Talk From The Timber

Nest Building

2012-01-29T15:47:00.000Z

Mrs Brian has me on nest building duties, no shed for a while it's colour charts and lots of paint and some new doors to hang. I quite like painting its nice and quiet, so no chair for a bit ,but its not going to run away:)

And It Goes Like This

2012-01-22T21:06:00.000Z

I made a little time for the shed today, and worked on my chair, mentioned a few posts back. I cut some joints and put together two frames dry at the moment, these make up the backrest and the back and front legs . Bracing will be the next part that I think about, I then faked up what it might look like, take a gander :)

Tapping Into Tree's

2012-01-20T21:19:00.001Z

Blogger has been playing up this week for me I'm unable to read any comments at the moment. Anyway On a walk this afternoon around the loch and along the canal. I came across some huge tree's blown down by the gales a fortnight ago. These tree's were 100's of years old so they have grown through many changes in our town. When we had a working quarry ,tanneries,4 sawmills,paper mills and lots workshops, when they were only sapling's.

Now they lay on their sides one in the canal and more the edge of Linlithgow Loch. It would be good if you could tap into the tree's and take out the years of history that they were the back drop for. Here's a shot of what you see in our town along with yes you guessed it Tree's:)

When The Wind Blows

2012-01-13T20:20:00.001Z

I had a walk through the wood's this week to take a look at the storm damage. There were plenty tops torn from tree's particularly Scots Pine. Many of the huge sitka spruce had their foundation's ripped from the earth

The pictures show some of the safer area's, other part's are a lot worse and common sense prevails, as a tree can hang in the branches of his kin but for how long. Could be minutes day's or years, So its best to keep out of the way. Lots of big timber that was planted during WW1 was whipped and pushed until roots broke free from their mooring's sending them down to rest in their own cast needles :)

In Stitches

2012-01-07T20:20:00.000Z

I was in the shed today for a few hour's planing and smoothing out parts for the chair I'm building. One half of the back rest has a split in it, so after a bit of pondering whether or not to find something else. I decided to make some big staples and strengthen it up, so I bent some wire in the vice just using the hammer. Then I tapped the staple and drilled small pilot holes in the dimples before driving them home. Now the split looks like it has been stitched, this gives this chair an unusual quirk :)

New Year New Chair

2011-12-30T13:24:00.001Z

The weather has been pretty grim throughout the Christmas holiday's wet and windy then. Very wet and very windy, along with the gales and torrential rain you get the idea its been pretty wet. No wandering in the woods or biking So I dug out some Elm and oak, and cut some parts for a chair I have the blueprints in my head at the moment so you will be watching the various stages shortly.

So this year is now coming to a close and a new one just round the corner.I wish all the followers and friends of Talk From The Timber a very happy and healthy new year in 2012:):)

Alone in the Wilderness - Dick Proenneke, A True MGHOW

2011-12-29T17:07:00.003Z

I posted part of this recently ,now here is the full length version of , One Mans Wilderness ,with even more of the cabin building. More of the wonderful wooden door hinges, along with making furniture and the odd spoon and bowl, and showing his everyday life out in the wilds of Alaska this is well worth an hour of your time. So stick the kettle on and enjoy it :)

Christmas Rose

2011-12-24T13:13:00.000Z

A few week's ago we had snow and after the past couple of years I thought we would have snow for Christmas. But now the temp is around 10c during the day, and these warmer temperatures have stirred a little rose bud in my garden and it opened this week just in time for Christmas.Here it is on Christmas eve and I hope all my friends and followers from (Talk From The Timber) have a very merry Christmas :)

Alone in the Wilderness

2011-12-18T21:30:00.001Z

This really has to be one of my hero's, this guy is a legend .He lived alone in Alaska for many years taking only what he needed and wasting nothing. I have read two books that started as his diaries.These are well worth reading, One Man's Wilderness An Alaskan Odyssey and More Readings From One Man's Wilderness. Take a look this guy is inspirational:) I just found out how to add video's clever stuff:)

Ben's Mill: An Excerpt

2011-12-18T21:15:00.001Z

Here's a fantastic bit of film that show's an old water powered Wood Mill in vermont .Where Ben made his living,working metal and wood making a multitude of items. There are some amazing machines in his workshop, which is now a museum, well worth taking a look at :)

Opened up

2011-12-16T20:34:00.002Z

I cut in and the noise from the saw told me the timber was sound, when the slab fell away. I was well chuffed, with the nice hard dark coloured heartwood, with all the holes in them.
I had thought the Ash logs might be a tad rotten, there was a little bit of rot,

but these perished parts just add to the character of this windfall Ash:)

Windfall

2011-12-11T13:07:00.001Z

On thursday we had a storm, which brought down trees and damaged property. I passed a fallen ash tree that had blown over a road, later when I passed again it was sawn up and made safe .I had a look and saw a couple of 3' long chunks so I stopped and picked up two 10" chunks with creamy coloured sapwood and a green-brown heartwood nice! These will be sawn up ito slabs for stools and chairs . This wood would be left to rot a the side of the road or maybe firewood at best:)

Maybe

2011-12-05T20:29:00.000Z

Its back! not as much as this time last year, but maybe a little taster of another white christmas . For the third year in a row:)

Three From Trees

2011-12-02T19:34:00.001Z

I dabbled with a few stools over this past week, two have oak seats with hazel legs . The other is the spalted beech stool with rowan legs that was shown in a recent post . You can see how the oil can bring the the wood to life, this really shows off all the beautiful variations in the timber. Here they are with the natural look that I love :)

Treasure Chest

2011-11-23T20:22:00.000Z

I finished another small chest complete with my new favourite wooden hinges. This little chest used up the last of the spalted beech boards , some bits of apple wood were shaped into hinges. Here it is all dull and dusty, then oiled up showing off the wild grain pattern this is a place to store lifes little treasures:)

Looking For A Stable

2011-11-19T14:10:00.004Z

On the last post I had started some hobby horses . Over the past couple of days I finished them off ,here they are ready to find a little stable to call home.

