New Desk

This project started 4 or more years ago while I was still on my feet and using a walking stick to get around. I had got to the point of it needed one last coat on the top then broken tib & fib of the left leg putting me out of contention of finishing it off for a while.  Then a heart attack 2 years ago.

Frustrated every time I saw the desk top sitting against the wall in the garage and the desk I was using, the MDF crumbling more and more. In desperation I attacked my desk in the office 2 weeks ago, pulling it apart. Keeping the draws, metal slides and legs which were good Hardwood. The replacement rails are off an old queen size bed.



I sanded the legs back, and set about building a carcase for the set of draws this is all CD ply. Replacing the draw fronts getting rid of MDF and plastic cheap handles I hated.  I edged the draw fronts with some old growth Jarrah a set of Gold plated handles from Bunnings not the cheapest set but close.



More photo's to come but here is the draws. Hopefully by the end of next week I'll have a completed desk.

2 Sue's to Weave

After receiving two scarves  my name sake wanted to try her hand at some weaving. The idea was to set up the loom with the warp ready for for her to start one for a friend. Having chosen a blue colour scheme using wool, acrylic and mohair, I set up the warp so all she had to do was the actual weaving.


It didn't take too long before she was confident enough to work unsupervised, leaving me to wash up the lunch dishes, serving coffee and biscuits and getting the odd bit of spinning in.

The odd break from weaving left her time to read out the revisions to her first manuscript as yet unpublished. A few days and another bobbin of yarn for the weft spun up hurriedly and the scarf was finished. Cut from the loom and fulled. Now this scarf is ready for its new owner.  

Lucets

A few braid making Lucettes. Bone, Horn & Tortoiseshell.

A fellow wood turner in the UK made some Lucets, Mark made his from a variety materials.  Mark is into a variety of works, hobbies and motorbikes. Browse his workshop.

Edit to post 1651hrs 15th Nov 2010.

Today a parcel arrived from the UK Mark posted Sue one of his lovley Tortoise Shell Lucets. Thank you Mark it will be treasured. 


While showing Sue Mark's work it reminded her I had not made replacement ones lost and broken and I had been asked some time back. So the scrollsaw got a work out making two one with a handle one without. Both English oak.

Hair of the Dog

 Recently Max our Foxie had to have surgery due to an in-grown hair between one of his hind quarter toes. An expensive situation starting with the Vet trying applying a cream to draw out poison and a tape bandage for a few day's.

Max was good he left his bandaged foot alone and only the day prior removal did he really try get it off.


After the bandage was removed he had to wear an Elizabethan collar. The Vet had to fit one larger than normal as he could reach the open wound, stich  and drain that was still in. The colar was so heavy and big we had to leave his harness on him so Sue could tie it to it to help hold it up. Being a Foxie made him look like the HMV symbol. We did how ever find that his barking reduced as the cone effect echoed so he stopped barking while wearing it.
He's better now.

Hand Spun and Woven

Top 2 Weft, bottom 2 are warp yarns

Dyer & Phillips loom

In the previous post is the fibre which I dyed. I then hand spun the fibres and plied them to produce a two ply yarn, using my Sickenger wheel.


I set up the weave on my Two shaft Dyer & Phillips PL loom. This loom is one I was given by Joan Fisher who had purchased it through Anthony Hordons after the war.



Its a plain loose weave similar to the previous scarf. The warp is wool, wool and Mohair, silk and linen. Colours were requested by the gent the scarf is for.

Scarf

The Weave

Dyeing! You can do it more than once.

Left Merino Right Mohair

Mohair

Life is full of colour so why stick with just one.

Merino

  I was recently asked to make a scarf similar to the loose weave but in blue to grey fibre. I had some nice Angora goat fibre also known as Mohair and Merino .  I used the microwave method for dyeing the fibre.

Camera & IPod cover & Getting a Handel on it .

