Perfect for turning over your bacon and sausages on the campfire or barbie or rescuing the toast from the toaster.
Top tip is to drill the hole same size as the spring diameter before splitting the twig.
The hardest part is getting the spring in.
Saturday, 19 February 2011
Hazel Tongs
I was hanging out the washing when a peg broke (clothes pin to US readers) and I started wondering how I could use the spring. Well here it is - The Hazel Peg-Spring Tongs!
Perfect for turning over your bacon and sausages on the campfire or barbie or rescuing the toast from the toaster.
Top tip is to drill the hole same size as the spring diameter before splitting the twig.
The hardest part is getting the spring in.
Perfect for turning over your bacon and sausages on the campfire or barbie or rescuing the toast from the toaster.
Top tip is to drill the hole same size as the spring diameter before splitting the twig.
The hardest part is getting the spring in.
Monday, 14 February 2011
Sharp Knives
I think knives are possibly the tool that a lot people have trouble sharpening. I remember when I used to offer a sharpening service one guy turned up with loads of blunt kitchen knives - apparently when he'd needed a sharp knife he just bought a new one!
Now, I don't know who does the cooking in your house, but Vanessa has to 'remind/ask' me several times to get a decent edge on the kitchen knives for her before I remember to do it. I sharpen my workshop tools probably every day or at least every time I use them. Why can't I get into the habit of doing that for her? A little touch up every week is what they need - perhaps I'll start doing it 1st thing on Monday mornings!
I've never got on with a steel and those gadgets they sell that you pull the blade through are hopeless.
You can easily and cheaply make a knife sharpener like this:-
Buy a sheet of 800 and a sheet of 1000 grit wet-or-dry paper (about 50p,80c,€0.6 each).
Cut a 1½" (4cm) wide strip off each sheet (about 11"-28cm long) and glue them to either side of a piece of softwood about ½"(12mm) wide. Spray mount adhesive is good for this.
Form a nice ergonomic handle.
Note the grit numbers on each side.
I'm not going to tell you how to sharpen but use the rougher (800) grit first then the finer (1000) and use it dry.
If your knives are really knackered try making one with rougher grits.
You could use up the spare paper to make up some more as presents for friends who have trouble with knife sharpening.
Cheers Maurice.
Now, I don't know who does the cooking in your house, but Vanessa has to 'remind/ask' me several times to get a decent edge on the kitchen knives for her before I remember to do it. I sharpen my workshop tools probably every day or at least every time I use them. Why can't I get into the habit of doing that for her? A little touch up every week is what they need - perhaps I'll start doing it 1st thing on Monday mornings!
I've never got on with a steel and those gadgets they sell that you pull the blade through are hopeless.
You can easily and cheaply make a knife sharpener like this:-
Buy a sheet of 800 and a sheet of 1000 grit wet-or-dry paper (about 50p,80c,€0.6 each).
Cut a 1½" (4cm) wide strip off each sheet (about 11"-28cm long) and glue them to either side of a piece of softwood about ½"(12mm) wide. Spray mount adhesive is good for this.
Form a nice ergonomic handle.
Note the grit numbers on each side.
I'm not going to tell you how to sharpen but use the rougher (800) grit first then the finer (1000) and use it dry.
If your knives are really knackered try making one with rougher grits.
You could use up the spare paper to make up some more as presents for friends who have trouble with knife sharpening.
Cheers Maurice.
Friday, 11 February 2011
Laburnum Spoons
A Laburnum spoons I've made for "A Gathering of Spoons" collection of Norman D. Stevens.
One end is a teaspoon and the other is a dessert spoon. It's 9" long.
See some more of the collection here. Click on "View Exhibit Catalogue" at the bottom and download the pdf file.
One end is a teaspoon and the other is a dessert spoon. It's 9" long.
See some more of the collection here. Click on "View Exhibit Catalogue" at the bottom and download the pdf file.
Tuesday, 8 February 2011
Saturday, 5 February 2011
#No Comment & Cheap Tools
Two things here...
There seem to be two different types of comment boxes on Blogger blogs.
The ones which appear like this I have no trouble leaving a comment on...
But the ones that look like this...
No matter what I do and even if I'm signed into my Google account, I can't leave comments. I have no trouble with Wordpress blogs.
Anyone else experience similar problems or is it just me?
Anyway Sean Hellman's blog is one that I can't comment on and he made a post on Thursday - "Quality Tools - Cheap Axe" - this is my comment.
I'm going to be running courses at our Greenwood Camp this year for up to four people at a time so am looking to buy some more tools especially lathe tools - spindle gouges, skews etc. I asked for a quote from Ashley Iles and they came back with £180. I looked round on the web at various other tool suppliers - Axminster etc - and found I could get the same tools for just over £100.
Now Ashley Iles is a family run company based in Lincolnshire and their tools are "Forged, ground and tempered by timeserved craftsmen using the traditional methods of the golden age of tool making." The other tools are, I suspect, made in China (as Sean's axe most certainly is). It's a bit like buying locally produced, organic food or "buy-one-get-one-free" Polish chickens from Tesco. I've got nothing against the Chinese (except perhaps their human rights record and exploitation of workers) or the Poles but I think I will be buying British and supporting our economy and our craftsmen.
There seem to be two different types of comment boxes on Blogger blogs.
The ones which appear like this I have no trouble leaving a comment on...
But the ones that look like this...
Anyone else experience similar problems or is it just me?
Anyway Sean Hellman's blog is one that I can't comment on and he made a post on Thursday - "Quality Tools - Cheap Axe" - this is my comment.
I'm going to be running courses at our Greenwood Camp this year for up to four people at a time so am looking to buy some more tools especially lathe tools - spindle gouges, skews etc. I asked for a quote from Ashley Iles and they came back with £180. I looked round on the web at various other tool suppliers - Axminster etc - and found I could get the same tools for just over £100.
Now Ashley Iles is a family run company based in Lincolnshire and their tools are "Forged, ground and tempered by timeserved craftsmen using the traditional methods of the golden age of tool making." The other tools are, I suspect, made in China (as Sean's axe most certainly is). It's a bit like buying locally produced, organic food or "buy-one-get-one-free" Polish chickens from Tesco. I've got nothing against the Chinese (except perhaps their human rights record and exploitation of workers) or the Poles but I think I will be buying British and supporting our economy and our craftsmen.
***
Friday, 4 February 2011
Oak Liberation
Oh look, 'someone' has felled a load of trees and left them to rot...
Good job I happened to have my wedge and sledge with me as I couldn't possibly have carried the Oak log in one piece.
Good job I happened to have my wedge and sledge with me as I couldn't possibly have carried the Oak log in one piece.
*
Somehow I don't think this Oak burr will get liberated as it's hidden deep in the forest but it is rather a fabulous thing. |
| Jed for scale |
Wednesday, 2 February 2011
Protest against the Forest Sell-off
I should have put these up well before now - SIGN THESE PETITIONS.
http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/save-our-forests#petition
and this one from the Woodland Trust
http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/campaigning/save-ancient-forests/Pages/fc-disposals-act-now.aspx
Come on let's give these bastards a run for their money and show them that we're not just going to take this lying down. If they sell them they'll probably give the proceeds to their mates in the banks.
http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/save-our-forests#petition
and this one from the Woodland Trust
http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/campaigning/save-ancient-forests/Pages/fc-disposals-act-now.aspx
Come on let's give these bastards a run for their money and show them that we're not just going to take this lying down. If they sell them they'll probably give the proceeds to their mates in the banks.
 |
| Ancient Beech Pollard Forest |
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