-
Wood Finish 1. Polish
Deciding what wood finish to use can be a bit of a minefield. There are a lot of different things to take into consideration. The wood finish that brings out the figuring, refraction of the light, etc. best is a polish but this tends to be quite shiny which isn’t to everyone’s taste. It is also not very waterproof or very tough. However, if it is scratched it is easy to re-polish. Varnish is the toughest wood finish which is why it is used for yachts but this is a coating on the surface of the wood rather than going into it and if it gets scratched the whole finish…
-
Milling Wood Problems.
Milling wood for furniture or wood turning is an interesting experience. The bark of a tree can hid many secrets. Obviously becoming more experienced means I can see subtle clues but there is not always anything showing on the bark after many years or decades. Sometimes milling wood and lifting up the plank reveals the most beautiful figuring that wasn’t expected. Then the excitement grows with each cut. Sometimes there can be disappointments – a nasty area where a dead branch has spoiled otherwise good wood or a rotten area, even a whole section that is hollow. One old Sycamore had a pink area in the middle that was very…
-
Physicians of Myddfai
The Physicians of Myddfai were very real people even if their mother was a legend (see my ‘Lady of the Lake’ blog). Welsh Herbal Medicine by David Hoffmann says “Rhiwallon and his sons first became physicians to Rhys Gryg who gave them rank, lands and privileges at Myddfai. Their fame soon spread and their services were in demand throughout the country. The descendants of this ancient family continued to practice medicine in Wales without a break until the middle of the 18th century, when the last lineal descendant died in 1743. The late Rice Williams M.D. of Aberystwyth, who died in 1842, appears to have been the last of the…
-
Lady of the Lake
The Lady of the Lake is a fascinating legend which can be traced back to ancient times. The Lady of the Lake is said to be mother of the Physicians of Myddfai whose manuscripts include work on medicine ie. herbs as well as anatomy, physiology, surgery and pathology. The farms named are still in existance. This version of the legend is taken from “Myths and Legends of Wales” retold by Tony Roberts and available from Abercastle Publications. A farmer who died fighting for Welsh freedom at the end of the 12th century left a widow who then farmed at Blaensawdde near Llanddeusant. In time her stock increased and she had…
-
Myddfai Community Hall
Myddfai is a wonderful place, steeped in history and legend and lying on the edge of Y Mynydd Du (the Black Mountain) part of the beautiful Brecon Beacons. There is a legend of the Lady of Llyn-y-Fan Fach and her sons who became the Physicians of Myddfai. I will write more about them in another blog. It is also where Prince Charles has his Welsh home. A charity was founded in 1964 to run the village hall. Myddfai Ty Talcen Charity has since developed and expanded and encourages community participation in a range of different ways from social and recreational to welfare and educational opportunities. A few years ago Myddfai…
-
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…
-
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.…
-
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…
-
Lathe Safety
As someone who has worked on lathes for many years thinking about lathe safety is second nature to me. I know I’ll be off work for a long time with a broken finger and I’d never be so good with only one eye. Also, I heard of a young woman who was killed when her hair got caught in a lathe. You can read the full story here . It was interesting introducing the lathe safety to someone and verbalising what I instinctively practice. So, when I was showing Phil how to turn his first bowls I made sure that he was aware of the basic lathe safety rules. For anyone…
-
Wood Turning -My First Experience
Guest Blog I had a happy few days visiting Roni a couple of weeks ago in beautiful West Wales. We have been friends for years. Rather rashly, she offered to show me wood turning and so how to make a bowl. I say rashly because I am not a practical sort of person. DIY is a form of torture to me and making something from scratch is a concept I have never understood, let alone embraced! The first thing that Roni said was that lathe safety is paramount when wood turning. The lathe turns the blank at a 800 revolutions per minute (0r more!) and the wood is taken off…