A Strange Weekend

We arrived at Leonardslee on Friday afternoon and were a bit shocked to find it was a tin-pot event, hardly anything of it, compared to some of the big shows we had done there several years ago for another organiser. No arena events, no entertainment but the real bete noir was this infernal machine which was situated about 50 feet behind us . . .
It started churning out its relentless cacophony at 10 am and was switched off at 5pm - for TWO DAYS !! - playing everything from Abba to Bach. I would rather it had been a bagpipe band which I can just about stand for 5 minutes !


I managed to avoid doing any turning much today as I didn't feel in the right frame of mind but I had a piece of wood on the lathe and did an occasional 2 minute demo . . .


Instead I sat on the shavehorse and managed to do the shaping on all that sycamore that I had roughed out the other day.


Sunday was a pleasant day, weather was well behaved and we spoke to some friendly and interesting people.

Kitchenware

* * *

We've just about sold out of all culinary treen lately so today with a few swift whacks on the froe and some quick strokes of the axe I reduced a small sycamore log from

this . . .

to this . . .

in a couple of hours.

Now I have to refine them with the drawknife, spokeshave and various other knives . . .



which is quite good fun but takes longer (more fun to do than to write about).


Also made us some new name badges from thin pieces of rippled Sycamore . . .


for our rustic corporate image !

Going to be going down to Leonardslee in Sussex for the weekend. Hopefully they'll want kitchenware down there.

*

Pump drill

We decided to go and mooch round some junky antique shops in Sawbridgeworth today and Ness spotted this pump drill . . .


Obviously that cord isn't original - anyone got any ideas on what type of bit would have originally been used ?

According to Salaman this type of drill was only used for metal, stone etc and not wood because the bit would have got bound/stuck on the return stroke.

We also bought an angle measuring gadget, a very clever boxwood corkscrew "A Present From the Seaside" and an interesting book about the History of the Rocking Chair

Highgate Wood

*

Wet, wild, windy Woody weekend.

It was a bit like being at a party with hardly any guests. I used it as a chance to make up some stock and also got some cherry that had been cut down in the Wood.

Birdy Greeting

I forgot to mention that we had just moved into the "little home of our own" yesterday - We were sitting having a cup of tea and listening to the rain pattering on the tarp when a Spotted Woodpecker flew through (just missing my shoulder) and landed on a nearby Ash tree.

Then a very entertaining thrush (also known as the Stormcock) started singing in the tree right above us - it's chorus was wild, mad, free and slightly clownish - we laughed at some of things it was coming out with . . . !
No pictures though.

Today, among other things, we skanked a few hazel rods from some nearby stools and made a load of crayons and pencils for Highgate Wood at the weekend. There are good quality punters round there but sometimes we might sell £100 of crayons & pencils in a weekend . . . if nothing else.

New Shelter + ID.

We've got a new den !



Actually we HAD to put this up today as it was raining - Vanessa's making our first lunch in our new home. (We've already thought of several improvements).



A new challenge for the Tree Buffs out there . . .

What tree is this and what is the fruit ?



***

Sharp tools = no dust

These are the gouges I've been using to carve out the inside of the rebec with.

The top two are favourite for spoon carving which I've been doing for quite a while now and . . .

they take and hold a really good edge.

The thing about a really sharp tool is that it imparts its sharpeness to the wood that it cuts.

I have a Power Strop which came from Tilgear - I use it in the electric drill held in the vice - apply some white stick and you get those mirror- finish bevel edges. Give the edge a touch up every so often. Save on abrasives and dust.

We'll be demonstrating at Highgate Wood near Muswell Hill this weekend coming. Hope the weather holds as last year at this time we froze and Vanessa got a chilblain !