for our older gear."

Club tutor Merv Laws, who has had many years experience on a variety of lathes says the reliability of the lathes is important when introducing new members to wood turning or having outside community groups in to experience wood turning for the first time.

“The last thing you want is to have a breakdown, which has happened a bit with our older lathes."

The club has recently had an upsurge in membership with both young and old, male and female joining the club and discovering the joys of creating bowls, vases, cylindrical boxes, all turned out of a rough blank of wood.

Young member Harry Bagrie has followed his older siblings into wood turning.

"It’s a great place for us younger ones to learn new skills from the older generations."

However, Howard Pettigrew concedes the younger members often show new older members skills and tips they have acquired, particularly those that have been part of the three year National Association of Woodturners Certification course the club offers.

"It is what wood turning has always been about - members mentoring and tutoring other members. You share what you know," Howard says.

Fellow member Leonard Light says you can now turn a button to alter the speed on the new lathes, rather than having to stop and change the belt.

“This means I have more time for turning which is great.’’

Young turner Felix Morton-Jones likes the ability to turn the headstock - the part that holds the wood for turning - meaning much larger bowls can be turned than on the older equipment.

The Club is very grateful to the Lion Foundation for this grant as replacing these lathes was beyond the resources of the Club, Howard says.