Operation Top Secret Working in the Shed Without Anyone Finding Out

Varnishing the frames

Over the weekend, we were able to get into the Shed to continue work on the pavilion. And did we need it! 


So while Clara and I were sat behind a craft stall in Prestwich, a group of dedicated volunteers offered up their Saturday to the cause. From what I can gather, it was a great day. The weather was good and there was just the right number of people there to help out. 
They were able to finish coating the inside of the tubes with PVA - some of them had been missed in the first round - and make a good start on varnishing the frames. Inserts were also PVA-ed ready to be varnished. 

ooooh . . . magic

I just wish we were having as much luck with our craft fair. We were all set up but unfortunately, there was hardly anyone there (we found out later that it could have been due to a Christmas fair being held further up the road. Grr) We managed to sell a few of our off-cuts and some of my cards but it wasn't nearly as much as we had hoped. 

Sanding, Snacks and Sunshine

I was able to go and help them on Sunday and although the weather wasn't as nice as the previous day, we still got quite a lot done: all the tubes got varnished and we were able to make a good start on varnishing the inserts. We also varnished all but the un-cut frames - which were due to be done when the workshop opened on Monday morning. 

The binbags made a re-appearance as we
coated the inserts

Just chillin' in a bin . . . as you do

Not so Hot

As the title suggests, today hasn't really gone to plan.

The tubes were coated over the weekend and we had a good look at them this morning. We began looking into sourcing varnishes but heard from our head of year that we may be able to get someone to donate them so we are currently waiting to hear back about that before we order anything.


The road trip became behind schedule very quickly. The plan was to leave at 9.30 this morning but there was a mix up with the keys or something so they weren't on the road until about 11.30. They did however let us know how it was going.

The Tube Pirates with the plunder

Things then went from bad to worse. We have had no response from the e-mails we sent out so we have to assume that we won't get anywhere with our sponsorship scheme. We began then to start considering fundraising and looking else where for sponsorship. The biggest idea we had for a fundraiser was a people auction where we would auction group members off to the highest bidder for the day. 

Later on in the day we came up with a plan for the off-cuts from the frames. After using the CNC machines, we would be left with a large amount of 100mm diameter circles of plywood. Just big enough for an image. Out of sheer luck, I heard about a craft fair being held this weekend in Prestwich so the idea is that we decorate the circles with illustrations, paintings, drawings, what ever we feel like and sell them as coasters or just images/decorations at the fair. This of course will all depend on when we get the frames cut, how many we can make and how quickly we can make them.
We also got into contact with family and friends who may know of companies etc that would possibly sponsor us.

After spending the best part of seven hours in the library, we headed over to the Shed to meet our well-travelled team mates and their cargo. When I say the van was full, I mean it was full! Despite it being cold and dark, I think we kind of enjoyed getting all the tubes out of the van and into the Shed where they are now sat in the corner waiting to be cut'n'coated.

Told you it was full!

Human conveyor belts at their finest.

Floating heads.

Backed up on the conveyor belt

Keeping the tubes in the corner was a
challenge - it involved moving lots of tables around.

Finally all in place.

Unfortunately, the Shed closed soon after 6pm so we couldn't make a start on the cut'n'coat tonight but we are all getting in nice an early tomorrow to make a really good start - and hopefully finish. There was nothing else to do except go home and watch the fireworks!