New sycamore spoons
April 2, 2016
Kitchen Countertop
January 31, 2016
Beautiful beech from Wales full of character.
After planing them all ‘ dead straight’ which is not an easy task with such long length 3.25 metre, I started gluing them with domino joints, one at the time so I could give it my full attention, I was very pleased with the result.
The beautiful grain of the wood after a bit of sanding to 120 grit.
I added a piece of cross wood to the end grain, that prevents the board from splitting, just better.
Routing the opening for the Belfast sink.
Routing the drainage, I also cut a water drip under the drainage to stop water drips from staying under the countertop.
I sanded the countertop back to 0000 steel wool in the end, added 6 layers of finishing oil with in between smoothly going with steel wool with the direction of the grain. I applied 2 coats of boat lacquer on the underside.
Welsh cawl spoons
January 15, 2016
This is a cherry spoon there is one more cherry in the photo’s the others are sycamore.
These spoons are authentic to Wales each family member had it’s own personal favourite spoon they where used for eating cawl that is a chunky soup like broth. The bowls are about 79mm wide the handles 220mm long.
Shadow- box table
January 25, 2015
I was asked if I could make a table as display for a ‘flag’, glass on top, coffee table height.
It would look terrible if I just make a table with four legs box on top- glass -red flag shining through, I started to look in books for ideas, when my eye felt on low stools with cushions on top, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
Great that’s it.
I used ash it had a soft roze color in it, it fitted well with the red flag.
The stands are three heavy pieces of ash, cross-slotted together no screws not glued.
I gave it adjustable feet to make sure it will be stable on any floor.
The frame is screwed into inserts on 6 points easy to take apart.
For the Finnish I made two mixtures, first linseed oil /raw tung oil/ urethane varnish semi gloss, add that four times. Than a mixture of linseed/ raw tung oil and two hands shredded bees wax warmed up. Very very nice that is what Sam Maloof uses on his beautiful chairs.
Single bed
June 4, 2013
It is based on the Shaker style which I love, I used the oak as fine as it could be and built it strong with decent joints, simple and elegant. Start with the four legs first cut the mortises all the same height from the bottom.
Next is turning
The legs for the head end are to long to put in my lathe, cut just above the square bit turn first then drill a hole in the top then turn top piece with on the end a round pen and glue them together.
Glue them together, clamp.
Had to cut slots in the round top parts without cutting in the ball at the top and a slot in the rail-
to fit in the oak boards these are the head and feet ends, the boards are not glued they need to be free for expanding or/ and shrinking otherwise they would split and crack. Only the mortise and tenons from rail and square leg parts are glued together.
By cutting the board corners I followed the curve of the balls.
You can take the bed apart by taken out eight beautiful silicon bronze slotted round head bolts, you have to peek in the holes to see them, it had to be the right ones.
Toilet seat
April 15, 2013
About 17 years ago I made a whole series of toilet seats used different woods and tried out different designs, I made one with a lid ( I swapped that one with an electrician for having electric done in the workspace). and one with a lid that was a smaller children seat. I think my sister had that one when her kids where small . Simple shape’s made out of very nice but not a lot of material, This time I used air dried Welsh oak, made a template from the shape of the toilet itself to give the seat a perfect customize fit.
Planing the oak boards
Glue a rough toilet seat shape
Sand
With the jigsaw I cut it out leaving it a bit to big
This is after routing with the template, I will use the belt sander to sand the last wobbles out, I want a tied shape.
This is the first time that I placed the hooks on the far outside, that will make the seat more stable. I marked the holes of the toilet onto the template.
The hinge holders glued and the holes drilled, have to round the underside of the hinge holders, so that the seat can go up.
Rounded edges
Few layers of tung oil.
Perfect fit
Made sure that all of the rubber feet touch the toilet when it is down I do not want to much tension on the hinge holders.
You might fancy one for yourself just contact me by e-mail and make it possible, I love making them they are very comfortable and just lovely.
Tall gate continue
November 17, 2012
It’s about a year ago that I made the ‘tall gate’ for Jackie Morris, in the mean while Tamsin Abbott has been working very hard on all the glass pieces to fill the open spaces in the gate and the wall parts, still a few to come. For me about time to finally finish it all start with the frames and get it out there.
Start with the top of the door frame, make strong keys to join the four part together that would form the rounded shape.
Finished joint
Drill the square mortices
Checking the fit on the door
Frame parts for wall pieces, the pieces will sit between vertical framework.
Boss Tilly is watching me closely
The sill that sits on the wall is sloping to both sides for rain water to flow of with waterdrip on the undersides.
The wall parts went to Tamsin and are back in my workshop with all the glass work in, one by one I am getting them in place on the sill.
Have to be very careful handling them
Checking out the wonky wall a day before coming with all the framework that means one sleepless night thinking how!?
Ffion helps me out.
Good luck with all the screws we put in
We just needed a few points where wood touch stone put screws in there, the rest gets filled up with stone and cement. It feels really strong all together very firm , happy with that.
Jackie also happy and excited.
Ffion is rendering the spaces between frame and wall, lead connects and protects the top of the wall parts.
The hinges are hand made by a blacksmith, there are still a few glass works to come from Tamsin.
Oak door handles
April 3, 2012
I cut the shape, out of welsh brown oak, on the bandsaw. Worked it futher on the upsidedown beltsander, with my carving knife I worked on the inside corners, then I used fine sandpaper and tung oil. Used the morticer for the square hole where the shaft pen goes. Now I want to find bronze round head slotted screws to hold the back plates on the door.
There is no door to put them on yet, I just wanted to make them it’s great fun, so there will be many more.
Spoon
March 22, 2012
I sanded this one and finished it with tung oil.
The first three spoons
March 22, 2012
I find all this wood next to the road, with a pruning saw in the back of my car driving slow on the back roads looking out for wood that has been cut and left, this is sycamore and hawthorn. The small spoon in the front is my favorite I use it every day when I have my porridge.
a woodwork 