I also selected some Rowan(mountain ash) to use for legs , on the spalted beech stool top that I shaped in the previous post. I figured out the angle for the legs by eye, then set up a sliding bevel for a reference for boring the holes. Once I was happy with them I then marked them, and cut a slot in each leg for a wedge. Which tightens the joint along with the glue when you tap the leg in place. After a dry run I pondered a bit and decided to add some random bracing , this is scribed to fit the legs with my spoon carving knife. Here it is so far:)

Three Horses And Tools For Jon

2011-11-11T20:30:00.001Z

I managed to get into the shed this afternoon ,I started cutting out three heads for hobby horses. Then they got tidied up and a little detail carved into them .All they need now is a darker coloured timber plug for their eyes along with some nice reins and some little rough riders to find them on Christmas morning. A chunk of spalted Beech was pulled out of the pile and I started shaping this for a stool top as I was there anyway and the chunk needed to be something you know how it goes. Jon here are the tools you asked about, here's what I use for making spoons and bowls,I hope this helps:)

Remember

2011-11-10T19:49:00.001Z

The Canadian Forestry Battalion was mentioned today on a blog that I follow. Remember all the forces in the past and present that gave and give us what we have today. Here are the cap badges of two timber regiments stationed in Scotland, to provide timber for the frontline :)

Check The Depth

2011-11-06T14:53:00.000Z

With Christmas around the corner I was out in the shed a bit making some gifts. I finished off the cedar bowl,and started another along with working on a second spalted beech chest a bit smaller than the first this time. Here's how they are coming along, checking the depth of the bowl as its all to easy to get carried away with nice sharp tools. Only to find your bowl with a view through its base.

Board And Bowl

2011-10-30T20:32:00.001Z

I smoothed a piece of cedar board today for future use with a favorite spokeshave, my old brass macrome that is a really treasured tool.

With of a thicker lump of the cedar, I attacked this with my little curved adze. And started a bowl once I got down to the depth I wanted ,I then tidied up the inside with a couple of spoon knives. It still needs to be finished off but here it is so far :)

Whats A Young Turkey Called ?

2011-10-23T20:23:00.001+01:00

I wandered around a little farm this afternoon the usual suspects were in the fields, but the birds were making lots of noise. A golden Rooster was crowing away to his hens. Winding up the Turkeys next door, I asked Matthew what a young turkey is called . He smiled and said a turkling, I laughed for ages. We got to see some younger Hens in a shed they will be let outside when they get a bit bigger. And a pure white dove hid up in the roof space I wondered if he knows what a turkling is :)

The Scent Of Cedar

2011-10-16T19:56:00.000+01:00

I've started to prepare a top for a kind of (bable) bench come table.
This timber is Cedar of Lebanon. I wish you could scratch your screen and catch the scent of spice, this aromatic timber gives off. Its not very forgiving it tends to tear where the grain swirls around but skewing the plane or spokeshave sorts this out . Here it is getting smoothed out a bit and a few tools that can help :)

Spalted Beech Chest And Jewellery Box

2011-10-10T20:05:00.003+01:00

After a couple of months I finally finished the chest along with the jewellery box that side tracked me, Spalted Beech is beautiful stuff its ideal for these kind of projects. I'm pretty chuffed at how they both turned out here's the chest with its wooden strap hinges and waney front edges with the first coat of finish.

And the little chunky jewellery box with a more wedge shape style of hinge. The wooden hinges are great, they really work a treat. I still have two Beech boards left so I should manage at least one more with wooden hinges of course :)

Oh yes! Mrs Brian loves her new jewellery box so the hinges have passed her test:)

Fruit, Wire And Water

2011-10-06T20:50:00.001+01:00

Plump bright fruits adorn the the bushes and tree's high on the river bank, here are some Elder berries and Brambles that I passed on my travels .

Other things caught my eye when I was out along the river the other day . Like some line wire and barb that had seen better days, stapled to a couple of old rickety fence posts. And the same wires that were tacked into a tree. The sawyers scourge, metal in a tree, but if you can find it before the saw does it might have left some nice blue trails in the grain. I have cut many logs, that kind people have used to fix their fence wires into. Or maybe a sign with some nice big nails after a few years the sign fall's off and the nails are hidden by the bark ready and waiting for the sawyer who has just put on a nice sharp blade that's me !

And finally the autumn river catching the last of the sun ,along with the driftwood lodged into the roots of a riverbank Sycamore in recent storms all bleached and weathered waiting for the next flood water to send them further on their journey:)

Wooden What

2011-09-30T22:03:00.003+01:00

I tested my skills a little this week and made up some wooden hinges for the chest and jewelery box .I had searched for wrought iron hinges but decided that I should try out wooden ones , as after reading one of my favourite books One Man's Wilderness Richard Proenneke. I always wanted to give wooden hinges a try after seeing the ones he made for his cabin. So here's my take on the wooden hinge, no pins yet they are just put together for the pictures:)

A New Day

2011-09-30T21:28:00.001+01:00

I wake up early every morning quietly leave and try not to wake the house, anyway on my way to work . The sun was waking over the horizon a burning pool of light,giving us a touch of an indian summer for a few days .No red sky in the morning sailors warning this week.

I took a walk into the woods with owls hooting to each other and little birds singing in the new day. I thought to myself how lucky I am to see and hear these things on a daily basis. To look to the skies and see dawn in all its glory:)

A Little Tip

2011-09-25T20:27:00.000+01:00

I have some small bits of spalted beech left from the chest that I have been making. So I cut them up for a little surprise jewelery box for all the jewels, Mrs Brian reckons I should buy for her.

This week I took a few pictures of stellite tipped saws that we use on the multi cut at work, these tips give a better finish on pickets and boards. And they also prolong the life of the saw blades as these hardened tips do most of the work, and they look neat in the pictures :)

Driving Me Bananas

2011-09-20T19:50:00.002+01:00

I was set up to take the first slab off, but when I started the cut it pinched hard, slowing the bandsaw right down until, it was smoking with the fricton . But after thumping in a wedge it was free ,this happens now and then but todays problem log was a wind blown tree. How do I know this through many years of problem logs! The ends of the log won't reveal much if there's dirt and dust but when its clean and first cut this would be more apparent. When the first slab fall's away if its a wind blown tree a dark line of moisture will show up along one edge.

This line of moisture shows up when a tree is blown down in a storm, the downward side of the tree is still being fed by the roots .If this is left for a long time before being cut off at the stump, lots of tension starts building up along the underside of the tree. Which causes severe deviation when cutting.

