Angus Beaton
JUNE 4TH 2020
The Maul
Angus joined several of the other crafters at the Englefield Estate to collect his branches and rounds. Whilst he was there he hand cleaved a maul, a maul is a long-handled often wooden-headed hammer.
June 2020
A candlestick, a bulb planter and some serving boards.
“Here is a pic of the serving boards I have been able to work out of the log split at the site. You will see the grain is pretty close to 90º to the face so though it will shrink across it’s width it will not distort or twist.
These were split, axed and hand planed to size. As the wood is still quite wet (in non-greenwood wood finishing terms) it is pretty stringy and tears easily so there are a couple of rough bits which would not be good for food use but as the wood dries it will be possible to get a clean finish. I have removed the bark as all the logs I had have Ash Bark Beetle and though not there any more the holes are sure to cause alarm…”
A candle holder incorporating some of the diseased / Olived wood …. there was to have been a matched pair but the other one was to flakey so it went in the bin……. all turned by hand on the pole-lathe.
The first item made was the bulb planter - using offcuts from splitting out.
Another candle holder turned on Pole-Lathe
28th january 2021 - A One Ash stool
I have just completed a stool from one of the One Ash logs, all was done by hand with no machinery or electricity involved at all other than for the phone call to buy the Sisal for the seat!
Here are some pictures of the process and a brief description…
1. A log of Ash approximately 5” Diameter by 36” long
2. Ends squared off and cut into two
3. Each half was then split using a Froe.
4. The halves were then split again into four for the legs
5. …. and eight for the spindles and seat bars
6. The four spindles were then shaped and rounded in a Shave Horse using a Draw Knife
7. Then four seat rails were made using the same method
8. The stool legs were turned on a Pole-Lathe, initially to cylinders and then turned again for shaped and length
9. The legs were drilled using a hand Brace and Bit
10. The ends of the spindles and seat rails were trimmed to allow easier fitting in the legs
11. Once to size, spindles and seat bars were fitted and squeezed together in Sash-Clamps
12. The tops and bottoms of the legs were trimmed off using a hand saw
13. All the leg frames are joined to complete the stool
14. The seat is woven from Sisal twine.
6th march 2021
Here’s another turned candle holder which ironically is actually in Andover as I posted it to a friend as a gift!
12th April 2021
I have made a number of these bird nesting boxes from the Ash I have. I hollowed out a log with base and perch all using the One Ash. The back is plywood for ease and speed - my intention is to split out some small boards for backs eventually but what I now have left here is not wide enough so that will be for later in the year.