Stay sharp...

If you’re struggling and are new to spoon carving the BIG thing that will help you to develop is being able to keep your hook knife really sharp. 
Just posted a video which explains how to do this simply and effectively and (importantly) cheaply.
The same technique can also be applied to straight carving knives and kitchen knives.
Have a look and let me know what you think...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iq3O7cC7J0

Spoon Carving Discussion

Quite often during courses - http://treewright.co.uk/woodworking.php - there’s a discussion about the relative merits of which way you carve a spoon from relatively straight branchwood.
Right hand photo has the pith on the front of the spoon, at left it’s at the back.
What do you think about the different grain pattern?
Are there issues with relative strength of the bowl?
I found the one on left more difficult to carve and get a decent finish on. Admittedly they are from a branch of semi seasoned Ash which isn’t a wood I’d normally chose but it does have a nice grain...

Bump Gone

Several people have thought that I've had an accident or walked into a bunch of angry Millwall supporters but the truth is I've had a Basal Cell Carcinoma removed from beside my left eye.

22 stitches

Healing nicely

I asked the doctor what it was - she peered more closely and said "Right that's got to go and I'll fast-track you."  The surgical team was brilliant and had me in stitches in more ways than one!
So if you've got anything like this don't be afraid to ask and keep out of the sun and/or use a high protection factor suncream.

Green Woodwork Courses

After a shaky start and a Midsummer Hiccup the courses this year have really picked up and been a late-season hit.  I’ve even had enquiries from people who want to come within the next couple of weeks.  However there has to be a cut-off point sometime and I’ve decided that’s the beginning of December as the weather’s too unpredictable and it gets dark early.  Start again when the daffodils are in bud!

Now I’m going to rearrange the Woodland Workshop and put it to bed.  I’ve already started taking bookings for 2013 so get in touch if you fancy learning how to turn fresh logs into fun and functional items. Or if you want to give a Surprise Present I can send a personalised Gift Voucher.

Spoon Makers Gold

Someone's doing a great job of laying this hedge in Gunpowder Park...

and look what they've been cutting - Hawthorn, Sycamore, Alder and Willow.

Spoon Makers Gold

Have to get back down there pronto with a saw before it all goes through the chipper!

We've been Screwed...

In building my new workshop lately I've been doing a fair amount of 'brown' woodwork involving chop saws, nail guns etc. These tools have now become industry standard and a carpenter can't compete unless they have th

em.
On it's second or third outing my new Makita drill/driver packed up so, having loads of screwdrivers, I decided to do it by hand and go and seek some 2 and 3 inch slotted steel screws. What a joke.  Everything is now crosshead - one guy actually laughed at me and called me a Dinosaur...
Eventually I phoned the local builder's merchant in the town and he said he thought he had some 'out the back somewhere' but nobody had asked for them for 10 years.
Screwdrivers are now officially obsolete - a thing of the past.

Colour causes Outrage

We had a drive into Suffolk on a lovely sunny Saturday.  We came across the old Savoy cinema (built 1916) on the way back through Halstead, which is on the Suffolk/Essex borders.  It's been given a rather colourful paint job by the previous owners which has caused outrage in the town.

The old Savoy Cinema, Halstead, Essex

Jackie Pell, Halstead Town councillor, said: “It’s as if they had a job lot of odd paint. It looks like Toytown. It’s absolutely awful!

“I have had a lady stop me in the street and ask me what I was going to do about it. It needs to be seen to be believed.”

It closed down as a cinema in 1963 and became a Chinese takeaway until recently becoming a kids playgroup which has moved away - now it's empty.

Personally I think it looks great and I'd love to have it as a shop and studio. 

We need more colour in our lives, people seem to be afraid of it.