Luckily this was a small log so not to much time was wasted, from sticks like this ,banana and corkscrew timber is likely to be cut . And yes I'm getting used to this new computer :)

Help

2011-09-19T19:14:00.000+01:00

My old computer breathed his last breathe a week ago so I've been trying to grips with a new one :)

Setting Up

2011-09-10T21:54:00.000+01:00

We had a mixed load of logs delivered this week Spruce and Douglas Fir so I stuck a few of the Douglas Fir on the log deck . The scent from this timber is very fruity when its freshly cut, a good Sawyer should know timbers their timbers by scent along with sight.
I was fortunate to be taught my trade by a knowledgeable old Sawyer ,we worked on an old band rack together all the setting up was by hand including rolling in the logs, now I work a band mill with set works .
The set works control the settings for the dimensions of the timber but I punch them in, the human element is still with us. Bigger sawmills now scan their logs, then the computer sets the sizes for cutting.
Back when I first started on the band rack the sawyer would ask me to draw on the end of the log the all the parts we would cut for timber and what would be waste. And this helps me to this day, to make sure we have low waste and higher recovery of timber from the raw materials (logs).
Here are are some shots of the Douglas Fir being cut,from the band mill to boards:)

Early Blaze

2011-09-05T21:16:00.000+01:00

Lots of sanding on the Beech chest I've been working on this past weekend, and searching for some nice old style hinges. I found a few sites that supply the kind of thing im after so hopefully it will be finished soon.

And Here's a bit of this year's early autumn show from the supermarket carpark :)

Don't Tell Anyone

2011-08-29T20:01:00.001+01:00

Loading the log deck is one of my favourite jobs at work , I drive the tractor up to the stacks and select the timber that best suits our cutting list. Then wrestle the logs on to the trailer with the crane .At the sawmill the logs are placed on the log deck, this has a three chain feed , this feed takes the logs inside the sawmill then on to the carriage. Anyway here I am loading up sitka spruce its tough but someones got to do it!! :)

Saddled Up

2011-08-28T13:50:00.000+01:00

The hobby horses and the dragons are now finished ,complete their with leather reins and brass tacks.
I have enjoyed making these four guys, just from scrap really some dusty old oak and some hazel that was to thin for using for legs on stools.
The only new materials are leather and some brass upholstery tacks .I think that one of these four guys will put a big smile on a little face, and that's what really counts :)

Chest ,Sticks In Horses, And Oh Yes A Mink

2011-08-23T21:52:00.005+01:00

At the weekend I worked a bit on the spalted beech chest I put it together to see how it would look with a dry run no glue yet. The wild spalted grain really stands out. I also put hazel sticks in the hobby horses and dragons I found some nice soft leather for the reins.

On another note imagine cycling along a canal and seeing a wake rippling the water, and catching a glimpse. Of a chocolate Mink that was trying to cross the Avon aqueduct, but then think back to leaving the kitchen checking the camera and oh! the battery lights flashing, better get moving in case it rains.
So I left it behind, nothing would crop up on my travels. Anyway the Mink slowed up when he realised I was no threat, he slowed down and showed off a bit diving then rising, then when he could leave the water he got out shook himself.And made a great silhouette on top of the bank, only the second mink I've ever saw.
The first one ran through the yard of a Sawmill that I ran a few years back but this one I got a good look at. Mink are not a native to the UK and are classed as vermin. They were bred in fur farms a long time ago and either escaped or were released by protesters .They can do a lot of damage and have a reputation as ferocious killers but I was pleased to get a good look at him. But I still wished I had the patience to change the batteries as there was only 8' between us . Third time lucky maybe! I think I'll wait a long time to see another one of these secretive characters :)

A Tree And Two Roses

2011-08-20T22:00:00.000+01:00

Matthew and I hung out for a while today walking in the woods, we found a huge Beech tree. Matthew thought this was a cool place for a clamber around, these big beech trees all seem to struggle with many diseases in the trunk and branches and this one had a lot of dead brittle roots .So no way it could stand up to a recent gale so it gave up its foundations and let the wind tear it from the ground .,

A wild rose at the side of the road caught my eye, vivid pink in the summer grasses. And back at home a climbing rose that I planted a few weeks ago, has flowered this weekend, so I was pleased that the rose is happy in its new garden :)

Hobby What

2011-08-13T15:16:00.002+01:00

I was asked to make some wooden toys recently so after some thought .Hobby horses and dragons would be traditional but with a twist.

They still need a lot of smoothing and sanding but you get the idea .A hazel shank will provide the stick part, this will look better than a brush handle. Hopefully I can find some thin leather strap somewhere to make nice reins for them all .Here are the dragons and horses so far (made with two good eyes again) :)

Put The Boat Down!

2011-08-07T13:40:00.000+01:00

The other day we were returning from a day out when we noticed a cruise liner in the river forth .So we stopped for a look at this huge vessel in the shaddow of forth rail bridge. Matthew acted out some gullivers travels and had the ship in his hand, its good to see ships like this coming to our part of the world, the tourism helps the economy too .Heres the Costa Magica, Matthew and the Forth Rail Bridge :)

Harvest, Berries,Boards And A Sore Eye

2011-08-05T15:57:00.001+01:00

The harvest is under way around my part of the world . Golden straw lies in thick carpets up and down the fields.

Berries and fruits are now hanging from the trees here are this years plump rowan berries bright orange at present they will soon turn red as summer gives way to autumn. And some cherries on the (Gean)a cherry tree which is often planted along the edges of plantations of spruce pine and larch. Small birds will soon prize these fruits.

I have prepared some boards for a small chest that I wanted to build out of some spalted beech, that has been kicking around in the shed for a while .Here's the start of this chest . And the end of the shed for a wee bit, as while driving with the window down returning from a day out, a speck of dust blew in through the window and. straight into my eye . No amount of rubbing would get the little aggravator out or eyewash. So a wait at A&E was in order, where they froze the movement of my eye and removed the speck checked my eye through a machine and told me, that with all my rubbing I had badly scratched the surface of my eye .So some time out away from the dust in the shed will help along with the eyedrops ;)

Jumps And Skids

2011-07-29T22:49:00.000+01:00

The good weather has been with us lately dewy mornings, hot days and warm evenings this urges me to get on my bike so.I cycled along past blackness through the woods to Hopetoun, I passed all the fancy new jumps for the Hopetoun horse trials this weekend. All made beautifully from either oak or larch, a long time ago I helped build horse jumps here too, when I worked there in woods as a forester.On the canal towpath on my way home I skidded to a halt when some little creatures ventured onto my path .When I took a closer look I found two little water voles the third had wandered back into the undergrowth .Normally to see an adult water vole would be rare so I was pleased to get close enough for a good pictures so it was worth the puncture I got from skidding:)

A Sign Of Thanks

2011-07-22T21:44:00.000+01:00

This is a little sign I made recently, for two nice Ladies who show some of my furniture in their gallery.
I carved in the name of their shop, and carved out their door number on the opposite side. I used oak for the sign, and I also made a bracket so I could use chains to hang it from . I have carved a few signs in the past but oddly carving this kind of flowing writing seems easier, than other relief carved signs I have made before. They were both really pleased with it, and I was happy with that :)

A House For Doves Swallows And A Sign For The Sawmill

2011-07-15T21:44:00.005+01:00

While out cycling this week I passed this Dovecot complete with doves. This Dovecot would have produced meat for its owner a long time ago, now the grounds are parkland not private land. So now the doves are safe apart from the odd raptor, here they enjoy the warm summer evenings just like us.

