Exhibition

Vertical grain. Why riven oak? Radially riven oak is the most stable, because the rings of the tree are at 90 degrees to the face of the timber, or vertical. Better than quartersawn. Come and see how it's done in practice. Sign up for a course, or see demonstrations at Birdwood House Gallery, Totnes 12th-18th July. 'Jonathan Bayes (&Co)-Carving History'

The front page.

 A lot of work has gone in so far. It's good to be appreciated.

On the front page, and more inside.

A Life in Oak

The chance to see and touch and investigate so many thousands of square feet of Early Oak carving, in one place doesn't happen every day. So, I took the day today for a trip to Paul Fitzsimmon's - A Life in Oak auction viewing.

Every inch a joy. For a carver and furniture maker, like me, the opportunity could not be missed.

To see the backsides, the underneaths, the details which may not be shown in full photos. A few hours well spent.

Somewhat sad, but infinitely interesting were the lots I saw last; collections of parts. Spare bits from a life in oak. Maybe they will find their missing bits one day, or someone will make the missing parts once more.

Well done Paul, for all your hard work; collecting, researching, contributing so much to the understanding of Early Oak furniture!

Pair of snipe planes finished.

 I'm happy with these. They are for my own use.

The blades are modified from other snipe planes. When I get some time, I will forge some new blades.

Planes

 Enjoying making planes lately.

I enjoyed making the hollow so much, I decided to make a pair of snipe planes. The business part of a snipe is a fine point, so it needs to be tough. English planes are traditionally 'boxed' with....box. The boxing is secured into a dado with hide glue. 

I am using hide glue from a bottle, a) because it's such a tiny amount needed and b) because it's here and I have no glue pot set up.

After the glue has set, profiling of the sole of the snipe can happen. A bit nerve-racking, with such a fine edge to be achieved, and on an expensive piece of timber; box takes a long time to grow into small diameter trunks!

Then to the blade. I am modifying a blade from a bigger snipe, reducing the width with a hacksaw and filing to the right profile.

First plane of the pair finished.

Shop open

It's taken a long time, but we finally have a shop open at www.jonbayescarving.co.uk. There will be carving for sale, and the main access point to courses on there.

Taster courses; try before you commit. Pop in to the shop and sample our wares!

The shop should become more populated in the coming weeks.

Up a side axe size.

I decided to move up a size on the side axe, for these wider panels today. I handled it ages ago, but forgot that I had smoothed the new handle, so I was able to go straight at it.

I was a bit concerned that I had put too much offset into the handle, but it worked beautifully and made short work of rough flattening the board.

Then onto the bench for scrub plane and then jointer.

A stubborn low point persisted; but that's what smoothing planes are for. Lovely big panel.