Friday 21 September 2012

Green Woodwork Stool

Every night I chuck my work clothes on a stool next to the chest-of-drawers, giving it little thought.
Humble little stool with some great memories
But I remember I had a great weekend making that stool.
For part of my 21st birthday present my mum and dad paid for me to go on a green woodworking course (in fact it's only a couple of miles from where I live now!), many of my friends were only interested in drinking at this age, but my obsession lied somewhere else completely!
Well used pole lathe
 I couldn't get enough of woodwork at the time (and still can't), I'd do it all day, read about it in my breaks and think about it on the drive home, so it was a great present to give me but mum was worried as it was "an introduction to grren woodwork".
But the course itself was brilliant as it was completely different to what I was doing in the week and taught me so much about the material I use. I got to use a pole lathe for the first time and a shave horse, as well as tools I'd never even picked up before.
Shave horse
 The stool I made was a fairly simple design, Ash legs split from a log then turned green on the pole lathe, which were then kiln dried overnight to fit into an air dried elm top that I cut using a large frame saw with an old bit of band saw blade in. I remember them saying they couldn't believe how fast I cut out the 2" thick elm, but I was used to spending most days sawing wood!
A happy group at the end of the weekend, some 8 years ago!
That weekend taught me a lot about a different aspect of woodwork from how I earn my living.
It's things like this that make me realise I'll never get bored of woodwork!

7 comments:

  1. Fantastic Kev, your enthusiasm is so inspiring!

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  2. Fantastic Kev, your enthusiasm is so inspiring!

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  3. Wow, that would have been such a neat class to take. We have a guy on TV, Roy Underhill, who shows how to make everything imaginable from the rough wood using non electric tools. He even shows how to make the tools that make the tools. I try to use some of his techniques in my projects but have never made an actual piece of furniture.

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    1. I've found Roy Underhill through Chris Swarts blog and lost many hours to watching him online! The guy is legend! All his shows are so interesting. I know what you mean about doing the techniques and not finihing a project, I've got many half finished woodturning projects and notebooks full of ideas on what to make next.

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  4. As an experienced carpenter it's always good to come across pieces where people have really put their heart and soul in to them. Congratulations!

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    1. Thank you! I put my heart and sole into everything I do, whether its putting a piece of skirting on the wall to putting a roof on a house. glad you like it. Thanks for stopping by.

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