wood craft
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My Milling Band Saw
I have two different types of saws that I use for converting tree trunks into planks, a milling attachment for a powerful chainsaw and this large band saw. Hopefully I shall make some videos in the future showing them working. For very large trunks, or if they are somewhere other than home I use the milling chainsaw which I’ll describe in another blog. If the wood is small enough and at home I have the band-saw. This was originally designed for sawing metal but has been adapted now to saw wood. Most milling band-saws do the moving through the wood and are portable, which has its advantages. With this one…
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Ceredigion Craft Makers
When I first started turning wood I was caring for my partner’s mother who had dementia. This meant that my time was committed so, no craft fairs, craft groups or co-operatives who rent a shop where I would have to be able to donate my time on a regular basis. So all my work was sold through shops and galleries. I am no longer caring for someone so I am now free to sell in whatever way I choose and a couple of months ago I joined Ceredigion Craft Makers. It is a mixed group promoting and selling various quality crafts in different venues within the county throughout the year.…
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I Try My Hand at Wood Carving!
I have mentioned my friend Paul Clarke, the sculptor. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to go on a day wood carving workshop he was holding. I was not about to lose this chance to try my hand at wood carving. I loved it. It was wonderful working with wood but in a different discipline. I decided not to try a three dimensional piece, but a relief. I felt that this would give me the opportunity to use a number of different wood carving tools. I also felt that if I could get to grips with this discipline there also seemed more chance I would do something again with…
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Laburnum Tea Lights
Had a lovely morning in the workshop turning a couple of branches of Laburnum into Tea lights. Christmas is coming. I know, autumn is only just here but in business one needs to think ahead! This Laburnum came from trimming around the electricity wires. Keeping them clear is essential work. They are only branches so the trees will still be growing. I’ve had them for years so they are very dry which is important for the tea-lights because a large bulk of wood is still left. If it was turned green/fresh it could crack or shrink badly. The sapwood has a little spalting in it. Spalting is where fungus has…
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Paul Clarke, Sculptor, Woodcraft
Paul Clarke is equally skilled working with stone or wood and luckily for me he is also a friend of mine. It is through our common interest in wood that I know him. He has bought wood off me before or I have known of someone who could supply the right wood for a project. Paul has made pieces at my places before as I have ample space outdoors. Of course I jumped at the chance to see him in action. He is working on a big project at the moment – a huge chair to go outdoors at Cardigan Castle for when it opens to the public next year. The castle…
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Laburnum in Ceredigion
Laburnum hedges turn great swathes of this area yellow in May. Some roads become golden tunnels. Field after field are surrounded by branches dripping with Golden Chains. I don’t know that it is true but the story that I was told when I was young growing up in this area is that the Laburnum came here in the 1860s from Spain. It was used as ballast and was then used as cheap fencing posts. It took root. There are many hedges where the Laburnum trees are about 9′ (3m) apart which is just the right distance for fencing. Ceredigion was one of the last areas to be enclosed (the process…