The sawmill swallows are now lining up on the phone wires, if not catching insects and strengthening their wings with practice flights ready for the long journey home . This year they don't seem to be trying as hard for more than one brood , Last year some managed 3 broods.

And from the top here's a sign that I made a for the sawmill recently, using an old mothballed saw blade and a nice piece of oak that has been weathered to silver,I routered this out on a machine that I haven't used since I was a sixteen year old apprentice. I still remembered how to do this nearly 23 years later, so I was pleased with how it turned out, the letters were painted a light blue colour called wedge wood blue . Enjoy the summer we are :)

Logs, Trees And Diving For Fish

2011-07-08T20:35:00.001+01:00

A good load of logs arrived at the sawmill where I work this week, on a nice new shiny blue log truck. These logs will be cut into fencing and landscaping products.

I wandered through a nice strip of Ash, Sycamore and Oak lots of good straight trees growing here on a steep bank facing the river Forth. These trees will become a valuable crop in years to come:)

On a walk around the loch I spotted a Grebe catching small fish. He bobbed under and stayed down for a spell then popped up again a good distance away, always with a fish,I enjoyed watching this fisherman (centre of this picture):)

Shells And Flowers

2011-07-07T21:26:00.002+01:00

Piles of seashells ,foxgloves,honeysuckle and red deer are some of the things I came across . While out cycling along a coastal path on a glorious July day .
Loads of shells lie on the high tide line thrown up into a mound of blue grey, by stormy seas .
The foxgloves and honeysuckle just scream out summer is here, on long warm day's. When I looked through some trees there were a couple of red deer, we startled each other but I managed a picture before they both ran off (centre of green field) I will cycle there again as soon as I can:)

Making Hay

2011-07-02T22:49:00.001+01:00

The weather has been great lately, schools out for summer now so I have taken a few days holiday to spend some time with Matthew.
When we were out walking, watching the hay being cut and turned into neat rows. We watched a buzzard hovering over a mouse or vole ready to swoop down and catch his meal which he managed first swoop.
I got a picture of him in the air just ready to drop down. A bit further on we passed Alpaca's that were just as interested in us while we watched them for a while. And the swallows in the sawmill have outgrown their nest,they now just huddle together .Waiting for their mother to return and feed them with the insects that she catches in the woods and fields that surround the sawmill, here's a couple of pictures of the mother flying in with food and her soon ready to fly fledglings. When I go back on wednesday they will be flying :)

Clover Buttercups And A Break In The Clouds

2011-06-26T21:31:00.000+01:00

While watching the weather for a break in the black clouds on Saturday, I convinced myself it would rain with clouds the colour of bruises. So I put the bike back in the shed, no rain came though some weatherman !!
So come Sunday I gave up on my weather watch, and pedaled off a few drops of rain fell when I closed the gate, but I was moving towards clearer skies and no threat of rain would stop me today . This seemed to work for me and I was rain free for my cycle. I stopped to look at a recently born skewbald colt, he didn't move far from his mother side what a lovely little guy he is in his field of clover and buttercups :)

Waxing Swallows

2011-06-24T21:36:00.000+01:00

I finished my chair today its all waxed up and ready to find a home. Up in the sawmill this week some of our swallows are on their second brood. Every year they come back and take over for a few months.
In the morning when I open the door then put the lights on, they greet me with their alarm call and dart around until they see me going about my business.When they see that I'm no threat to my ariel invaders they settle down and come and go as they please, here's some that live beside the control room :)

Pulling Weeds And Peeling Ash

2011-06-19T19:06:00.000+01:00

Sunday today Fathers day, Matthew gave me the new true grit DVD I love the original. So I look forward to watching this, popped in to see my Dad in the morning.
Then I pulled all my lovely lush green weeds that have been thriving lately with all our summer rain. After the weeds, I worked on the ash parts of my chair shaping the rails and braces with a drawknife then spokeshaves being careful to follow the grain as the fibres in the ash can tear easily if you get carried away.
After a dry run I got all the parts glued up. Now I will leave it for a couple of days to let the glue dry fully before sanding and waxing. I have tried out a few new ideas with this chair and I think they worked out alright:)

Chair Parts

2011-06-16T20:46:00.001+01:00

Here are the first 2 parts of a chair that I'm working on at the moment. The seat and back are in oak and the legs and rails will be ash.
Loads of spokeshave work has shaped out the seat for comfort. And the back is a warped board that smoothed out into a good backrest, on the rear of this I've carved in a cluster of oak leaves and acorns .
Peeled ash legs will hold this chair up more to come:)

A New Path

2011-06-10T21:00:00.000+01:00

Every Friday I finish early, so after lunch I pedaled away along the canal towards falkirk. Some cycle path signs pointed me into an area of Callender Estate.
Ive never been around here before, many new stone dust paths meander through the woods,and bridges and drainage help to keep feet dry. Signs are around pointing you to different parts, and showing what wildlife there is to look out for. I found a sign at the end of the path where it joins the road this was a community woodland and very nice it is too !
A little further on, then your in Callender Woods where lots of burry oak grow all knobbly and gnarled I bet theres some cracking timber hidden under the bark. These woods then merge into Callender park on the edge of the town of Falkirk ,then I headed home for a little shed time before tea:)

The Roof And The Owl Box

2011-06-02T21:44:00.001+01:00

Gutters on, new roof sheets fastened down with tec screws ,flashing's and ridge caps top it off. I also attached an owl box under a overhang,I hope we get an owl but it might be too noisy for them. Our swallows don't mind the machine noise so we may be lucky ,but any bird setting up home there would be of interest. I have really enjoyed this job replacing the sawmill roof but now its done. So roofer will turn back into sawyer and get back to normal:)

