Special Wood Turning Class . . .

Today I attended a class for making a pull-along bee. We can't call it a 'Buzzy Bee' as this is a trademark for the iconic bee that nearly every child in New Zealand has been given to play with over the decades. Peter demonstrated this bee at the recent NAW Expo, and today it was our turn.

Unfortunately, not one of us managed to finish the class with a completed bee. I guess we will all be doing that on Thursday. There were numerous parts to be turned to make this bee. We started with a rectangle piece of wood that had a slot on the bottom made with a router, to turn the bee's body and head. Before we removed the bee from the lathe, we used a jig to enable the correct placement of the holes for the antennae. The bee was parted from the lathe, and we were given the pieces required to make the arm and wing. Before we did this, Peter demonstrated what we needed to do.

Then it was our turn again. Using the long piece, I turned and then drilled a hole in the arm part that will be attached to the wing shape. That was definitely the easiest part. Then came time to turn the wing. After drilling a hole in the side of it, it was placed between the friction drive, and I turned it into circle. This is what Peter was doing in the video - a truly nerve wrecking process. Once I had shaped it on both sides, it was time to place it in the round jewellery chuck to round and shape the wing profile. This was as far as I got. On Thursday I will need to make the second wing, wheels, nose, the pull for the end of the string and the gear that makes the buzzing sound. It is going to be another very busy day!

#WoodTurnedBee

22nd June 2024