Welcome! - Here you will find information about me and my work, examples of what I can produce, and a note of things that interest me around the subject of green woodworking and polelathe turning.
Green woodworkers use timber that has been recently felled and is un-seasoned. This makes the timber much easier to work, although it is necessary to take account of how the wood shrinks and changes as it dries out. This provides a unique quality to turned bowls and can be used to add strength to joints in chairs.
Traditionally hand tools were used along with the polelathe, or similar manpowered lathe, for turned parts. Some modern tools are and can be used with green wood but the moisture content of the material does not lend itself to all modern tools.
Most of my work is created using traditional hand tools and a polelathe although the chainsaw, cordless drill and jig saw can speed things up a bit. The final finish is usually created with edge tools and scrapers (except for the spoons), and then sealed using natural oils and waxes. Chairs and stools are finished with linseed oil and beeswax, and food items with a natural vegetable oil.
Working with hand tools lends a unique character to the finished product. Being close to the timber and ‘going with the grain’ all provide a feeling of being a true part of the creation rather than merely controlling the way a machine works. The items produced have a timeless quality which reaches back to their origins.
This site is developing so will evolve in the coming months.
Have a look around and do get in touch – the details can be found using the contact tab above.