Sue had a request for a felted IPod and camera pouch, these are silk lined

A good friend has a large collection of files (some 60 I believe) many have not got handles, so I asked for his preference in shape and design. Kev and his wife Sue have given so much so it is time to return the favours. Thanks to you both.  The wood was sourced from another friend an old floor joist covered in tar with still some nails in it. No idea of the wood but it is hard and dry. 2 light coats of Shellac and one coat of Boiled Linseed Oil to seal them.
Unfortunately during the making of these I suffered a right shoulder problem, arthritis which effected my grip. I am sure Kev will forgive the discrepancies, as it seems now to have cleared up with the warmer weather.

Loose Weave Scarves

Two Loose weave scarves hand spun and plain loose weave done on a two shaft loom.

Candel Tray & Lidded Vessel

I like a challenge and this piece of Elm was certainly just that. Encased in a sealing resin well out of round balance and thickness, I was given it by a friend. Hughie thanks enjoyed it very much. The natural formed inclusions added to the fun of turning as they do go right through and across one segment. I decided the shape almost on first sight of the blank and its end use. A glass tray I had suited the purpose, a trial of candle style a shorter one needed.

A length of spalted  English Oak approx 50x50x300 quartered and glued together for the main body of this vessel, adding Jarrah foot, finial and neck with a Jacaranda stem. The lid I am not to happy with and may change.

"A push is as good as a shove"

I was asked this week regarding the progress of my Drill Table. It was moving along very slowly, I am happy the fellow asked thanks BH you gave me the nudge I needed. A few weeks ago I cut another piece of Melamine sheet 12mm thick to suit the underside of the main table.
I  cut out the centre to allow it to fit around the cast steel table this will help in positioning it.

I drilled three 8mm holes 40mm from the edge and used epoxy to secure in 3 8mm coach bolts, with heads flush to the surface. I used a Forstner bit to create the hole for the head first then drilled the 8mm hole for the shaft of the bolt. The two pieces of Melamine were then glued together ( I used liquid nails for this), clamped for a few days to dry.


I had some 3mm x 25mm flat steel which I cut 3 x 75mm long, drilled a 10mm hole in each 13mm in from one end, then 15 mm in from the other end I rough bent to 90deg to form an L. These will be the holding clamps for the table top. So I don't ruin the centre when drilling through and so it can be used as a Bobbin Sander, I cut out a 100mm dia section using a hole saw. This is a sacrificial piece and I can make as many replacements as I need.

Fitted at last and it can now be used the knobs are from the hold down clamps I got from McJings (I have to go get three more to replace them) . The fence is made and only needs the the brackets fitted.

A Trendy Weekend & Ornamental Turning

 This past weekend 13th, 14th & 15th August was the opening of Trend Timbers new timber yard complex at Mulgrave Windsor NSW. The Ornamental Turners Group of Australia is sponsored by Trend and the members attended doing demonstrations of ornamental turning. I had the opportunity to use Les's Rose Engine on the Saturday and Sunday as he had headed to the Gold Coast away from the winter winds. David Laird had set up the first platter approx 210mm dia Dave another member started it off and I was able to finish it a rope style edge flower style centre. The centre cuts didn't line up so I re-worked the centre and inserted a piece of Huon Pine.

The 2nd piece also NSW Rosewood was a little different to the normal ornamental turning instead of using a cutter shaped to a point and used in cutting head, we used a drilling attachment and a milling type cutter much like a router bit. My own Rose Engine is in the process of being built its only taken 3 years so far.

Whats in a Name

We have a Scheppach Decoflex scroll saw, after using standard pinned blades for most simple type work, nothing fancy. We bought better quality finer unpinned blades through Helen Harris. PO Box 1384 Murray Bridge SA 5253 Ph: 08 8531 3440. The scroll saw was purchased through Cumberland Wood Workers club when I was a member supplied by  Hare & Forbes almost 2 years ago . It's has done some work of sorts, trimming material to small for the bandsaw such as pen blank ends.