Spectacular Spalting

2011-05-29T15:17:00.005+01:00

First off like many bloggers,at the moment my comments are messed up too. So to ken who asked if I lived near the river in a previous post .The river is only 1/4 of a mile from us. Gales blew hard this week putting out power lines and damaging homes ,buildings and many trees .
When the weather improved I walked through the spruce and pine absorbing what what was around me .Watching the stream running back to clear, after heavy rains muddied the waters. Lush ferns added their fresh green foliage into the the mix of spring. At home in the shed I finished a stool with a very unusual spalted beech seat, the variations in the grain are quite spectacular,3 ash legs split from a small log then tidied up with a draw knife then spokeshaves ,wedged tenons fasten the legs to the seat and hold up this stool up . After sanding then more sanding until as smooth as a pebble it was finished with my favourite wax. I also have a idea for a chair that's a bit more obscure than usual more about this in the future:)

Inspiration

2011-05-21T22:06:00.002+01:00

I wandered down to the river trail this evening to find that some of the spring growth is the same height as me , 6' in places that's tall for may. But plenty rain after three weeks of sunshine must have given them all a boost.
Blossom on the Horse Chestnut stand out in the show of spring , where all the trees and flowers show off their secrets they only let us see them for a short time so its good to get out and see them. Hidden in the under growth are the bluebells a favorite of mine the scent of all this new growth is very pleasant while walking in the rain and watching the raindrops make rings in the river.
While walking around places like this I see shapes and get ideas from nature that I can use in the furniture I make :)

Horse And Saddle

2011-05-16T19:40:00.000+01:00

While out cycling the other evening I passed a heavy working horse mare with a new born foal .I like these big horses that worked the land in years gone by, ploughing fields and drilling seed to keep the nation fed.
And heres a little stool that I finished the other day with a random shape spalted beech top which reminds me of saddle leather, and 3 peeled ash legs keep it from falling over :)

Seldom Seen

2011-05-09T21:29:00.000+01:00

I meandered down a path the other day while out cycling into a nice little bit of woodland. I pass this wood whilst driving along the motorway and "always thought I should take a look" anyway I did and along with good trails and a nice stream some fine looking trees. I found a hedge that had recently been laid, this is when the stems are cut nearly through leaving just enough holding to keep them growing. Straight stout stems are used as stakes to hold down the newly cut hedging.Stakes are also and driven into any gaps , and then springy saplings and sucker growth are twisted through the stakes and the pushed over hedging. This is something I have always wanted to try, hedge laying is very old rural craft which is seldom seen nowadays .Hard work with thorns in abundance, My Grandfather lost an eye to a whipping thorn while laying a hedge in Southern Ireland.Maybe one day I will pass at the right time and catch the Master Hedger at work :)

Beside The Sea

2011-05-07T21:41:00.000+01:00

Anstruther is where we got to today, on the east neuk of fife. The east neuk is the coastal region.On the way we passed through lots of seaside villages like Pittenweem, St Monan's ,Lundin Links and Largo all beautiful places lots of old houses and well kept gardens .The weather was in our favour when we left but soon the mist and rain came in.
Of course we had fish and chips followed by scrumptious ice cream from the Anstruther fish and chip bar and restaurant , award winning fish and chips. which made up for the weather. A few fishing boats were in the harbour along with yachts a nice place to watch the world go by .
They have a lifeboat station to visit,boat trips out to the Isle of May and the fishing museum. In the north sea off the east coast, rich fishing grounds provided huge catches of herring. The museum tells the history of the trade and the people. Then a look at the tide crashing in before heading home:)

Shining

2011-05-03T20:30:00.000+01:00

Back to work today with the sun still shining I don't think its rained for a fortnight .While I was on holiday I managed a bit of time in the shed. Making a stool with a cherry seat and hazel legs . And a small oak chair, which let me use up some oak that's been gathering dust for long time. Here they are shining in the sun:)

Katie Wearie And Golden Fields

2011-04-29T20:14:00.000+01:00

Young ducklings on the canal this week I hope they can keep clear of the pike. The fields are colouring up fast not much bare earth showing now . And the golden oilseed rape is showing off after many sunny days .
And here's a nice new seating area and sculpture at the westport in Linlithgow carved into the curved seat are these words "water from the westport well revived a wearie drover girl" .Local history tells us that many years ago a cattle drover drank from the well and rested under a willow tree at the westport.
Her name was Katie Wearie. This curved seating and sculpture of the cattle drover under the tree really give this little bit of Linlithgow a new life. I think that Katie Wearie would have liked to have passed these sights while driving her cattle on warm spring days.

Old And New

2011-04-25T22:09:00.000+01:00

I cycled to the Falkirk wheel today, what an amazing place. For the same amount of power it takes to boil one electric kettle they can lift barges up from the Forth and Clyde canal up into the union canal and vice versa. It is really worth a look at this, and the new locks before it.
On my way there I passed through the dark tunnel you can just see the light at the other end. It passes under prospect hill where it was carved out by hard working Highlanders and Irish navvies in 1818 quite a feat back then. You can see the end of the tunnel and the rock around it showing what they had to cut their way through at 1/2 a mile long it would have been a huge undertaking. Anyway if you ever get the chance take a look for yourself. (pictures not in order maybe one day) :)

Life And Death

2011-04-24T21:23:00.001+01:00

The first young chicks that I've spotted this year are young moorhens. Warming themselves in the spring sunshine, further on though I found a bad sign for them . On a fallen willow not far away, there was a raptor perch where perhaps a sparrow hawk or maybe an owl tears up his prey with a good vantage for escape if need be. You can see signs of both rabbit and pigeon kills here with fur and feathers. But hey that's life not everyone's cup of tea but I like finding these places.

