Interview with Michael Forde
Interviewed by Chris Hayes
For a change I thought you would like to hear about someone not on the committee but who contributes a great deal to the Chapter in various ways. For one he helps me get this newsletter out every issue by faithfully recording every demo and writing it up leaving me very little to do in that regard. In case you are new to the Chapter he is Michael Forde and I went to see him at his home in Raheny.

Editor I always ask people about their background first ; it helps to set the exchange in the right direction; about yourself?

Michael Having started my working life as an Air Corp apprentice at age 17, and progressed through Aer Lingus to Bolton Street college as a lecturer in Aeronautics for 26 years until retirement, I probably spent nearly half a century involved with the aircraft industry in some way or another.

Ed Sounds like you know your piston from your jetpipe, but how did you get involved with woodturning since aircraft engineering seems a far cry from messing with bits of wood?

Michael I’m not alone by any means in enjoying the pleasures of working with wood as I could mention just two other members of our Chapter, Louis Treacey and Bill Kilpatrick who worked all their lives with aircraft but always had a fondness for things wooden too.

Ed So you only really took up turning after retirement?

Michael When I retired 10 years ago I did a number of courses on turning including one with Craft Supplies in England and another with Paul Laycock at North Strand. I invested in a Coronet No.1 lathe which has served me very well in that time and I have no wish to change it . I use the Multistar chuck which despite the fiddly jaws possesses great holding power and I would recommend it anytime.

Ed Looking around your workshop I noticed that you set great store by dust extraction.

Michael As well as a conventional drum extractor coupled to a tube behind the lathe I installed a Microcleane dust collector overhead. It all helps.

Ed Apart from your Kity bandsaw and ordinary grinder what other equipment do you find useful?

Michael I have an elderly combination sawbench and planer powered by one motor on a sliding arrangement which works well provided I remember to start it off-load!

Ed Ever sell your work?

Michael Well, I’ve never sold at craft fairs but I do get the occasional sale which suits me fine. It’s the pleasure from making and giving that keeps me at it. Maybe that’s why I enjoy the Terenure meetings so much. The demos and the standard and variety of the competition entries all help to stimulate and maintain my interest.

Ed Lastly, tell me about your other interest ,also far removed from woodwork.

Michael I had to learn something about electronics to keep up with the changes in aviation and then I began to enjoy fixing radios and other gadgets. That’s why I have a collection of spares going back many years, much of it to do with valve technology . Need an obsolete triode or pentode?

Ed Fascinating! Thanks for talking to me and thanks also for writing up the demos so faithfully.