Saturday 26 January 2013

Right. Lunch time but making up a load of light pull blanks ready toshape. Will have a bout 40 ready to go. Walnut, oak, ash and maple. Must try and so some a nit different and unusual. Post some when finished.

Friday 25 January 2013



Last couple of days I have been building up stock of hair sticks and shawl pins. These are some of them. Hardest part was getting the darn things up into my shop Seems to take forever tagging, labelling etc etc etc Really need to make lots of money so I can employ someone to do the boring things while I can enjoy myself in the workshop making things LOL. Ah well we can all dream can't we

Tuesday 22 January 2013

These are a collaboration: I made the sticks and my partner added the beads. 
First one is walnut with a faceted fluorite bead, second is ebonised oak with an artisan lampwork bead and third is walnut with a copper bead. 
Don't half sound posh put like that dunnit LOL 




Monday 21 January 2013

And a few more done this afternoon. One shawl pin sold and possibly a hair pin. The rings are laburnum with an ash and a tulipwood pin. The hair sticks are two beech and a walnut one.


Something a bit different, for me at least. Asking what would be good to make and (hopefully) popular it was suggested that I make shawl pins and hair sticks. These are my first attempts at them. The sticks and the circular parts of the shawl pins are made from walnut, the pins for the shawl pins are oak. Have some ideas for more fancy hairsticks ala japanese style, watch this space.


Saturday 19 January 2013

Been busy getting some photos together and up into my Artfire shop today. Several pieces I have done recently that needed to go up. Will also need to raid all my stockand see what else as  have got way behind and expecting people to buy things that aren't in the sjhop is perhaps a little silly LOL.
These are table centres for weddings or dinner parties. I got glass vases in the centre so that cut flowers can be put into them. The dished areas around are filled with potential wedding favours. Finger tops and keyrings in this case but it could be whatever is required, sweets, confetti, nuts whatever. The first two are made from walnut and the third from an unknown wood I sourced from a gardener.



Friday 18 January 2013





Snow everywhere, really beautiful. Makes the world soft and quiet. My workshop is right next door so no problems getting to it. Glad I did the shopping yesterday as the roads are pretty much at a standstill especially up the hill. Doesn't take much to bring the country to a halt does it LOL

Thursday 17 January 2013

Had a couple of reasonably productive days in the workshop making some table centre pieces. Designed for weddings or fomal dinner parties they have a glass in the centre for cut flowers with a bowl surround for eithe wedding favours or things like nuts, sweetrs etc etc. Two re made from walnut and one from an unknown wood courtesy iof the gardener. They all measure just over 7" diameter.


Also playing with a vase I made some time ago but wasn't too happy with. Have made a foot for it in walnut, still not totally satisfied with the shape of the foot, think it needs to be a bit wider at the bottom.

Wednesday 16 January 2013

Pretty cold here in Wiltshire today but a lovely sunny day and dry!!!!!!!. It's warm enough in the workshop however so not too bad. I am building up stock with Valentines day in mind as well as some table centres for weddings etc. I'll post a picture later. Doing a bit of cleaning up as well. I have a few pieces that have got a bit battered taking back and for to shows and markets that need some TLC. I really need to be more careful of my stock when packing. I want to make some little ring boxes as well. Got the general idea in my head but need to sort out the best and quickest way to make them to keep costs down. Got a load of walnut that should be big enough and will look really classy.

Tuesday 15 January 2013

A beautiful sunny day albeit below zero. At least it isn't raining and we don't have snow here ...yet. A new commission in, fairly simple so shouldn't take too long. 32 candle style light holders to go on a chandelier for a church. Nothing like a bit of variety. One thing about doing woodturning professorially and full-time is that you never know what you are going to be asked to make. Over the last couple of years I have had quite an odd assortment.
This was something that seemed simple but had to be made very specifically to the customers specs. It is a handle for a martial arts sword. Must have got it right as he came back for another one later in a different wood.

This was one of two large goblets (both now sold) that i made before Christmas. They each held a litre of whatever took your fancy. The bottle shows the size of them. 

Right....back to the dust and shavings factory LOL.

Monday 14 January 2013

Good morning world. Today is a prep day, probably make a few bits and pieces to relieve the boredom though. I have six oak medieval goblets to make and as I make them in green oak I need to rough them out and leave to settle. If they split I fill the splits with brass as in the one here. Sometimes they warp as well so the top of the goblet/chalice becomes more oval shape adding to the 'old' look of it. Quite popular with those involved in medieval banquets and re-enactments.I hope that these as well as platters and other things I make will be picked up more by these people as it would be a good way of increasing my customer base. They normally sell for about £25 depending on how much work is involved. Some of the more fancy ones such as the one below are a bit more work therefore more money.

Sunday 13 January 2013

Right. I must get my act together and use this blog properly. Not very good at New Years resolutions but as I really need to get my business off the ground properly I must discipline myself.
Right. Gird your loins Pete LOL.
This is something very different. I make a lot of crafting tools but ws approached by someone who wanted a tool that was a combination of a Niddy noddy, a nostepinne, a drop spindle with three separate whorls and which also had a WPI 9wraps per inch gauge on it. This was the result. It was also specified that it should be in purple heart. After a couple of revised designs we agreed on on e and this ws the result. Customer is happy with it via email. Hopefully will still be happy when she recieves it. LOL
 This is the tool as a niddy noddy, all parts assembled


This is it broken down into it's separate components.