Author Topic: Clubs restarting?  (Read 16554 times)

Offline turningal

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Re: Clubs restarting?
« Reply #15 on: June 27, 2020, 07:06:12 AM »
Hi Folks
Our club meets at a small conference room (we are a relatively small club 35 - 40 members), in fact we recently featured in Revolutions magazine,Derwent Woodturning Club.
Our committee is meeting by zoom and we are contacting our members by email.
The major concern for our committee is members safety, the venue that we meet in is unlikely to welcome visitors before September, the way things are moving at the moment, we will be either ‘back to normal’ whatever that is by then or lockdown because of a second spike of the virus.
We run hands on nights which would be very difficult to manage, as well as demo nights.
So the whole situation is very fluid and unknown, like many clubs some of our members are vulnerable as far as Covid-19 is concerned and have been in isolation and I’m sure will be reluctant to venture into a gathering.
We may well end up writing this year off as far as Woodturning meetings go, our pro demos have been cancelled, but personally I think that is a small price to pay for the health and safety of our members, if members are ‘tech savvy’ there is a great deal of Woodturning available on the internet, so we have not yet considered remote demonstrations, although we may have to, depending on how life takes shape,
and how soon a vaccine is discovered.
I hope this post doesn’t sound too negative, but in reality we have no firm plans to restart ............

Offline Bill21

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Re: Clubs restarting?
« Reply #16 on: June 27, 2020, 09:56:57 PM »
That all sounds very sensible. We have quite a lot of members over 70 at my club so I suspect many if not most have been shielding. How keen they will be to restart meetings is unknown at present as far as I’m aware. The venue itself has an online presence but have not broached the subject of reopening at all yet. I too suspect that this year is probably a washout and perhaps the situation can be revisited in the new year provided there isn’t a second wave of Covid 19.

As said there is a huge amount of information and should I say inspiration online but a few folks I have spoken to seem reluctant to take advantage of it. Social media is one such source but the tin foil hats come out at the mere mention of FaceBook which is a shame.

Offline The Bowler Hatted Turner

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Re: Clubs restarting?
« Reply #17 on: June 28, 2020, 09:55:01 AM »
I think many club members will not be in a hurry to go back to club meetings.There is of course the unknown element of Corovid-19 and even with the reduction in social distancing many of the venues that I have demonstrated at will struggle to fit all of their members in. But on the other side of the coin do the (generally aged) club members want to go back to sitting in a draughty village hall when in fact they could watch a demonstration from the comfort of their own arm chair at home?
 I admit to being a bit sceptical at first but the more I see of remote demonstrations the more I realise that this is now the way forward. No chairs to put out or go away afterwards,no sweeping up and no chilly nights out what more could you want? I do think the face of clubs will change.

Offline Twisted Trees

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Re: Clubs restarting?
« Reply #18 on: June 28, 2020, 11:08:39 AM »
I have been watching a few of the "circuit demonstrators" develop their web presence and remote demonstration abilities. there are a lot of advantages, not only the obvious benefits to the demonstrator of using their own usually larger lathe, plus full tool / stock availability, and a front and centre seat from the audience point of view.

Add the lower cost of demonstrations due to removing the travel cost, and the opening up of a potential global list of available demonstrators and clubs, and I think that things are going to change.

There is still a social contact need that will bring people to gather in draughty halls when possible, but I think you are right to say that permanent change will result, and the longer the physical club is closed the bigger that change will be.

I know Paul and the AWGB generally are supporting people to go onto Zoom style meetings, and that some demonstrators are collaborating to get online presentation and teaching organised. The problem as I see it is getting the non internet savvy club members up to speed perhaps Revolutions needs a new section on internet provision to the workshop, camera placement, mic manners etc. and general internet skills to bring woodturners up to a level where virtual club meetings can continue without losing the "local people" element that the old club system provided.

While it is great that I can take a lesson or watch a demonstration with Jeff over in the USA, I have a two camera rig over my lathe so he can see me turn without standing on my foot and I have a screen so I can see him work too, and I am now a member of a club getting monthly meetings and demonstrations with  members all around the world, but I can't pop round to Texas to see how your hollowing system works compared to mine like I could when all members were in or around my town. 

       
TT, AKA Pete, but that name is taken :-)

Offline turningal

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Re: Clubs restarting?
« Reply #19 on: June 30, 2020, 08:18:57 AM »
Hi Folks
I think an article in Revolutions to try and bring our members up to speed and more tech savvy sounds like a very good idea, because of but regardless of COVID -19. The magazine has the advantage over the rest of us contacting our members, and giving them the correct way to become more tech savvy, cos I’m no expert.
Regarding clubs reopening and remote demonstrations, I have to say that particularly on our hands on nights, many of our members use this evening as a social event as much as a Woodturning evening, this social contact is something that appears to be just as important to our members as anything else we do, and our committee is more than happy to facilitate this, if that’s what’s important to our members. But obviously at the moment this is not possible, and as I type this, just over the border in Leicester, there is going to be an interruption in return to ‘normal’ because of an apparent spike in the number of victims to the virus which will no doubt effect the decisions of our members.
Stay safe everybody.

