Nature has its own rewards

Nature has its own rewards like the quilting and colour I found in three different pieces of wood (Camphor).

These 3 are approximately 5in dia and between 1/2in to 3/4in high. I am hoping those who receive them will enjoy what nature has created.


I have to thank Tom Cattell and David Laird from the OTGA for the wood and tom for the Cole Jaws he made for me.

Colourful Camphor

A thin walled lidded box with a finial of Peppermint Gum approx 150 dia x 90 h finished with a friction polish.

I enjoyed doing this one as its so unusual matching the two separate pieces.
The lid I started turning for another vessel one of those in a previous post it was almost complete.
While sorting out some timber I spied the second piece and new straight away what was to become of it forming the base.

Update 20th Dec.
Searching for a useful piece of timber to use as a lid I found a nice bit of well grained Cedar, then used Australian Red Cedar for the bottom of the finial and Beefwood for the top. Left it square to suit the gent the biscuit barrel above will be for having lost a couple of digits on one hand.


Two months since last posting, I won't go into the reasons, well not all of them but it was the reverse to "4 Weddings and a Funeral" oh and a birth and Christening a new grandson our 2nd.

Wood work, in particular turning took a back seat during our inclement weather here in Sydney and still it persists.

I had made a set of Cole jaws made out of 6mm aluminium will be an asset to lathe work and Ornamental Turning.

Two friends from QLD made sure I got a piece of very colourful Camphor (Thanks Noel & John) I made a Pot/bowl out of it, is finished with a home brewed friction polish made with Linsead oil, Mineral Turps, Bee's wax. The knot went almost all the way through. I am still undecided if to make a lid or not I have left provison for one, need to find a piece of wood to suit.










Another local friend (thanks Peter ) gave me some more Camphor from a slab he had been hoarding for some time. I dumped it on the bench and saw the pattern which was to become the Styne. It has a plastic insert glued in, handle made by David Laird on his scroll-saw. It is finished with Wipe On Polly, I am undecided again or not to make and fit a hinged Styne style lid.




















A Pot pourie Bowl which a lid is to be made with the scroll saw or I have to use the pewter one I have. Also finished in Wipe On Polly on the outside only so that scents can permeate into the wood inside.

















I did some playing to this is Ficus root obtained when council workers were replacing the front foot path a simple wooden Doll the grain gided me in making this.

A small vase with a vile insert for short stemmed flower finishing was fun I used Auto touch up paint and after a good full coat wiped let dry and sanded. Then finiushed with my home brew friction polish.



























Besides these a number of other things have been in the process line. Now Sue and I are sharing the lathe well ok when I let her tell her own story.

Regards Ray

Baby blanket

The baby blanket is finally off the loom, has been hemmed and fulled and is now awaiting the arrival of Christina's little bundle of joy so it can be delivered.
Unlike the other three woven blankets which were in a basket weave, this one is done in a twill. The warp is 2 / 20's white wool with random ends of a thick 8 ply baby yarn in white and varigated baby blue to pink. This yarn also have a nice sheen to it from a small component of nylon. The weft is entirely white 2 /20's wool. Amazingly the blanket hardly shrunk at all with a total of three centimetres lengthwise shrinkage and no width reduction.
I used a normal twill treadling but added two tabby shots between the four twill shots to give a different appearance. I was so pleased with the outcome that I plan to use the same threading and treadling sequence for a stole to be done in black wool later in the year or early next year depending on the time I have to get things done.
The spinning wheel will have my attention for a while with wool to be spun that has recently been dyed using some wood shavings from turning projects and some dyed using elderberries.

its about time

Its about time that I got on to doing this - so here goes.
The scarf exchange project was posted off last week. Thank goodness that is now out of the way. Everyone told me I was mad for putting so much effort into the scarf exchange when all most people ever get back is rubbish. I don't think like that so I hope that the person who gets this stole will appreciate it and others realise that just because its a scarf exchange it doesn't mean you can't get something nice back. Of course it took MUCH, MUCH longer to finish than I expected but I think that it was worth the effort. Much to my disappointment the daughter didn't fall in love with it so I'll just have to try out another pattern for her wedding shawl.

Fortunately a surface decorating day came up after the stole was sent back to WA so had time to enjoy some woodwork. Nothing much goes to plan these days and the little mini lathe that I was using to demonstrate miniature turning threw the drive belt but thanks to the owner's bag of tricks it was up and running again in no time - but only temporarily. This time it really spat the dummy, shredding the belt completely. Still, it didn't get the better of me. Fortunately I was able to do the Jacobean candle sticks which don't require the lathe to be running but only hold the piece steady while I carved out the timber with a microplane. Not too bad a job for a first attempt and once finished off should be just fine.
I've got to say that it was a really great day with lots of ideas for future projects. Now I just need to find the time to put some of these into actual projects.
For now its back to the loom to finish off another baby blanket. This will be number 4. They are all slightly different but there should have been only three but that's another story for another time.

Recent turnings Camphor, Cedar & Ficus Root

Camphor Bowl

During days where the winter weather gave short reprieve especially out of the wind I was able to get some turning done.

A Camphor bowl which had a void right through it was filled with resin allowed to sit a few weeks before final fill and turning. The bowl was a gift for an electric motor which was brand new, the motor will be used in the future for Ornamental decoration.

Western Red Cedar

As a member of The Ornamental Turners Group Australasia OTGA I am learning to use techniques which date back to the 17th century to Ornament my wood turnings. Using a Rose Engine Lathe creating amazing textures and finishes to surfaces.
Timber is Western Red Cedar the larger one had dry rot around the edge and was filled with a mix of turning dust and CA glue. Thats what is giving the burnt appearance. Cedar isn't usually a timber which is decorated as its to soft but this worked.

Both these peices of Cedar were from the same log the right one has a Sun Burst theme.

Ficus Root turned into a Pen caddy

The Ficus root was sourced from council men doing a footpath repair. It weight is like Balsa Wood very course grain with as you can see some amazing paterns. The photo show the same vessel and the different grain around it

A Horse

I started this before our grandsons 1st birthday back in June a toddler rocking horse from Radiata Pine with a lot of help from Sue we built it together. Due to winter weather conditions, the coldest and wettest we have had for some years it created frustration after frustration. Glue which doesn't set below 15c, Lacquer also which required sanding back after what seemed a nice sunny warm day had dried so uneven it looked like a corrugated road.

At last it was finished 3 days of 19C to 22C sanded spray lacquer, tail done then handed over to a very happy little fellow.

A New Beginning

A new start more will be added as day's and weeks go by.
Together Sue & I will post either our own works or each others.