2 New Bowls

Two new bowls from the lathe today. The red one is a piece of Clive's banksia and the blond one a piece of Laurie's elm.

At Mt Buller the scenic road back home.

Then back home via Jamison and Eildon backroads.

Latest Shepparton Visit

Then off to benella Art Gallery for some life enrichment.

Well I guess that didn't work so good. But that cool smooth floor and echoes are so fine!!

Proof I Listen to Your Mom

So here is the deal. The temporary wall down the center of the garage held there by two screws and a wish, is there to keep the drafts out of the workshop area. However it seemed to me that it would be a good place to hang tools. 'Hang tools she said?' What about the weight?' She said, when I went to hang the planes off of it.
Well yer I thought, how do get past this one.   .. I know, hang the planes on the cupboard... Now I have room on the wall for 50 kg of vices I keep kicking my toes on!!!

A nice Piece of Kari

Kari bowl in the making

For Ray

Well here ya go Ray. Some of the latest additions with a little more detail for you. Also the fire wood DID happen.  Smile.

Marples M44 Plough

 The folks at the Cornish Workshop love 'em. See here: http://www.cornishworkshop.co.uk/ploughplane.html
This one is in pristine condition. Whilst this is good in terms of collecting, it hasn't got the same appeal for me as a tool with evidence of a full life of hard and honest work and the sweat of tradesman past.

Henry Disston Saw Clamp

This Henry Disston Saw Clamp is an ebay find. At 20 lbs weigh I thought that the postal charges would be too much. However the guy who had it was able to get it to me from Melbourne for a very reasonable $15.

I don't know when this one was made but they were patented in 1893, so some time between then and when they stopped making them the price has gone from Shillings 30.00 a dozen to my purchase price of $50. Should have bought a couple of dozen back then when I was a kid. I'd be disgustingly rich by now.

The brass backed tenon saw is a TRULYN brand of which i can find no information at all. 

Starrett Combination Set.

 The square and ruler were kept out on a shelf by its previous owner and so suffered from the normal stains when dust and moisture settles on a tool which is not used regularly. However he kept the other two pieces (as the old timers used to) wrapped in an oil rag. Didn't do heaps for the box, but look at the condition of the tools... Wosers!!! The graduation are clear and precise and easily read.I put this one into my category of very, very lucky finds.

Square and ruler after a light clean

Pope No 4 after a clean and sharpen. Works Nice.

Redgum bowl. 

Future masterpieces saved from the fire wood pile

Elm on the chopping block waiting for inspiration. 

 Lemon scented Gum waiting for the fireplace.

Spokeshave

I've seen this logo before, but can't remember which manufacturer.

Festival of Sail 2014.

We are ok, what about the other 60 boats trying to get thru the channel shortly.

A feat of fine navigation coming up.

Crew Relaxing between races.

Back Row: Jac, Ben, Russell. Front Row: Frant, Bruce, Rob, Helen

Frant on main sheet trim.

A perfect start.Credit Teri Dodds Photography for the pic.

http://www.teridodds.com/index.asp

Ichi Ban at the start line last day

Some of the competition

The weather looked after us for the Festival of Sail. Eight races in four days was a little tiring but we got thru with little sun burn and lots of laughs.Rob pinged the start. You can see us.. the pole boat at the boat end of the start line. Nice.

Some Days are Golden

07:30: caught up with Laurie ( the local tree guy) to help him bring over some recently felled lumber, suitable for fire wood. It's destined for Steve's fire place in Shepparton.
09:00: Deliver the new table to Laurie and Libby.
09:30: cutting said lumber into suitable sized pieces for the fire place. Keeping some for turning blanks.
11:30: Coffee.
12::30: Michael calls. He has a new bunch of tools that I might be interested in.
13:00: rummaging thru boxes of old tools.... Heaven!!!!
15:00: Completed rummaging and now proud owner of a bunch of new tools.... cool!!!
15:30: Sanding newly cut red gum bowl... rather pleasing colours!!!
17:00: Laurie drops by with a bunch of beers and a couple of lotto tickets as thanks for the table... Cool ...!!!!

Who said retirement was boring?????

The little Pope plane is gold... Also a slippery slope to collecting one of every type of Australian made planes.

Should be easy, 4 or 5 companies only made them here over a period of 10 years post WW II. Piece of cake... Ha ha.

Ok .. that's It... Table Done.

Finally done. It took far more hours than I anticipated, but we are pleased with the end result.
The finishing method worked well. It is a burnishing technique using Scandinavian Oil and orbital sander running grits from 80 down to 4000.
It provides a durable, food safe heat resistant, water resistant surface which shows off the grain to its best.
Unlike an estapol finish which is a layer over the wood surface, this becomes a highly polished wood finish.... I like it.
Keeping the natural edges proved a challenge, but well worth is. The tactile feel as you run your hand over the edges is very pleasing.
We get to enjoy the table for a couple of days, until Laurie picks it up on Tuesday.