Offline BrianH

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Re: Clubs restarting?
« Reply #20 on: June 30, 2020, 09:01:42 AM »
the gist of this thread appears to be based on the assumption that demos are the main....or only... reason to be in a club and that oldns like me WANT to be tech savvy in order to experience one. I personally joined a club in order to see and meet a wider circle of mates with a shared interest in woody matters. I feel no envy whatsoever for folks who feel the need for Zoom in their woodyturning lives.
Am I alone on this side of the coin? I doubt it.
Brian

Offline michaelb

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Re: Clubs restarting?
« Reply #21 on: June 30, 2020, 09:23:37 AM »
To some extent I agree with Brian,  clubs are not just about professional demonstrations , but the interaction with other members passing on tips laughing at our mistakes, swapping wood , having  our exhibitions etc... .

However the lock down has made Demonstrators look at the way they can share their skills and make a living. Having watched and paid for a number of demonstrations on Zoom by the likes of Glen Lucas, Cindy Doza, Pat Carroll and Phil Irons the quality of the filming is far better than most clubs, the demonstrator is using known equipment and you can get to question as and when. 

My opinion is that we should be getting the best of both worlds, we need the local interaction but have demonstrators from all over the world in our clubs is a huge opportunity and proberly raise our standards.
No pockets in shrouds spend it now

Offline turningal

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Re: Clubs restarting?
« Reply #22 on: June 30, 2020, 09:54:15 AM »
I agree with Brian and Michael.
Brian our club is all about social interaction, we limit our membership to around 40, partly because of the room that we have but I believe it’s just as important that we get to know each other, I’ve been chairman of our club since it started ( can’t give the job away😂). This has been my mantra and like to think that’s why we have lasted so long despite having to change our club venue 3 times, perhaps members of our club will post otherwise?
I think we can benefit from some aspects of remote demonstrations, but we’ve also built up very good relationships with pro turners because of their visits, so both arguments have value.
Stay safe everyone, make the right decision for yourself and your family, clubs will return, but your health is more important than anything.
Kind regards to you all.

Offline Tim Pettigrew

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Re: Clubs restarting?
« Reply #23 on: June 30, 2020, 10:18:43 AM »
To some extent I agree with Brian,  clubs are not just about professional demonstrations , but the interaction with other members passing on tips laughing at our mistakes, swapping wood , having  our exhibitions etc... .

However the lock down has made Demonstrators look at the way they can share their skills and make a living. Having watched and paid for a number of demonstrations on Zoom by the likes of Glen Lucas, Cindy Doza, Pat Carroll and Phil Irons the quality of the filming is far better than most clubs, the demonstrator is using known equipment and you can get to question as and when. 

My opinion is that we should be getting the best of both worlds, we need the local interaction but have demonstrators from all over the world in our clubs is a huge opportunity and proberly raise our standards.

I tend to agree with this.  Watching a demonstration live, being able to handle and look all angles at what has been demonstrated and ask questions arising from the tactile examination are something that is obviously impossible remotely.  The social aspect of chatting to other members is also crucially important and being able to pick up and examine and learn from competition turnings.  I also have to say that there are so many excellent videos (as well as the bad) so freely available now that the idea of remote demos does not have the same appeal.  Especially as there are always delays where chucks have to be changed or tools lost in the shavings hunted for all of which can be edited out in a good video.

Having said that until a tried and tested vaccine reduces the risk and the rate of infections declines we may have to wait a while before normality returns but in my view it will return and will be worth waiting for. 

Offline bodrighywood

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Re: Clubs restarting?
« Reply #24 on: June 30, 2020, 10:28:34 AM »
There is surely room for both. Remote demos etc open up a whole new area of possibilities that are otherwise not possible. Especially true for small clubs where cost os a problem. Also don't forget that the two are not incompatible and with a bit of experience having remote demos in a club setting (after lockdown) are also another possibility.

Pete
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Offline Twisted Trees

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Re: Clubs restarting?
« Reply #25 on: June 30, 2020, 10:40:24 AM »
the gist of this thread appears to be based on the assumption that demos are the main....or only... reason to be in a club and that oldns like me WANT to be tech savvy in order to experience one. I personally joined a club in order to see and meet a wider circle of mates with a shared interest in woody matters. I feel no envy whatsoever for folks who feel the need for Zoom in their woodyturning lives.
Am I alone on this side of the coin? I doubt it.
Brian

While I agree with you 100% the gathering in a draughty hall is what we want to get back to, I would go further and say if we could see an end to this say by September, I would be against taking up a tech alternative.

