Lovely Ladle

Went for a walk - found a branch, carried it home.

Sat in the sun, made a Ladle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Its all just a bit of fun really.

Have a go - its quick, fun and useful.

 

 

Sycamore Spoon

Get your knives out...

 

 

This is my favourite spoon so far.

I just had to go and cook / eat with it straight away!

 

What to do with a large crack

I forgot I even had done this,

did this a very long time ago - its one way of turning

a crack into a feature!

 

Green Woodwork & Turning

I like this type of woodwork at the moment.

My wife says 'what about a fork / tongs etc?'

So I just pop out to the workshop and make her one...

 

 

Most of these are from a Whitebeam log I salvaged from

being used as firewood.

It was standing dead so in fact was bone dry

and therefore harder to carve than if it were green.

 

 

Garricks Birthday Present.

2 Bodhron sticks, Yew & Box and Yew & Ebony.

I got my oldest to help with these...

 

 

I have everything in this new workshop even a kitchen sink...

 

 

Busman's holiday teaching turning!

Mind you my students are not normally 9 years old!

 

Nic Westermann Spoon blade

 Well just after buying myself some lovely Birds eye Maple at Yandles,

I walked past Nic Westermann's stand, he is a blade smith and had

some lovely marking knives, axes and carving blades for sale.
Check out his cool site here: http://nicwestermann.co.uk/

 

So I got this blade for £34 and was very happy it came without a handle!
I like making handles...

 

 

Great idea to have it hollow ground inside - genius in fact!

Almost Japanese?! Nicely forged and very accurate 6mm bar tang.

 

Very good mirror polish on the back - only a few minor grinding marks

visible - but far enough from the edge to not be a concern.

I got back that evening and whittled up a Hickory handle.

 

A bit too long me thinks, I must cut that down with my new Huntley saw!

 

So that evening I tried it out on some Sycamore, no time to waste,

My Dad was coming next day so I only had a little time to get it done...

 

 

Working nicely - good job Nic! Working UP the grain a treat!

Oh and thanks for helping me sort out my Chipbreaker at the show as well!

 

That will do - must not over cook.

Yandles - Japanese Tool enthusiasts come to the show...

 

 

So this is me at the Yandles woodworking show.

I pulled a lot of shavings with my Mon Tsunesaburo Kanna.

I got to a nice point where I could drop a weight on the end

of the shaving then just pull a perfect gossamer shaving, straight and true.

 

Got some nice feedback, few people have ever seen a plane do this,

its not a common thing a western plane can do!

 

Got into some interesting conversations...

Wish I had more pics of those lovely shavings!

Duhhh....

 

 

Many thanks to all those who were there,

Andy, Harvey, Michael and Sue, John, Ian, Ray and Lillian,

I also met up with lots of old friends, acquaintances and

woodwork nuts and work colleagues!

 

 

Michael and Sue Huntley (http://www.hsow.co.uk/)

Setting up the show - Sue did a great job of welcoming everyone,

but had to field off lots of questions about her arm in a sling!

(nothing woodwork related!)

(Apologies for the unflattering head shot Michael!)

 

Michael did some saw sharpening and also had his

'Huntley Oak Saw' for sale, which I purchased!

About time I gave it a workout - Michael designed the teeth specially

and has had them made to his specs, the only Japanese Saw that

I know is specifically for Hardwoods, such as,  ummm Oak of course!

 

Talking of Saw sharpening John Tuffrey http://www.johntuffrey.co.uk/

asked if I had any blunt saws (which I do have a few of!)

and kindly used one as a demo throughout the day, he wanted to finish

it for me - but I managed to persuade him to leave me some work to do!

 

I was very grateful for the tips he shared with me - I have all the kit now,

time to get sharpening - its the new skill I want to master!

Thanks again John, I am very inspired!

Now where did you get that optivisor from again...

 

Luckily John had a plane that needed tuning up,

By the next day we had it taking some nice shavings!

 

Andy (http://www.timberframing.co.uk/) doing a chat on sharpening.

We had a great day, lots of banter and things to learn!

I really enjoyed getting my hands on some of his lovely Kanna,

and a real Inomoto Dai!

 

The Kanna ready to go!

 

 I had a great surprise when David Barron walked in while we were setting up,

Had a nice chat (as always - great bloke) and of course popped over to his stand...

http://www.davidbarronfurniture.co.uk/

http://www.davidbarronfurniture.blogspot.co.uk/

 

Every year David's set up gets slicker and his tools better!

I mean those new squares are genius - the best new tool update

in design I have seen for a long time.

 

Little did David know I only wanted one thing from this show...

one of his 1:8 dovetail guides, but then I got cold feet,

as it was a luxury item I really don't need, BUT just as I was saying

my goodbyes I spotted his seconds section - with one guide left,

a 1:8 as I had wanted - I was so stunned I could not believe it and

thought there must be a mistake - in my head, I ended up

checking with David - this is 1:8 for hardwoods isn't it?!?!

 

So thanks David - I also ended up with a few other little pieces,

more for the fact they come from the man who inspired me,

to start this blog!

 

 

Do I need another Metal hammer head?

Probably not.

 

A David Barron Hammer head meets some of my stock waiting for handles.

Some nice heavy Bronze, Steel and Brass friends I have awaiting...

Yandles - Getting ready and buying stuff...

Tuning up my Kanna with the Veritas straight edge and

feeler gauges - going to 0.05 mm for those

fine shavings at the Yandles show...

 

 

I made this right angle square to use my

home made scraper plane to run against.

I used genuine antique Japanese Oak

and an old knackered Kanna blade.

 

 

Tuning up the mouth with an Ebony insert

and paper glued onto the bed to increase

the tightness of the blade fit.