Ok, so it's a colander.

So, a couple of weeks after the big bowl boil, what are the results. One bowl....one colander!

And look at the distortion; that rim was flat!

Now the cracks have opened up, it is easy to see the cause; the bowl sides were not even 1/8" thick. I might have to adjust my calipers. The other bowl has sides about 7/8 to 1" thick and is hardly cracking or distorting.

Some Hillyfield larch went into making this woodstore/bin store/potting bench for Andie recently. It will have a green roof, probably sedum and other alpines.

I have been making some stools this week. Local oak from Denbury, for the seats and variously willow sticks (even more local; from just outside the workshop) and ash (with axe-cut tenons) for the legs.

I split these this morning, and they still had a bit of moisture in them (though the log had been sitting around for 4 years), so I gave them a steam bath for an hour to drive it out.

These stools, bowls furniture etc. available to buy in the Craft marquee at Totnes and District Show on 31st July. Or come along to the Devon Open Studios event in September, 10-25th everyday 10am to 6pm. There will be demonstrations, lots of them!

"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in"

So even after 3 weeks in and out of water with the oak bowls, there is still some cracking going on. Time for more extreme measures.

You can see the water pouring in through the cracks, as this bowl is plunged into my giant's boiling pan (bulk tomato can).

I don't mind if these bowls have a few cracks, as long as they don't tear themselves apart. Maybe this boiling will stop that happening. For now the cracks have closed up. If not their beauty will be short-lived, and maybe more beautiful for it. Ajahn Chah "When I understand that the glass is already broken, every moment with it is precious."

 

Like the one I axed too hard.

Think I'll try some timbers that want to be bowls. Like cherry.

Now I have this Dave Budd adze, I can rough out bowls much quicker and safer than with the chainsaw.

And this black walnut.

On the new horse for shaving.

And sidetracking back onto relief carving. Taking an element of one of my previous designs.

And re-working it. Trials for the chest with drawer.