BUT this may not have an end in any of out lifetimes, those who already have the internet and a smart phone can join in, but it will be very unsatisfactory. Televisions for 5 or more years now have had the ability to display your phone screen on them, instantly making the zoom meeting prospect while not great at least a lot better.

This information and more needs to be shared so that we don't lose members like interesting blanks that get kicked under the workbench, obviously the end goal is to get back to putting out uncomfortable seats in draughty church halls, but to arrive there when / if ever it is possible we need to share knowledge not on mediums such as facebook and websites, those seeing that will not need the information, but in print to tell those not into the internet how to maintain contact and keep those interesting blanks on the shelf where we can see them.



TT, AKA Pete, but that name is taken :-)

Offline Bill21

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Re: Clubs restarting?
« Reply #26 on: June 30, 2020, 11:15:32 AM »
There is surely room for both. Remote demos etc open up a whole new area of possibilities that are otherwise not possible. Especially true for small clubs where cost os a problem. Also don't forget that the two are not incompatible and with a bit of experience having remote demos in a club setting (after lockdown) are also another possibility.

Pete

Agreed Pete. I see no reason to not have both live and streamed demo’s. Sadly I don’t believe it will happen at my club as there isn’t the interest to do so.

Offline David Buskell

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Re: Clubs restarting?
« Reply #27 on: June 30, 2020, 11:19:01 AM »
Lots of interesting comments and thoughts in this thread.

We have had an interactive remote demo (IRD) to our club venue, in fact three of them. The virus situation made us and the demonstrators realise we could beam "direct to home" and this is what we did for our last IRD.

But, with a difference! we had 5 clubs in the UK and 2 guests from South Africa involved on the one demo. Minor glitches to start but in the end 123 people enjoyed 3 hours of woodturning from Hawaii.

The 5 clubs have now started to talk to each other and the South Africans are considering  using IRD's themselves.
There are many options: film your in house demos and beam them to members who cannot attend for one.

As for information, do check out www.lucidwoodturners.com which, with over 600 members is the repository for all things relating to IRD's.

Although we started using IRD's in 2017, the UK remained behind the curve until the mid 2019's when we had more demos and other clubs came along to see what it was all about. Covid-19 has speeded up  any clubs plans to use IRD's.

There are other video conferencing platforms available other than Zoom.

Just remember video conferencing technology is over 20 years old, been used in education for at least 15 years, so woodturning is late coming to the party.

It's now become part of the mix and our club events managers should consider the balance between live demos and IRD,s within their budget constraints.

You can run House Notices, Raffle, Show Table all within the Zoom meeting. Have the demo and then throw the mic open to members to chat to the demonstrator.

David









David
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Offline David Buskell

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Re: Clubs restarting?
« Reply #28 on: June 30, 2020, 12:37:32 PM »
Having read back through this thread, I would agree that a lot of club members only come along to the draughty hall for a chat and socialize. Some of the members we have, don't have lathes, they just enjoy the craic!

This (the social bit) is not an issue with the new situation. Zoom (or whatever facilty you use) enables chat and socialization amongst the participants and is actively encouraged by some of the internet clubs and demonstrators.

Do remember that this is not streaming (Facebook, YouTube or whatever) so you can get instant contact with the group or a demonstrator.

In the Woodturning Zoom club UK, we have a 1/2 to 3/4 hour space allocated for chat within groups. One night I was a bit quiet and the club chairman called me out to comment on something. I could do that instantly by clicking on my "unmute" button.

I guess the main thing is to try all these new opportunities out and see if you like them If not, nothing lost.
David
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Offline Schurchy

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Re: Clubs restarting?
« Reply #29 on: June 30, 2020, 03:16:57 PM »
Hi

I'm the IT Manager for the company I work in so know exactly what technology can do for us. During lockdown I was supporting 26 remote workers enabling them to continue working from home. As a family we were (and still are) using Zoom to keep in touch on a pre-scheduled basis and Yes even to cousins down under in Oz who we seldom otherwise see. HOWEVER !!! Would I want Zoom to take over how I see my parents from now on? Definitely not and as far as I'm concerned the same goes for my turning club. Yes there are some benefits to Zoom but on the whole I would reckon that the majority of members attend more for the social interaction than I dare say for the demo's.

I do think there is a compromise to be had though. At our club we have pretty much an equal split of pro demo's, member demo's and hands on evenings along with quarterly competitions and monthly chairman's challenges. I don't have a problem at all with the idea of perhaps one or two Zoom (or other platform) style evenings to bring in demonstrators that would otherwise be too far to travel for. These could either be to the home or if available, projected at the club meeting place. You could also incorporate joint meetings with other clubs?

Just my two pennies worth

Steve

Steve


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