AWGB Auction

The AWGB live auction is now online for all to view here with my submission., shown above from my 'Impermanence' series. It is named 'Noble Truth' after the buddhist philosophy of impermanence that inspired it's making.

The takings from the auction goes to the AWGB fund for the onward support their members development fund, which educates/supports and trains people in the craft of woodturning within the UK, such as the youth training scheme and others.

The Auction is held on the 9th of August. and hopefully will raise a nice sum for the organisation to continue its good work.

New wood supplies at Hazelbury Timber Supplies

Just got back from Hazelbury timber supplies today who have just had 1 x artic lorry load of Yew, 1 arctic of sycamore, 1 arctic load of Ash, delivered, plus loads of other woods in stock.

Loads of boards, cut to size as you wait. At their prices it is madness not to seek them out when you are down this way. Used by furniture makers, sculptures and turners to name a few from all over the country due to their keen price and availability of timber ad service.

Neglect and new work

My blog has been neglected for twitter as there I can not write so much :-) so tweeting is a much more efficient process.

The sculptures that I mentioned some time ago were in danger of not making it to reality until next year as work is so hectic, with so many deadlines and orders that for the first time I do not know where to turn or what to do first.

Yes I have the usual ' jobs to do' list with priorities, but then the phone goes or I get more emails. This is something that while I am feeling the strain of lately I am happy to have it this way around as opposed to not having any work, it just means blogs etc have to take a back seat.

The final pictures from the collaboration I will get around to posting I promise :-), but here I wanted to post one of the first of the sculptures that I have designed, and which I mentioned some six months ago.

This one is a marquette to test tooling and processes in the solid as opposed to in my head. Mostly it has progressed with few unforeseen problems and I am pleased with the result.

This sculpture is the most simple of the designs and I decided to start with this one as it takes awhile for me to get my mind into working differently than when turning in the round. Having said that, this form is also shaped/carved and then finished, so the lathe again is used only as a part process to give the flowing lines and curves for me to work from.

The finish is simply acrylic white spray as currently with this series I am interested in form with the exclusion of any distraction from grain or wood colour.

The piece itself is oval and stands approx 300mm high including the plinth. The main sculpture I am aiming for around a meter high, but that will bring into the equations different issues with relation to weight and the amount of free air I am cutting on the lathe and may require a different approach.

New 'Mini Revolution' Hollowing tool Now available

Crown Tools have launched their 'Mini Revolution' Hollowing/end grain turning tool. It is designed to be a low cost end grain hollowing tool for those that would like to enter into hollowing without the expense often associated with larger tools.

The 'Mini Revolution' comes supplied with 1 x 'Super Ring' Cutter, 1 x scraping cutter ideal for cross grain hollowing or as a refining scraper.

the tool can be used to produce end grain open/enclosed forms to a depth of 4-5 inches as well small hollow forms through a small opening with steep undercut.

For only £43 GDP with free P&P within the UK for a limited time direct from my website here it is a great addition if you already have a large hollowing tool and want a stand alone tool for smaller work, or are just embarking on the craft of hollowing.

For more information you can go here or contact via here