Fighting Wood

I'm always on the lookout for curves in branches and stems like these...

They make interesting and strong spoons.

When I spotted this lump of Birch it was saying "Take me and release the ladles and scoops that are contained within!"

I should have realised that I'd met my match when both wedges were well stuck and the split wasn't opening up...

But I sweated, swore and persevered and eventually it split into 3 ugly chunks.

From which I managed to hack out a ladle, a spoon and a scoop.

It's quite a severe challenge carving this type of wood.  The grain swerves, dips and dives and does the most  radically unpredictable things but ultimately it's quite a satisfying feeling to have won the fight with the wood.

More Bowling

Anyone see anything wrong with using an adze as a gouge?

Like this...

and this...

Robin asked if there could be any improvements to the bowlmate.  Perhaps make the ends a bit longer so you can ride it.

It holds it down very firmly and is a comfortable working position - never stand if you can sit down.

Hornbeam

The Hornbeam seedlings are sprouting like mustard and cress on the Forest floor at the moment...

Richard Law commented in his blog recently that he'd visited Epping Forest and that Hornbeam was an uncommon tree in Yorkshire.  Well not round here it ain't.  In fact there are remnants of Hornbeam coppice all through Essex and Hertfordshire and possibly in a ring round London.  Being a very good firewood (burns long, hot and bright if well seasoned) it was used to fuel London's bread ovens.
I do use it occasionally but it must be worked green or you discover why it's called Hornbeam.
In America apparently it's called musclewood which is a very apt name as the trunk and branches often look as though there are muscles rippling beneath the bark.
Most people confuse it with Beech but it has serrated leaves and never grows as tall.

Bowlmate

Making the Bowlmate from a Willow log with Chestnut legs.

Using the Gransfors adze to hollow a Willow bowl.

I really enjoyed this and will have to go and liberate some more of that great pile of Willow logs.

Holey Spoon

Nick came today to learn spoon carving.  On the first one he learnt the hard way about not carving for too long on one spot and ended up with an olive spoon! - great for getting them out of the jar and leaving the juice behind.  I also suggested that he could make another and fashion them into Ray Mears style snow goggles.

Too busy to Blog

So much has happened in the week since we ran our first courses at our Greenwood Camp that I haven't had the time or inclination to make any posts.

It always amazes me that people with no previous experience can come and spend a day mastering new techniques well enough to make things like these...

2 spurtles and a honey drizzler in Elder

I always remember my first attempt on a pole lathe was to make the long pin to hold the frame onto a shave horse.  I struggled to control the tools to make nice cuts and the finished pin looked dreadful.  But it works and I still have it and show it to the novices.
It was good to use Elder which actually came from our land.  In my opinion a much underrated wood which is surrounded by ancient superstitions.  It takes a very nice cut and is quite hard when it dries - I use it a lot for making spoons.

A Hard Day's Work

Spot the difference Part 2...

Ready for the first courses in the new workshop this weekend

The bog is finished and Vanessa gave the seat a coat of linseed today... and sanded off the splinters.

Comfy seat for No 2's

Helped myself to a load of Willow logs this morning.  They had been cut down and just dumped in the Lee Valley Park.  Good for making some Bowl Mates, bowls and chopping blocks etc.

It's amazing what you can get away with if you don a high-viz jacket these days.  Everyone assumes you've got a right to be doing whatever it is - add in a hard hat and a clipboard you could get away with murder!  I'll probably go back because there's an absolute mountain of logs.

Man & Dog stare into fire after a hard days work.