A blog about woodturning
Finishing the underneath of a large yew bowl
In this post, Im going to focus on finishing the underside of a large bowl, which has been mounted onto the lathe with a faceplate. Turning on a faceplate is fairly straight forward during the rough turning process, but can present a few problems when remounting the blank and finishing.
A stylish way to hang your coats
As you may have guessed, the last two weeks have been quite hectic, due mainly to my open studio - thank you to all who were able to come and I do hope you enjoyed your visit! Now that Ive got back to my normal routine, Ive had a bit more time to work on my next idea.
My newly refurbished showroom
The last couple of weeks have been quite hectic with the run up to my open studio. Not only have I been busy making new work, but my showroom has had a refresh from top to bottom.
You won't see many walnut bowls like this
Cumbrian walnut is scarce at the best of times and rarely available to wood turners. Most of this timber is planked for furniture makers, or sold on to companies who specialise in veneering.
A sneak preview of my latest work
I've just completed two stunning fruit bowls in burr oak and burr elm. Theyve just been oiled and are ready to go.
A great exhibition in a stunning location
For the whole of August, I will be displaying a selection of my work at Lanercost Priory near Brampton. Founded in 1169, the priory is only a short distance from Hadrians Wall and set in beautiful rural surroundings.
Come and visit me at my open studio
For the first two weeks in September, I will be opening my doors to the public and holding my very first open studio! You will be able to see me busy in the workshop, examine my latest work and enjoy some home made refreshments in a very relaxing environment!
Plenty of bowls in this tree
I've just discovered this huge spalted beech log, lying rather neglected in a field. There is an area of woodland nearby, where thinning works took place some years ago.
Time to relax at Music On The Marr
It's not often I get a chance to go to a festival these days. A good few years ago, I was a regular trader at local events such as Solfest and enjoyed all the activities and fun!
Window shopping
Shops and businesses in my local town display the work of internalionaly-acclaimed and local artists.
A little bit of Wordsworth in your home
Following the floods of 2009, three mighty beech trees were uprooted in the grounds of Wordsworth House. This was William Wordsworths birthplace and childhood home and it is believed these trees, at over 240 years old, would have been growing up with him. I have since created a range of pieces from this very special wood but have some left for commission, interested?
New work is on the way
Heres a sneak preview of a new piece Ive just been making. Pictured is a small natural edge yew bowl being turned on the lathe it looks tiny compared to the one featured in my last blog post!
Rough turning the huge yew bowl
On my last blog post, Id just finished chainsawing a rather large yew bowl blank ready for rough turning. It now needs to be prepared for mounting onto the lathe.
Starting the huge yew bowl
Back in January, I was lucky enough to acquire a yew tree and have spent many a day chainsawing and rough turning the timber. Most of the bowl blanks are now drying in my shed, but I’ve saved the largest piece of wood until now.