Deer Protection

Coppice bowls need protecting, Deer are very fond of the new shoots that start to grow in the spring, it can take three times longer for the coppice to re-grow if these bowls are not protected. I like to make a stick ring from all the top branches and twigs, by the time they break down and rot they will have given the new shoots a long enough protection for them to survive the deer (hopefully!) Normally this "top" would be just burnt, so I believe that it makes a much better and more environmentally sound use.
Incidentally we also decided to leave one tree on each bowl, this will allow a light window for the new Ash saplings when it is cut down in few years time.

Coppice Ash

I have been cutting some of the Ash Coppice that I use for my chairs. It's best cut in winter then stacked ready for use throughout the coming year. they will stay "green" for at least 12 months. The ends will dry in time but these can be cut off before cleaving.


Coppice Ash does not grow as straight as single standing trees, so unfortunately there is not as much that can be used for chair making. I have just cut down six trees from three Ash coppice bowls and made two stacks of wood the first is the one that will be used to make chairs and the second is going to be used for firewood. As you can see only about a third is suitable for chair making.

The Coppice bowls can be very ancient, some locally have been dated to medieval times, they used to be cut regularly prior to the beginning of the 20th century not just for chair making but also Charcoal and firewood, they need to be cut regularly as if the trees get too big the bowl can be damaged and rot, the coppice bowls pictured have been left too long hence the damage and rots, now that they have been harvested it will give them a new lease of life and the new growth will ensure longevity.

Kitchen Spatulas

I have also been making some very useful spatulas, I am the cook of the house so when I put my mind to making a spatula I wanted to create something that would be very practical to use and these are what I came up with, they are made from Blackthorn so good looking too!

Shave Horse Work

 
This ancient machine allows you to grip and work with both hands free to shape and smooth your work

Here is a short video to demonstrate how it works.

Pole Lathe work 2nd stage

This video demonstrates the finer work that gives you a smooth finished piece

Pole Lathe "roughing out" 1st stage

I have taken some basic video of the Pole Lathe in action in order to give you an idea of how it works.
This video demonstrates the first stage of lathe work called roughing out, it allows you to remove large quantities of wood in order to get the rough shape required before moving on to more finer work

Lathe tools

I use specially designed chisels for the pole lathe, they have shorter handles than power lathe tools, this is because power lathes work at higher speeds and so require more control, whereas pole lathe speeds are controlled by your own muscle power and so are much safer and quieter to use.