Hebradian Progress

Updating the blog has taken a back seat for while only because I wanted to post more than less of what I have been doing mainly because much of it has been time consuming.

The long drawn out progress of the Hebridian spinning wheel is I am happy to say at a stage I am happy with.

It has been assembled, all be it so I can continue. So I could fit the footman/treadle, sadly the old one was not in a repairable condition. Fit the legs, the tenon's of the legs have over the years shrunk in size so a wedge was fitted to expand and hold them in, not overly tight just enough so if it is picked up they will not fall out. One new rod for the footman as the old one had rusted away to a tapper at one end. Drill the holes for the rod in both the legs and footman. Stain match the piece of one leg which had to be repaired.... Stain the adjustment handle...Stain the footman to be inline with what was on there, I felt that this may have been a repair/replacement as the timber was Cedar not Oak which I have replaced it with.

 I made a new leather maiden/flyer carriers some time back and have fitted these and the maiden uprights to check alignment, same with the wheel carriers. There is a fair amount of wear on the uprights where the flyer has obviousy been running over the many years. This shows how much this wheel must have been used. Same with one of the wheel uprights. Hard to see in the photos is the repair to one of the tops of the uprights, the only thing holding it together ws one of the lock pins for the axle of the wheel. I did take photos of the repair I will try locate them and add it later.


Edited 1000hrs Sunday additional photos.

 Left the old treadle with the broken/rotted section and splits. Right the new one.

 

Above the three legs and two of the wedges used.

Pic the Tune

A lovely young lady we know is into playing guitar, electric and classic. I have a number of friends and family who play also and they are always loosing or breaking their plectrums.

So while not feeling so well myself and with some nice Huon Pine and Rosewood of cuts I made a few for Danielle to try out. Hope they are ok.

These are slightly different in shape and thickness no finish as both woods have a natural oil and will over time (if they don't break, or dissapear) take on a patina of their own.

Photo via Danielle.

Twisting

I have always been fascinated with the Barley Twist on turned wood. My parents had two candle sticks similar to these although theirs have a metal foot, they were given as presents either for their engagement or wedding can never remember which. I still have one of these.

I was taught one method of producing these at school by Mr Woods, yes that was his name my highschool woodwork teacher. He had come into teaching during the teacher shortage created by the Vietnam war, he was a towering 6'4" but a tradesman and had been a production turner at some stage.

Years on David Laird from the OTGA taught Sue another method and its this I am using to produce a column for the 3 teir stand. This involves the same layout method in the link above but using Micro-planes to form the Barley twist. This is a 4 start twist.

More Rosewood from

 Boutique Timbers





Edited 30th March as an update.

2nd tier column hand shaped and a sanding 

sealer applied. Bottom and larger Barley Twist in the process of shaping. 

Bottom is larger diameter and larger flutes.

Kiama a Yearly Event

For a few years now Sue and I have made a trip down to Kiama Woodshow hosted by the Kiama Woodcraft Group. An excellent day out meeting up with freinds and browesing over the high standard works of the group. Of course there is always tempation in the guise of Boutique Timebers, Traditional Tools Group John Hannrahan and Jim Davey with his top quality sharpening and plane restoration. The morning start from home was a bit chilli 14C with an Antratic wind blowing, but soon the day warmed to a nice 26C. The local Growers market was also on this weekend making the walk along to the harbour more interesting. Lunch of Fish N Chips down at the old Co-Op with some good friends.

 Boutique Timbers 

 display of wood.

 Kiama Woodcraft Group

display

Traditional Tools Group

Triology Album or is that Tray-ology

Last platter 18" x 10mm thick in centre section.








I had mounted the blank on to a ply wood face plate glued with PVA to turn the bottom underside and create the tenon mount a coat of Danish Oil.
 
Reverse mounted roughed down

This is the largest I have turned to date all went well not even a dig in.

Now onto the supports and finial etc.








Mondy March 26th an update of photo's.

First photo is the 14" and 18" together, the other two photos are the 18" showing the grain/pattern. The centre holes yet to be drilled to size when I have completed the supports which I am making at the moment. 

A Shawl long time coming.

 















The shawl was almost 3 years in the making and is to be raffled/auctioned off at the 35th anniversary celebrations for the Fairfield Spinners, Weavers and Dyers in raising funds for their guild. The Anniversary will be held at the historic Westacott Cottage Canley Vale opposite Canley Vale Station on August 18th and 19th 2012.

  Joan Fisher purchased some Optim fibre which is a Super Fine Merino actually decreased in micron size. Joan offered to the guild to be made into a shawl by me. It took quite a while to locate a pattern that would do it justice. In the mean time I hand spun about 50 grams of fibre. Ending up with about 700m of fine two ply yarn.

Approximatley 200cmx95cm and about 1000 white seed beads.

Platters That Matter 2nd Album

Carrying on from Platters That Matter , I have turned the 14" platter which is to be the middle of the set. This piece of Rosewood after it was cut into a round had a mind of its own. It wanted to change shape constantly due to either stress relief or the humidty and rain we were having. After some threats to make it into pen blanks it decided to settle down and behave itself. 

Forming the tenon and inistial shaping the underside then top the centre rised section is where column will sit. Each platter has been designed for a specific use, this one has a raised edge.

  Again Dansih Oil two coats.............now for the 18" "Mr Baseman"