I am impressed with the entry level scroll saw for a few reasons. Its light weight so easy to move about even though it has a steel cast sub frame and alloy cast work bed. Its robust enough not to wander around the bench, its additional light, height adjustable blower for dust and its variable speed control. Most of all it has an adaptor for a flexible shaft with 3.2mm chuck which comes with it. Of course this allows for drilling, sanding, buffing no matter where as long as there is power. The attachment fits straight onto a Dremel tool an added bonus.  It also came with a pinless mounting kit,  it was good with a easy to fit mounting set up on the top edge of the arm of  the saw yes there is a But! These had to be removed to change back to pinned blades, and protruded further in line with the blade. Helen Harris had available a adaptor to suit both blade types, once fitted it just a matter of changing blades.







Using a reveres skip tooth blade I made a name plate for our 2nd grandson for his 2nd birthday. Radiata Pine with an unknown hardwood back, left in the raw. I created the text using Corel Draw, printed it out and applied a light coat of adhesive removed after cutting.

Hebridean Spinning wheels

I have done some research on the wheel I am making Sue, below are extracts of material I have found. I feel more at ease with the differences in design that I have in-cooperated knowing that each wheel is in essence made as a "One off".

It also confirms my first thoughts on seeing the wheel I am restoring it has to be at least 200 years old possibly more. Hand hewn using such tools as an Adz, Drawknife and Pole Lathe. Examples of their use can been seen here at Lithgow's recent IronFest wish we had gone now. The wheel should be a working machine even if it is to be sat in a corner and admired for its history, its unique to her descendants making it more an heirloom.

About Hebridean Spinning Wheels
Hebridean Spinning wheels are handcrafted to order and built using the same techniques as in the days of old. The distinctive Hebridean wheel, comprising over 50 separate components, is a unique design that has stood the test of time.

Until fairly recent times, the Hebridean spinning wheel was a common sight in every household. Generations after of crofting families kept sheep to provide wool for spinning into yarn for the world famous Harris Tweed.

The same care and attention that was given to such a vital tool of island living is today recreated by a few artisans who make Hebridean spinning wheels to the original design. Because they are custom made, no two wheels are identical, guaranteeing a unique and collectable replica spinning wheel to spin your own yarns on.

Measuring 86 cm (34 inches) from floor to the top of the wheel and 74 cm (29 inches) long, the Hebridean spinning wheel has compact proportions. Traditionally made from drift wood, today's replicas tend to be manufactured from sustainable forests.

The treadle-operated wheel turns clockwise to spin the wool into yarn, and counter clockwise to twist two or three individual yarns to a thickness suitable for knitting.

One of the distinctive features of the traditional Hebridean spinning wheel  is its 18 spokes. This is said to relate to the strong seafaring tradition in the Outer Hebrides, each spoke representing 20 degrees of the compass.

Quite apt when making spinning wheels occupied many a long winter's evening for storm-bound fishermen!

And with trees few and far between on the wind-blasted and rocky isles of the Hebrides, it was again to the sea that islanders looked for their raw material. Driftwood and washed overboard timber en-route from the States or Scandinavia formed the primary source of timber for the crofting communities in the days of old. Beachcombing was therefore a necessity, not a hobby.

In those days, timber was deck cargo and frequently lost in sudden storms that batter the Atlantic-facing west coast of the Outer Hebrides.

Being 35 miles off the north-west Scottish mainland, the Outer Hebrides is also directly in the path of the Gulf Stream. It is therefore a common occurrence for objects to beach here after journeys of many thousands of miles, including the occasional coconut from the Caribbean.

Below is a full explanation of spinning wheel parts from http://www.schachtspindle.com/our_products/reeves_parts.php

another description .

There are many plans for spinning wheels on the internet as well as in some old Practical Woodworker Magazines. Some Free plans of an Upright type of wheel have fun if you care to make one.