Halfway

2011-04-21T21:29:00.003+01:00

Finished work on wednesday I don't go back until the beginning of may .So hopefully fishing, cycling and some shed time will happen .We finished one side of the sawmill roof which has been a pleasure in this glorious spring sunshine. Surrounded by fields, tree's and rolling hills make this a great place to work. We set up a rod (template) for all the purlin brackets this keeps them all in line, rather than messing around with a tape measure. Here's the roof so far with nice straight purlins ,big Ross trimming off the bracing, and Jim the colonel taking a break in the sun, and me up on the rafters :)

Breathing

2011-04-19T20:33:00.001+01:00

Wild garlic ,fresh lush growth of new needles on the larches and a carpet of new life in the woods.
The vines twisting round young saplings will give some interesting markings in the future all these things seem to give me a little boost .
The leaves of autumn are all but gone covered by springs vibrant colours. I came across an old ash tree with a huge growth burr type thing on a lower limb, I wonder what amazing grain hides inside this.
I tried the wild garlic you can see the different parts in my hand leaves ,flowers, stem and seeds. All this surrounds us in woodlands and wild places ,so we should all try to take a bit of it in breathing the new life, "oh the sawmills Swallows have returned again and brought some glorious sunshine with them ":)

Dead Or Alive

2011-04-16T16:01:00.000+01:00

Elm and Hazel are the ingredients for this wee stool, I scribed the bracing on to the legs with a sharp knife. The seat part is dead Elm burr shaved and sanded, the legs are from Hazel coppice's. Not many big Elm tree's survive around here now, but lots of Elm suckers grow along hedges and the edges of woodland ,showing that they are fighting back at Dutch Elm disease . Heres a tree with a bit of burr and some sapling Elm flushed with spring growth :)

Sawyer On The Roof

2011-04-16T15:36:00.000+01:00

At work we are replacing the roof of the sawmill with big mono trusses. All of which is made easier with the whole area covered with a crash deck scaffold .Steel beams topped of with 4"x3" stress graded wall plate have replaced our old 3"x12" ring beam . There's lots of setting up for the brackets that carry the purlins. Here's what we've done so far:)

Wandering

2011-04-11T21:06:00.001+01:00

Nice weekend for trekking so Matthew and I were walking in the woods and around the loch finding tracks and building shelters. We got close to these Jackdaws as they bathed in the water to cool off as the temp soared to 22c. Blossom is everywhere now and I found a kind of hazel with huge catkins. Geese rested on a little island of willow, a nice day wandering with my boy :)

Crossed The Path Of Old Badger

2011-04-10T21:18:00.000+01:00

Up and about early the other morning through the woods on a dry morning after many days of rain. It was cool in the timber with the scent of new growth all around me, a wood pecker was drumming away he knew I was there but I never saw him. In a place that is not familiar to me I cut on to a path no more than a track . And found where the old badger crosses the ditch (click on mud for nice Badger track) and where wind blown spruce has sent up branches up towards the light and they have became fine trees in their own weird way . It was a nice way to start the day, through the scots pine and out to a bright sunrise :)

Done

2011-04-08T20:38:00.000+01:00

Well after many weeks of stops and starts, and the odd spoon I have finished the chair. Oak seat and back rest, Elm legs waney edges this has been my most challenging chair to date and my favorite. The hardest part was shaping the bracing under the seat, anyway now its done. Now here's the chair and a spoon I made while pondering :)

Started With A Film

2011-04-02T21:25:00.000+01:00

Cinema this morning with Matthew, at the weekend films are just £1.00 each in the morning . Treats are expensive in these unsettled times and many parents take their kids to these showings .After some crazy animation which I enjoyed as much as Matthew . Home for lunch then Matthew wrestled with his xbox while I put my chair together . Only plugging some holes and sanding and finishing now I like the natural shape of the legs they make this chair quite different . Then out for a walk and scramble about the countryside on a windy but sunny, April day . Here's Matthew enjoying the outdoors clambering up rocky outcrops and playing on tree stumps . The trees were taken down as they had become a hazard with diseases making them unstable.:)

A Bit More

2011-03-24T20:01:00.004Z

Done a wee bit on my chair this week shaped the back rest and fixed the seat to the back legs. The wiggly waney edged timber makes for some interesting marking out when trial and error fails some temporary lines help out. Glorious weather this week short sleeves have been the order with temp of 16-17c ,but we shouldn't get used to it .As march came in like a lamb and could go out like a lion!! :)

Cycling ,Sycamore And Spoons

2011-03-19T19:49:00.009Z

Wet and miserable is how I would describe most of march so far. Yesterday things had dried up a little so after lunch I jumped on the bike and gave myself a bit of a workout. No matter which direction I traveled, the wind was never on my back but I enjoyed it all the same. As I fought into the wind, I passed hardy little ponies standing in cold puddles and the nice black damp soil of newly ploughed fields. The snow drops and crocus show that winter is leaving us at long last .
And a small woodland of Sycamore and ash which I thinned out 15 years ago I like to look back to the places I have worked and see how the landscape is changing knowing I had a hand in it , a tidy little wood today. I hope the fair weather stays with us, as I would class myself as more of a fair weather cyclist than a die hard rain or shine type. I work in the rain but won't cycle in it. I got home and oiled up some spoons and that ended my Friday half day :)

Two Tables Might Make A Pair

2011-03-12T19:28:00.005Z

I was asked to make two end tables by a lady who saw another table that I had made. I thought about some elm that could be made into these little tables for her. So I got started with lots of planing and sanding was I starting a production line, making two of something was a bit different as normally, I would make single items. My only order to follow was a top of around 16"x16" this had to be two boards of 8" which I paired together .The boards are waney edged, cut through and through I wanted to keep this look so a little spokeshave work where they touched and the table tops were done. The legs and rails yes, you guessed they have waney edges too! Leaving the holes and defects as they add to the rustic look that I love. Glancing out the window at the snow and sleet while rubbing on coats of wax to finish the pair of tables similar but not matching, no production line just doing my thing :)

The Silver Spoon

2011-03-10T19:17:00.005Z

Here's the spoon I started in the previous post post . I would normally have used green wood but. By accident I used an old dry piece of Silver Birch after sharpening a gouge I tested it on some old Silver Birch so I gave it a go . I had tried a spoon using green Birch before and found it a wee tad stringy. But the dry stuff cut nicely and made a good spoon :)

Changed My Legs

2011-03-05T20:19:00.005Z

On the chair that I started a couple of weeks ago , I had planned to mark out and cut the legs this weekend from some square oak .I laid them out but they just didn't seem to work with the back and seat .
But a couple of bits of Elm that have gathered dust in the corner of the shed seemed more like what would work. So I set about shaping them ,I split them roughly down the centre with an old cleaver and mallet, Elm is hard stuff its very tough to split green or seasoned, after plenty thumps they were done. Then I took the high points off with my axe and roughly shaped them with a drawknife and spokeshave. These work for me now. I also chopped out the start of a spoon using a piece of Silver Birch, chair and spoon will be posted soon :)

