Turn turn turn

At last, some time to myself. Whilst its been fun helping Ronnie with the shows and making gypsy caravans and all that stuff, it calms the soul to get back to standing at the lathe and just letting things happen. I know that many turners plan what they are going to do but for me its just 'bung the wood on the lathe and see what happens'. This tends to produce rather more free form results I feel.

Anyway, here's a few to get me back in the swing. Probably in the wrong order.

Some pie dollys made from old beech worktop. The tops were bent to hell and left a few cracks which were duly filled with superglue and dust. These are off the Spain, Ronnie having failed in her bid to keep them from the new owner!!

One of two huge slices from an unknown tree. It had been left out too long and was rotten to the core but off the bandsaw, there was some interesting burr so I decided to carry on. The other slice resisted all attention and is on the firewood pile.

A piece of wet fig - turned reasonably thin and left to dry out. Very quickly as it happens but it split, twisted and generally moved. Like the wood, like the result.

A piece of yew chosen at random from the ridiculously large pile of the stuff filling up one end of the barn. Great colour this one but there is a split from a branch in there to add a bit of character too.

All this has spurred me on to get the air tool and compressor out and retake the path I was on before all the back therapy. SEVEN MONTHS since I was a turner. Yikes, how the time has flown.

In a rush as usual

I wonder why it is that we all leave things to the last minute. We have some excuse as stuff we ordered took ages to arrive but even so, I suspect its us really.

We have an important flower show to do this weekend so naturally this week's list has included fitting a towbar to the car and converting the old trailer tent into a miniature gypsy caravan so all the climbing roses on their frames can fit inside and be protected. We've only known about the show for a year or so.

I am not particularly looking forward to the experience as I've never towed anything before and this backing thing seems a little tricky. I suspect a bit of practice out in the garden might pay off.

I am also trying to get an 'antique' computer desk made, do some antique repairs and, if I'm really lucky, get some time on the lathe.

Its a good thing I'm retired.

This is after

I forgot to take a before shot but this little desk was a complete wreck. eaten out with woodworm, one back leg half eaten and the other missing, no top or back and no cornice on the top section. As with all French country furniture the bits you don't see were done with the roughest old wood imaginable so I used some old roofing timber for that and it matches the few bits of original that were left. Lots of new bits later, a bit of stain and lacquer and its done. Shame I managed to get one back leg a couple of degrees out of vertical but then, thats character init?

Slow down, you're going too fast.....

... ye gods I hate this getting old bit. I REALLY object to the whole idea. Nobody offered a glimpse of what it would be like before we signed up. In fact, I don't even remember having a contract, I reckon I just got dumped.

Everything I try and do takes for ever. I'm only 65, what will it be like when I'm 90? OK I know that it the back that is making things worse but even so, its very frustrating. Work a bit, sit a bit, work a bit, move around a bit, work a bit......... grrrrrrrr.

If I believed in anything outside the here and now, I'd be having a few words in his/her/its ear - if he/she/it had one.

Its a good thing I don't have to worry about an hourly rate any more - I reckon it would be about €1.

and then there were two..

.. right then two legs done. Just the cornice to make and its back to the land of those with income. It has been suggested to me that the one in the middle is not very well finished!! Must try harder.