Norfolk Island Pine

A neighbour had a Norfolk Island Pine cut down about 7 months ago not to large a tree about 25, 30ft high. I was lucky enough to receive quite a lot of the cut pieces, saving the tree lopper taking it to the tip and paying the tip fee's.

I passed on to a few friends some of the pieces saving myself 3 or 4 different sizes. I had taken a piece out to the Ornamental Turners club so Darrell Smith could do a demonstration. The wood was still very wet and spalted, the knots from the branches well placed.

Darrell is the busiest bloke there, so I decided to get stuck in and turn it myself recently, Darrell lent me his Rolly Munroe tool. With advice from many and having seen some amazing works done at the Hawaii Woodturners site I set about having a go.

Only having access to the lathe at the club once a week made it difficult, shrinkage the biggest problem. Whilst still roughing the shape it spat out of the chuck, due also to the new shape of the Power Grip jaws from Nova, which are now Dovetail not true straight sided. So I had to take it home and mount the blank on the Jet mini and re-shape the dovetail base.
Lesson learned check chuck constantly when doing wet wood as it dries it shrinks and depending on the day faster than you think.

Deep hollowing is fun and with even the basic tools a lot can be achieved, with special tools like the Rolly shaping the interior takes some mastering.

 I worked it as far as I could on the Nova at the club and finally brought it home to complete, turning it on the Jet mini was heart stopping at times as space is at a premium. The Jet handled it well, can't say the same for me especially when the top 1/4" of the lip had damage, no idea how so I had to turn that away which changed the shape somewhat. During the turning process at home I used Organ Oils Hard Burnishing Oil which helped reduce tear out and gave a smoother cut.

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.