A Tree You Can Punch

2011-02-28T20:05:00.004Z

Out in the park with Matthew yesterday a spot of climbing in a yew tree for Matthew. But I had to give it go too and show off my climbing skills!further on we found a few Wellingtonia nice big specimen tree's I told Matthew about when I was shown how to identify these trees ,the forester punched the soft bark, He had to try it for himself. This parkland was the grounds of a big country house owned by rich land owners , they handed the house and the grounds to a local authority and is enjoyed year round by many families ,joggers and dog walkers including Matthew and I :)

Shaping Up

2011-02-26T20:51:00.006Z

Ive been roughing out the seat and back rest for a chair ,from an old piece of oak.
Lots of planing and shaving with drawknife and spokeshave. Making nice soft curves on the edges it's shaping up nicely ,theres a touch of blue-green in the grain that will make the chair more interesting .
The sun has been out a few times this week, Thursday the nicest day of the year so far.
But the buds are breaking and catkins on hazel hang like bunches of lambs tails and there are snowdrops here and there .
After a long wet cold spell the sun and signs of spring are shaping up too :)

A Big Stir

2011-02-20T18:28:00.004Z

I was asked to make a big spoon for a local Chinese takeaway.At 3' long with a spoon part of around 6"X4" it is pretty big as spoons go. This is the third spoon of this size I have made for this purpose. This ones from a bit of Ash, which I haven't used much but it seems to work well with good sharp tools. This spoon will stir up sauces in a huge pot and feed hungry locals. I hope it makes the food extra tasty :)

Elm And Ash

2011-02-12T18:57:00.005Z

I finished a long stool today gouged Elm for the top with Cherry stitches to stabilise some splits. The legs are peeled Ash with angled rails for strength, these go the opposite way on each to add a little quirk. Take a look for Yourself :)

Logging

2011-02-05T14:57:00.009Z

The weather has been very wild lately with hail,rain,snow,thunder and lightning,and winds up to 80 mph which has caused a lot of damage . Anyway this weather lifted the roots of a few big Sitka's which mean't they had to come down .Here's a little of the process ,making the cuts for the direction of the fall,then knocking in a wedge to lift the tree beyond its balance point, then the tree falling,and the forester safe and sound after the tree is down . Also the first four nice big logs all from one stem ,bound for the sawmill :)

A Rough Diamond

2011-02-01T19:15:00.007Z

An old saw was given to me a couple of weeks ago ,while not looking its best with a broken handle and many years worth of grime and rust.
But this is an old Disston crosscut log saw so I gratefully accepted .I will have a go at restoring this back to its former glory at some point in the month's to come. I like to look at old tools like these, and wonder about what work they have done and the people that used them :)

A Pile Of Stones

2011-01-25T19:58:00.007Z

I volunteered to repair some old stone walls that lead up to the sawmill.Around my part of the world we call them (dry stane dykes) no mortar just marrying the shapes together .
Making a pile of loose stones in to a safe strong boundary ,these wall's are built all over the UK and Eire and are commonly used for holding sheep or cattle in areas with little timber available .Some beautiful walls are built in very remote places .
I don't know any of the trade secrets I just copied what was there, following the slight taper as you raise the height. Trying to lock all the stones in to the couses as you go, then fill the centre up with smaller pieces and some soil.
Then the stones that lock all the parts together the cope stones. Hopefully this pile of stones will stay together for a while:)

The Heron And The Waney Edge

2011-01-22T13:26:00.006Z

This week I took a picture's of a Grey Heron which has been eluding me for a while .Just as I neared him he gave a scream and headed off, this happened a few times.
Until he stopped out on an island to see what I was up to.Then I got a few shots not the best but you can make him out.
Also this week I met a guy building these little shelters out of waney edge boards these will be very popular. They look great in their setting a simple design that's been built beautifully :)

Using Up

2011-01-19T21:19:00.003Z

More spoons , two small tasting spoons out of Apple and one a bit bigger from Rhododendron.Just using up some bits and pieces heres what I turned out :)

The Three Tops

2011-01-13T20:12:00.012Z

Here are a few tops for stools that I've been preparing lately from Elm,Cherry and Damson each piece has its own character. From the warmth of the Elm to the two tone heartwood of olive and orange to the creamy sapwood of the cherry, but what about the damson it could be confused with raspberry ripple ice-cream.
It has to have the most vivid grain colour's that I've seen in native timber. The Cherry just needed planing as did the Damson ,the Elm I finished with a gouge after morticing in some patches of lighter coloured timber over checks in the timber. These will make some cracking stools in the coming month's :)

A Chair In Miniature

2011-01-06T20:25:00.007Z

Here are a few item's that I finished during my Christmas holidays. Two oak topped stools oiled up and ready to home. And a nice little chair out of oak, that I made for a friend at work, for his one year old son. It was an enjoyable job making this little chair .Finished with oil and wax it looked ready for the new owner to sit in and look at books or just to sit and survey his one year old world :)

Not Just Me Peeling

2011-01-01T17:09:00.009Z

Well the first day of the new year is here I wasn't planning on posting today but it will be my 111th post . So I thought it could be lucky for me as its the 1st day of the 11th year .
Its been misty and murky of late around these parts,with the temperature rising things are thawing fast. On a recent forage to find some ash sapling's for furniture legs.
I passed a tree that has been used by a Roe Buck (small native deer) to scrape the velvet from his antlers and to mark his scent.And another that rabbits nibbled when the deep snow covered their normal foodstuffs.In a small copse I spotted some very small birds which are Goldcrests (which are the smallest birds in the UK) ,they didn't seem to mind me though not moving much when I appeared, they were feeding on some seeds falling from some small trees. Ive never seen these little birds before ,well maybe I just haven't noticed them, all the same it was nice to see them. Then home to peel the ash :)

pics in order on 4th picture click to see the Goldcrests on the snow at the tree just off centre

Hope Its A Good One

2010-12-31T23:28:00.002Z

Happy New Year Everyone,I hope it brings many good times :)

The Glen

2010-12-28T16:59:00.007Z

I woke early made a thermos of coffee put on my boots, then headed for a place we call the Glen (valley or gorge). A little burn (stream) carves its way through the rock, tall trees cling to the banks of this wee glen.
On the steeper parts the trees and shrubs, are all that hold the ground together.Two waterfalls make this little glen a special place. Its been a long time since I've been here, we used to play up here when I was a boy.
The cold weather has left its mark here with broken branches and downed trees.
Due to the weight of the snow ,and frozen fibres which make the boughs snap easily. Beyond the damage there was a real treat with the waterfall's encrusted with the jewels of winter.
I sat beside the waterfall drank coffee and watched dawn break thinking back to when I played here, now this is a good way to start the morning.
Then homeward bound to make breakfast :)

Spoon's From Frozen Timber

2010-12-26T17:09:00.005Z

I had a couple of hours to myself today so I carved a few spoon's out in my shed . The largest one on the left is Beech and the other two are from some Rhododendron .
These timbers are great for spoon carving ,when the wood is fresh.
Mine was pretty much frozen, Which worked ok as the heat from my hands thawed them as I worked on them :)

Christmas Wishes

2010-12-24T13:49:00.003Z

To all friends and followers ,here's wishing you all a very merry christmas :)Brian(:

A WINTER POEM

2010-12-19T19:12:00.003Z

The chirping of the robin.

