Christmas come and Gone

Its been a busy period for Sue knitting, teaching weaving, quilting 3 quilts 2 for our grandsons and one for a friends little girl. These are Alphabet quilts with all Australian animals depicted, the reverse sides each different. While Bianca our granddaughter got her first Christmas Stocking.

Sue's Charity knitting

Sue hasn't stopped either, jumper for an artist (not shown here) Finger and hand Puppets for a Charity Christmas gifts.

Behind In Posting

Yes I know it been a while since the last session of news and what we have been doing.

I am just going to do the one post for all the things I have been up to, well nearly all some have to be left till after Christmas as they are gifts.

I made a second batch of pens same timbers as the first, then a change of style of pen a Sierra kit twist type. Three different timbers Purple Heart with Gun Metal Grey and Chrome fittings Belinda spotted this and it was her birthday present, Bottle Brush from son Peter's back yard and Spalted Macadamia both Black and Gold trim.

Purple Heart with Gun Metal Grey and Gold fittings.


Also a Cheese knife with a handle made from Sydney Blue Gum.





Two 5mm lead Workshop Pencils one for Sue  Spalted Macadamia, one for myself Acrylic difference being one has a centre band. Kits are from http://www.043turning.com.au/ Mark is a pleasure to deal with as is his wife and father. Always ready with tips and tricks.

A bit of scrap I had laying around got turned into a natural edge bowl timber is unknown but is a Eucalyptus.

A Trivet out of Camphor Laurel some amazing colour and pattern.

Since August I have been also working on some recycled Oregon for a coffee table. I thank a friend Alan for his help in dressing, cutting and jointing the timber leaving me with not much to do but glue and assemble. I wish!! it had been that simple and that had been the case. The top cupped badly in more then one place. It had been in doors in situ, while we went away for a week.

Weights and a good soaking and clamping for a period of time, a frame made which helped resolve the problem, giving us a coffee table the whole family can use and the grand kids can enjoy with out fear of damage.
Finished with a few coats of Wipe On Polly.

I Vowed never to turn pens

I love pens over the years I have gained many either as presents or picked up in my travels, making them is easy. Assembling them with my fingers and hands with my CMT and arthritis to say the least frustrating.

I wanted to make some bought the kits from Timberbits all Slimline's. Timbers are in the
Line up photo left to right
2 Jarrah
3 Red Cedar one of which has the darker base no idea how that happened as while cutting I marked them as matching pairs.
2 Mackay Cedar
2Tassie Oak
3 English Oak

Finished with WOP Wipe on Polly

These are gifts for staff at Liverpool Hospital nurses mainly who cared for me during my stint in there last January.

Workshop Time

Time in the workshop is often spread between setting up making things repairing tools, cleaning, sharpening or making jigs, tools etc. I am no different I like to make what I can with the limited space I have.

Recent purchases meant I need such time to make mobile stands one for a metal bandsaw one for  dill press. Lockable front wheels with rear stable table is longer at the rear by half again so tipping over doesn't happen. Sideways tipping isn't a problem if it does get that way I will add outrigger's for the back wheels.

No photo's of the bandsaw base yet as I am waiting for glue to dry.

In the mean time a clean up took place culling scrap timbers not worth keeping, either to small or good for firewood only.


Not knowing I was about to receive a stack of old Jarrah stair treads 11 in all these will add to the other 6 or so I had already been given from a house renovation.

Also made some new turning tool handles to replace a set I was not comfortable with photo's to come, all New Guinea Rosewood. Much happier now.

1/2 English 1/2 Aussie

Like the title says this is 1/2 English Oak and 1/2 Australian Jarrah well the finial and stem are.

The English Oak was rescued as a bit of off cut scrap from another turner who was throwing it into a fire pit, to small for his lathe.

I had a lot of firsts doing this, First Cobblett style vessel, first thin stem, smallest finial to date, first captive ring.

The Oak had a flaw right through it, it can be seen as what looks like a crack in the base.

Collecting Wood

It's almost an obsession like many other things in life you find a bargain or freebie and you know you just have to have some. Woodwork or metalwork is no different so on our recent trip to Coff's Harbour a sale or should I say a purchase opportunity arose.  So Sue and I went and met a couple who are selling up to retire to a village life.
The shed's and surround's storage of timber, log's and stumps was incredible, Camphor, Rosewood, Cedar and much more. I bought on behalf of a few friends also, my share being only a small potion of these photo's all except one real nice Rosewood stump.

Nice to have had the break also nice to be back and do some turning.

A lidded Box with Finial tower like or Lighthouse wood is Sequioa for the box with Jarra finial.






Another lidded box uncertain as to the timber used very spallted and wonderful colour, finial and a foot both are Queensland Beach finished with a Bee's wax.



An update of photo's to try show some of the colour of this vessel. Still no idea what the wood is.

Rib Warmers

A matching pair of Rib Warmers for Meri & Jiya

A Week a way

After a few busy months with a Wedding, Christening’s and birthday’s we finally got away. Took the road north to Coff’s Harbour NSW mid way between Sydney and Brisbane about 540k’s.

A wet start which followed us all the way, but the remaining week was warm sunny day’s. First day down at the Jetty we bumped into some friend’s we had hoped to visit while up there.

Plenty of photography as I had some rolls of 35mm film for the Canon  EOS SLR 100 yes shameful I know I still haven’t gone digital myself. Sue’s little A430 worked over time as well.

Sunset at the Jetty.

Skin’s basking in the sun.








Combra bridge.













Dorigo looking south, Edor Fall’s.