It was indeed a grand day. Thanks for the tea and the beef sandwich Neil, and for the old No 4 plane to restore ( I love restoring old tools).
The Sorby spiralling and texturing tool has potential. I enjoyed playing about with it and with a bit of practice I might even get regular spirals from it.
I know people who have made their own with old gearwheels. Might have to visit some more friends and pinch their ideas (and gearwheels)