The chattering of teeth.

The crackling of the fire.

The rustling of the wreath.

By Matthew

Cold In The Shed

2010-12-19T17:42:00.008Z

Only two days to work this coming week ,then I'm off until Jan 5th. Our snow whitened world has thawed then frozen into lumps and ruts.
But as I type, the snow is falling quickly and heavily. Ive been out in the shed a little bit this weekend making a couple of stools .One with a gouged oak top with peeled ash legs and another, with a smoother oak top and hazel legs with some braces. Which I scribed around the curves of the legs with a sloyd knife it turned out pretty well, considering I struggled to see my pencil marks "a darker pencil would be the answer". The tops need further sanding and waxing to finish them, I also tidied up a of slab of elm with a gouge, to remove decayed wood from the edges. this will end up as seat for a chair or stool in the future its a bit chilly in the shed so that's me done for the day :)Brian(:

Family Day

2010-12-14T20:46:00.005Z

Here's some pictures of a walk around town on a cold day ,just after our thump of snow.
Most of the snow has thawed now, But it will return soon enough to carpet the land for Christmas.
We don't get much time together at weekends, as my other half Amanda works weekends. So a walk together is better than trailing round shops! And Matthew with his big snowman who now, looks sorry for himself after the thaw :)

Slim Pickin's

2010-12-07T21:10:00.008Z

Its hard at this time of year for birds, the smaller ones like robins and wrens really struggle.Here are a few that stick around for the winter,Blackbird ,Robin ,pheasants and moorhen .
Currently the extreme weather is making life hard for them.As they try to scratch a living .The tracks are left by a fox who will hoover up any casualties :)

Hen & Rooster

2010-12-03T22:46:00.003Z

More from a winters tale,a view over Cockelroi, which is a hill that looks over Linlithgow ,popular with locals for sledging at present.Thick snow covers the boughs of trees, while walking to work this week I heard branches snap with the weight of the snow.
I helped my friend to compact the snow around his hen house. These are some of the inhabitants.
I hope the snow will stick around for Christmas,but a rise in temperature with a westerly wind wouldn't be a surprise but fingers are crossed :)

Community Spirit

2010-12-02T20:49:00.007Z

This is the week I will remember for a long time, schools shut all week. Matthew was jubilant when 1 day off turned into 2 then the other three were added too.
Snow and lots of it, my car hasn't moved all week I walked to work 4 miles uphill in the deep snow which is hard work before starting work .
All the basic provisions are running out, as delivery truck's are stuck in deep snow .But good things came out of the snow all our neighbours pulled together and dug out a fire engine that became stuck in the soft snow .
Then We cleared the snow the length of the street by hand . This helping each other doesn't happen every day but maybe it will be common place from now on :)

Early Snow

2010-11-28T20:21:00.007Z

Woah! what a weekend, lots of snow ,ice, abandoned cars .As usual this weather seems to cause mayhem and panic. Not for me I love these real winters ,as I leave the warmth and wander round our little town .From bare hardwoods to crows feeding in the street,holly with plump berries,geese flying in a winter blue sky and ice up starting on Linlithgow loch. Its always good to grab a coffee and walk around and take things in :)

Christmas Gifts

2010-11-25T20:13:00.007Z

I carved out some more bowls this week "no doughnuts" this time .Out of spalted beech and some apple.
Which cuts like butter with a sharp gouge, the one pictured is my favorite a Mathieson, Glasgow 1822-1966 ,they made planes and edge tools a long time ago.
More spoons I love making these little spoons ,whittling away then carving out the bowl it is a real pleasure carving these out.
I also carved holly leaves and berries into some discs of silver birch .These bowls spoons and carvings will be Christmas gifts:)

Bookends And Bowls "I Mean Bowl"

2010-11-19T20:49:00.004Z

A piece of firewood caught my eye, spalted beech great markings in the grain of this wood.The shape of the wood made me think of bookends, so two pieces became just that . Another slice I carved out into a small bowl there were two of these but in my excitement of digging with the gouge I turned the bowl into a doughnut. By digging right through the bottom , "well these things happen" I even managed a little chuckle after an hour carving it out.

Holding On

2010-11-14T12:02:00.003Z

Wind and rain this week all week, wet and miserable.When the sun popped out to show he still existed .
I took a picture of our little birch tree, boy this little tree can hold on to his leaves.When the wind catches the canopy he whips and snakes but still he holds on to his golden crown.Only when he's ready will he give up his foliage to the winter wind's :)Brian(:

A Little Treat

2010-11-07T18:53:00.005Z

A nice package arrived the other day . A wetterlings hunters axe, I have always wanted one of these Swedish axes. This little beauty will be useful for roughing out spoon's and cups that I make out of timber. It arrived sharp, with a little book on using it safely, and some wetterling history.This axe will be looked after ,and will have many years of service with me and my idea's :)Brian(:

The Fruits Of My Labour

2010-10-31T14:18:00.005Z

Ive spent a bit of time in the shed this weekend .I finished a chair made of oak and elm,this chair has an oak seat which has some blue and green colours in the grain very unusual and very nice, with elm legs and back.
I joined two pieces of elm together to make a fork for the front legs, its a chunky chair the design is dictated by the timber itself using the shapes to their advantage rather than truing them up.
Two stools both oak tops one round with peeled ash legs,the other a more random shape with hazel legs.
The old shed is a bit chilly at this time of year but as the ribbons and shavings fly from spokeshaves and planes it gets warmer.
Some timber from a plum tree was given to me this week what wonderful colours this timber has in its grain orange and purple .This will be made into some nice item's in the future :)Brian(: