Mr Stiles & Master Bates

Been down with my mate Bill Monroe to the Stiles & Bates show at Dover in Kent. The woodshed was full of old gits pawing exotic timber blanks - Vanessa says she's going to deal with me if I ever get like this !
I like using English hardwoods and I like to know where they've come from - the "backstory". I know where the wood for every item I've ever turned has come from and may even have cut it down myself.



John Berkeley was demonstrating thread cutting on his trusty Vicmarc lathe. I recently watched his DVD "Screwples" which is all about chasing threads and it was very nice to meet him in the flesh - a very nice guy. Visit his website.

Here he's using a mop on the lathe to buff up the finish on a melamine-finished box to a glassy shine which of course is something you just don't do on items turned from green wood on the pole lathe - maybe a quick burnish with a handfull of shavings.

We popped in to see my Dad & Velma at Faversham on the way back - he's had a great bit of news - he's going to have his colostomy reversed in about two weeks time . . .