Happy New Year

Have a happy and healthy 2013 folks and thanks for all the comments and also for taking the time to look in .
So now the year is ending and a new one is just hours away .
 Happy new year guys  :)(::)(:

Quirky Rack

Here's a little rack I was asked to build ,this used up some thin 3/4" cedar boards that have been kicking around in the shed for a few years. Waney edges were kept for a change!!  I only squared up the four angled ends ends for fixing  the sides to ,the sides are boards split with a cut that randomly mirrors the boards edge. Some trmmed to fit little ash discs help close a gap in the centre and give a little quirk to this rack :)

Cherry Burl And Poor Old Ash

While it was dry I headed off for a walk along the river, its been a terrible spell of wet and windy weather here lately.  So the river was still running pretty high I could see many signs that it had been running a good bit higher, I came across a huge carbuncle burl on a Cherry I can only imagine what grain is hidden in that big burl !!!  An Ash tree had its roots washed out by the storm water and gave up its grip on the bank and fell to the river.
 I saw another couple of gnarled Ash trees with a poker straight Sycamore fighting up through the ash limbs to take over. Our poor old Ash trees are really taking a bashing with the Ash die back disease this is a real shame for lots of reasons .
  We have lots of Ash trees in the UK,  this tree is part our horizons out in the countryside and in our towns, we are never far from an Ash tree in the UK
. Anyway it was good to get out for a few hours. Away from the ever tempting chocolates, biscuits and other Christmas goodies:)

The Apple Barrel Industry - Shingle & Stave Mill in Production

Here's another video I found with lots of interesting old woodworking machinery and I thought maybe you guys would like a look :)

Happy Christmas

Well its been a very wet and wild couple of days. But wet means more time in the shed, feeding my need to be working with wood . Anyway now that Christmas is only one sleep away for excited children and adults!
 I hope that all the friends and followers who pop into Talk From The Timber from time to time,and everyone else have a very very, happy Christmas, have a great day folks :)(: :)(: :)(: :)(:

Kuska, Making It Fit

I worked on the kuska cup mentioned in some old posts a little this weekend. I carved out the handle carefully this took time, so that it was a good fit for my thumb to hook around , and after a few tries and a couple of hours on this little birch kuska, I was done :)

Last Job Of The Year

At work we have been installing some new plant, so I volunteered to build the shed to house this. We made up the wall panels in the sawmill , when they were built, we lifted them into position. Bolted them down,  then for the roof.  I had worked out the cuts already so the rafters went up with no fuss .  I made up some little wooden  L shape brackets these really hold the rafters in place, then after fixing on some purlins I was ready to sheet the roof . No time for doors as yet I will tackle them next year, as I'm finished up for the Christmas holidays :)

The Crosscut Sawyer

Here's another video that I found I hope you like it too :)

US Forest Service, An Axe to Grind - Complete Documentary

Heres a video that I like, and maybe some of you guys might like it too .

Waxed Up

I trimmed off the wedges and sanded the seat part with 80 then 120 grade sandpaper. Then waxed up  this little beech stool with its ash legs. I like the contrast between the beech top and the lighter ash legs. Here it is  :)

A Good Weekend

Its been a funny old week with winter taking a grip then letting go again.

On Saturday Mhairi the blacksmith collected the base for the music award, she was really pleased with it so I was happy with that ( this is mentioned in a previous post ).Then in the afternoon , Matthew and I watched the horse loggers in the fading light, there's not many of these guys left in the UK, so hats off to them for keeping the old trade alive! My camera wasn't really wanting to play so here's the best of what I shot.

And on Sunday I put together a little stool with ash legs and a beech seat here it is at various stages.

Next weekend will see it finished :)

Stags

After working on the elm that was in the previous post , I put together a couple of little timber stags for the bottom of the garden here they are under the silver birch :)

My Part

I was recently asked if I could help a blacksmith, who has been making a beautiful musical note for an award. Could I make the base for the musical sculpture, yes I would give it a go. We looked at some oak ,yew and some elm and both decided on the elm . Here is my part after planing and  sanding along with a little wax to make it glow ,a burl elm base as rich as fruit cake :)

Pics

Here are the pictures from last weekend now that I have more storage :)

No Pics

I spent a couple of hours today working on some chair parts no plans just winging it as usual. I cut out and planed the front and back legs, then started the seat part. I gave up after this, to fill a hole under my fence that caught my eye, where a neighbours dog has been trying to tunnel his way through. Anyway here are the chair parts, well apparently not ! I cannot upload them as I have used all my free storage well it will be a mystery, until I fathom out how to buy some space   :)

Horses And A Finished Box

Here are a couple of the hobby horses, and a the yew box with its wooden hinges, that were both in previous posts. Now they are finished and waxed up. The leather riens and brass tacks finish of the little horses.  While the Yew box is looks remarkable with all the variations in its grain, take a look :)

Plum Buck

After I spent some time clearing up leaves at the bottom of the garden , I decided that we should have a wild animal . Nothing ferocious but wild all the same so I came up with the plum buck a little stag made out of a small plum log along with hazel legs and birch antlers .  Here he is foraging in his natural environment :)

Yew Box

I started a little box this morning using some yew that was to thin for stool tops, but so nice that it had to be made into something. I tend to just sand Yew as the grain often changes and it tends to tear a bit, so after a spell of sanding.
 I cut my components then put the box together dry, after a little more sanding I glued and plugged it .
Now for some wooden hinges I cut out some tapering wedge shapes out of some of the yew offcuts, then marked the hinges for the moving parts cut this away then bored them for the pins . Here's where I got to:)

That Time Again

I spent a little time out in the shed cutting out and carving some detail for a few hobby horse heads then boring the holes for some different coloured wood plugs that I use for their eyes, I trimmed up some leather for making the reins .  I enjoy making these little guy's, here they are so far .

 I also planed and sanded some applewood, maple and beech these will be used for chopping boards . This used up a few bits and pieces that were in need of being something other than dusty old wood. These hobby horses and chopping boards will end up wrapped in christmas paper and left under a tree as christmas gifts :)