Mothers Day Outing

Our daughter Belinda & son in law John decided a day out for Sue for mothers day was in order so Saturday was chosen and what a beautiful day it turned out to be. Picnic lunch at Rouse Hill Regional Park and then a visit and tour of the old Homestead after. To see some of the amazing furniture and living standards of the periods spanning the Rouse and Terry families preserved as it is, not restored or made to look as part of a modern view. Windows and shutters are kept closed, lighting is as it was when installed updated last prior the last decendants parting.

"A Brief History

Richard Rouse (1774-1852) appears to have begun building at Rouse Hill in 1813 although the grant of 450 acres was not made until October 1816. Sometime between 1818 and 1825 Rouse, his wife Elizabeth (1772-1849) and their family moved from Parramatta to the new house. The son of an Oxfordshire cabinet maker and shop-keeper, Rouse came to the colony, free, in 1801. Prospering quickly, by 1805 he was Superintendent of Public Works and Convicts at Parramatta. In this role he supervised the building of Governor and Mrs Macquarie's additions to Government House, Parramatta in the mid 1810s. It is possible that these works influenced Rouse to build a bigger house than he first intended, adding larger, longer rooms behind the front range."

The area had been brought to fame earlier in the colony's history with the "Battle Of Vinegar Hill" 

Camera's at the ready though out the day. Bel and Sue with their digital me with my trusty EOS100 and new point n shoot digital.

 

Above the old Rouse Hill School which was moved to be part of the exhibition.

 

 Perfect sunset on the way home.

Tangerine Dream

Autumn is over yet colour and tones are still about with leaves falling everywhere. Sue did some impromptue dyeing and came up with this. More fibre for the upcoming Fairfield Guild's anniversary exhibition in August. Shades of Desert Pea, Red Ochre and Wattle were used to dye the wool tops in an old microwave .

Testing a Fujifilm AV250

Sue won 2nd prize in a raffle on Sunday and scored a Fujifilm AV250 little point and shoot. She has given it to me as the Canon A430 I was using died. It will be used for much of my woodworking and metal working photos. It seems to be ideal except for lack of wide angle lens that some small camers do have. Heres a few photos taken since Sunday.

 Some fibre which had been dyed by Dot on Tuesday.

 Sue and Susanna her mum when we visited yesterday, she turns 87 in June.





Some benches outside where we were sitting casting some shadows and sunlight forming some amazing patterns.

New Addition to My Collection

A trip to Robertson in the Southern Higlands on Saturday for the Blacksheep Festival with good freinds Dot, hubby Ken and Ray.

5 MAY: ROBERTSON WOOL FESTIVAL
Annual Wool Festival Day of the South Coast & Southern Tablelands Region of the Black & Coloured Sheep Breeder's Association of NSW Inc.
During the day there will be TOP quality natural coloured and white sheep fleeces for sale, as well as a number of Traders selling their woollen products, spinning and weaving supplies. For entertainment there will be a Fashion Parade and Speed Knitting competition. Our members are only too happy to assist anyone in the fields of sheep breeding, fleece quality, spinning and weaving etc. So please feel free to spend the day with us and enjoy the fun. Tea and coffee, etc, will be available on the day.
Admission free. Open from 10.00am to 2.30pm. For more information phone: 4684 2085.
Robertson School of Arts, Illawarra Highway, Robertson.

A beautiful day out for me got even better when Ray decided a stroll into an antique shop to browes for tools, he found some, although not quite happy with the prices. I on the other hand discovered, when Ken pointed it out, a spinning wheel. A small flax wheel nothing like I had ever seen before. The asking price a bit to high $275. Still the owner got it down off the top shelf, his wife said "make an offer" as they'd prefer it go to a good home. After a bit of discussion as to possible origin maybe European, investigation of the wheel, chit chat, banter over pricing, I walked out with a very intersting wheel at a bargain price.


It needs repair but works, the Flax distaff is broken, the flyer also and I thought that someone had drilled the holes where the hooks shoud be for the fibre to feed onto the bobbin.

Later that evening Ray did a search and found a similar style wheel.
It is a  Bavrian/Tyrolean wheel.



This wonderful video shows how it operates and the interesting use of the copper wire hook to feed the fibre onto the bobbin.

Another project for Ray to restore and me to have fun with.

Edited 2050hrs for corrections and additions.

When checking facts and spelling I located this painting.

Sue

Can't Read Her Colour

A birthday gift for Helen Flett to go with her new motorbike hope its many years of two wheel freedom. She is a learner and now proud owner of a 250. Its a bit cold and winter is on its way.

Have a Happy Birthday Helen.

Scarf is Merino and silk. I was unsure of what colours Helen may like, but when she opened the wrapping I knew I had chosen well. The hand spun hank below.

The scarf is shown here pinned out for blocking to dry prior to ironing.

Edited added photos sent by Alan Flett. He had to wrestle it off Helen to take them.
Thanks for the great photos Alan they show the true colours and the autumn tones.

3 Tier Platters Hardware Fit

It has taken sometime to get to this stage of the Resquest, Platters That Matter  , 2nd Album, Trayology,  Twisting , Dry Fit. Since making the Barely Twists I had lots of sanding to do of the flutes its a slow process and causes similar to writters cramp.
With daylight saving ending, time in the workshop became shorter. Easter break, ANZAC Day  then a  virus slowing down progress as well as a few rainy days.
So once I was able I knuckled down, I bought some 6mm Connector bolts and Thread Inserts (these were purchased at Bunnings Hardware not McJings I can't locate a link to Bunnings products). Holes were drilled, inserts fitted, connector bolts cut to suite and fitted, some epoxy for good measure and this morning another test fit of the components prior final clean up sanding and finish.

I have some extra pieces yet to make so that the platters can be used individually, I will show these when all completed as they will be I hope a surprise for Lor and Wayne.

 

 Three Tier assembled, platters size 18"/460mm, 14"/355mm, 10"/250mm columns aprox 6"/150mm high.

 The commponents broken down top platter is free to have a whole cake placed on it, with a mounting glued under side. Centre and lower columns have 2x6mm bolts fitted to either end. Centre platter is a hole only which the bolt screws through, it connects via the flange at the top of the lower column. The lower column has a flange which is removable so it can be used as a Two Tier stand also either with the 10" or 14" as the top platter.

10" platter mounting flange

Set up as a Two Tier.

Wood Dust and Allergies

There are many Wood Data bases on the internet, I found this one http://www.wood-database.com/ some time ago. It has grown to include a larger range of timbers as well a data base of allergy/reactions to wood and the dust. Yes you can get reactions to wood just by touching it even being in the same room or area. Wood decays and grows mould and mould spours float in the air with the slightest of a breeze.

It was suggested by a freind who suffers  asthma badly to do the search, after my 4 weeks of sinus and a 20hr visit to emergency for stomache and lower chest pain (short singular but 20mins apart). This warning does not discount that the number of viruses going round at present may have been the cause of my particular problem as stated by the emergency Dr.

It may have been brought on by the work I was doing with NSW scented Rosewood for about 2 months on and off. I know myself Rosewood is of  the Cinnamon family.

Edited 30th April It is for sure that I suffered a virus as Sue has contracted the same thing and a few others we know.

I always wear a mask sometimes even 10 minutes after stopping and when sweeping up, fine dust its the worst, I have a small 1hp dust extractor and a wet dry vac. Masks worn are a P2 and full double vented/filtered spray mask.

I am hoping a reaction isn't the case as I have a lot of Rosewood and love working with it.

When an apprentice an old fellow was having breathing difficulty he finaly went to see a Dr/specialist and was told he had by breathing in cement dust over the years caked his lungs with it. He had never worked with dry cement but had worked on concrete flooring and sweeping floors of his work area which had heavy vehicles and machines dragged over it. This broke down into fine particles, as we all used air for tools and to clean work with. A shot of compressed air it would sometimes billow the cement dust up apparently enough to cake the airways, lungs and indigestion system if swollowing while breathing etc.
It was after this we used to dampen down the floor enough while sweeping and changed the style of sweeping strokes if we couldn't.

Although my own father never after many years of working in mines in the UK suffered this fate Black Lung Disease

So please for your own safety and others who maybe about, use a mask for your own protection. Ask others to use one or move well away from the area until the dust settles.




Raymond Sanderson

Boot Scootin Baby

I recently had Dot, a friend come over for a morning of felting. We had both been to a day class at Casula Powerhouse. I had been to a couple of felting workshops taught by Joan Fisher, founder of the Fairfield Spinners, Weavers & Dyers Guild and author of Exoploring Felting. Joan's methods differed somewhat from those employed at the Casula Powerhouse so I wanted to share my experiences with Dot.
Since Dot's grandson will be turning one in May, it was decided that a pair of slippers would be just the project to undertake.

Dot already had a good idea of what was required as far as laying down the fibres was concerned. It was just a matter of how thick each one had to be and the correct order in which to put them down. We used bubblewrap as the resist and made both slippers at once.A slippery soap solution was used to get the felting process underway. This is where the kitchen sink comes into its own. There was no need for bamboo blinds, or metres of bubblewrap to felt.Just rubbing the slippers in the draining board allows the fibre to begin felting while you can insect the progress at any time. It also means that if somehow you have added too much soapy water it will just drain away without any mess on the floor. Within a very short time Dot had something which almost resembled two slippers joined together at the top. Cutting them apart. one slipper was worked on a t a time. The hardest part was getting them both the same size and shape. However the end result was a pair of slippers Dot is proud to show off and that hopefully Matthew will enjoy wearing. The slippers now have a bell on the toes of each slipper.

The Scent of Rosewood

Open the workshop/garage door and the scent of Rosewood is hard to miss with making the 3 tier stand. I picked up more Rosewood from Boutique Timbers down at Kiama Wood show a nice size slab from which I hand cut another 14" blank for another platter.

 Similar to the middle platter of the three tier one this is roughed down, a little more shaping to do yet.

The Woodfast 4" chuck its mounted on I picked up at Hare & Forbes/Machinery House last Novemeber during their 3 day sale. I have not found any problem with it, no run out or vibration etc. Its ease of operation with it 4" jaws and single T-bar tool make it effortless mounting work.  The design of the dovetail jaws is excellent and holding power with even a small dovetail mortise.

Old Grinder to New Tool

I obtained this old 6" bench grinder which was my father in laws who passed away a few years ago. This has now become a tool for forming ornamental cuts on turned articles. The base was removed and changed to operate the machine in the opposite direction. A good friend Ken machined up a shaft 4" with a 1/2" internal dia to hold 3 differnent size cutter heads (very much like long bore shafts on a machine lathe). The 4" may seem excessive with the addittion of the cutter head it will give me a versatile set up.

 The two cutting head shwon here take 3/16 HHS tools Ken also made up a step down one to take 1/8" HSS. The fit of the extention shaft is tight with no play and no out of balance with the fly type cutter head attached. Thanks Ken for time effort and a great job.

Platters That Matter Dry Fit.

Jumping between jobs is something I do often especially when waiting for glue or stains to dry or as a break which gives my body a change and stops cramping.

Between the spinning wheel and the Three Tier stand its been interesting especially the odours of Rosewood and stain mixes for the spinning wheel.

This is a dry fit to see how things look and wht may need changing if anything. Sure enough the second teir column was out of proportion so an alteration was required.

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.