Tuesday 30 March 2010

Something more arty






I had some firewood that looked as though it had interesting grain in it, had a bit of a play and this came out of it. The shell is not going to stay when it's up for sale as the general consensus is that it isn't right. It (the hollow form) is 7" tall and 5" max. diameter.



Tuesday 16 March 2010

Something a bit different

This is a couronne stick I made for someone. It is graduated into 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4mm steps and is used in Habedo embroidery  (a Danish style open cut work)

Saturday 13 March 2010

Ethical wood

Many of the most beautiful woods come from South America or Africa. Some are in fact endangered species and should never really find their way onto the market. Some such as Honduras Rosewood and African blackwood do appear occasionally as does Spanish Mahogany. It is difficult to really ascertain what is or isn't endangered so personally I tend to use wood that is native the the UK or is common in gardens. Perhaps of equal ethical consideration though is the use of rubber wood, commonly found in wooden objects in supermarkets and euphemistically often sold as environmentally farmed. What they don't tell you is that the farms have often supplanted the farms of the locals who are reduced to having to work for the corporations that are growing the rubber. If you are buying any wooden objects don't be afraid to ask where the wood comes from as some turners such as myself use a lot of recycled wood and offcuts from other products. Anything turned in this country has probably been made by someone who loves wood and is unique as well as environmentally sound but ask all the same. Have a look at the work you see in a craft fair or gallery and compare it to those that you see in supermarkets and see the difference.

Something different

I have neglected my lathe the last 2 days and had a go at something different. I was asked to make some garden sculpture but, not being at all artistic I couldn't see me doing a full size statue in wood so have had a go at something slightly different. Pictures to follow when completed.

Friday 12 March 2010

Old habits die hard

My favourite work is doing pieces made from wood that others may well reject. This is a case in example. It's the sort of work I always used to do before having to earn money from it, these make people go" Ooh" and "Aah" but not "here's the money" This is made from a piece of wood I found half buried in the garden. Full of knots and twisted grain

Monday 8 March 2010

Playing with design

 
This started out to be a goblet then ended up looking like this. I have been advised to call it a chalice. It's 10" tall, 4" diameter and made of Leylandii.

Wednesday 3 March 2010

International Drop spindles



I was asked by a spinner on a forum if I could make a Russian drop spindle. The three without whorls are these and I also did a Thai one as well. I am going to have a look at the different styles and make up some of as many as I can find. Apparently the Russian ones are similar to the spindles used for spinning yarn for Orenberg Lace. Amazing what you learn doing woodturning :smile2:
These are 12" long and made of hawthorn and mahogany. The whorl on the Thai one is fixed. The Russian style are supported in use in a small bowl like the one above.



Pete