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Sculptor crafting small figure under magnifying glass
Alexander Thomson October 5, 2024

Size matters

Peter Benson explores size and scale of carvings In this world where fashions seem to…

Woodturning a spindle on a lathe
Alexander Thomson October 4, 2024

Wax in Woodturning

Mark Palma looks at expanding the use of wax in woodturning. Wax has been used…

Furniture & Cabinetmaking

Handwoven rattan stool on green lawn in garden.

How to Make a Woven Stool. Part 1

Lee Stoffer tells us how to make our own comfortable stool. Having a comfortable seat for carving is a must for me. I find a stool is the ideal solution. Being both strong and lightweight, this post and rung ash (Fraxinus excelsior) construction with a woven willow seat works really well for the job and makes for a great introduction to green wood chair making. I’ve used sections of a large 500mm diameter log as I was making a batch of frames. A 500mm long length of 200mm diameter straight, knot free ash should provide plenty of material for this project allowing for a few spare parts/mistakes. Select ash which has between four and 12 growth rings per inch. Oak (Quercus robur), maple (Acer spp.) or sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) would make suitable alternatives to ash. Things you will need Stool exploded view Making the legs Post and rung stool

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Traditional Japanese paper lantern with wooden frame.

Unplugged Japanese Lantern

Mitch Peacock recreates a set prop from Akira Kurosawa’s film Sanjuro Do you ever hit pause for a woodworking moment? During a visit to a dear friend, we watched the film Sanjuro, directed by Akira Kurosawa of Seven Samurai fame. In one scene, Sanjuro (Toshiro Mifune) takes tea in front of a Japanese lantern, and I couldn’t help but pause the action, study the lantern and resolve to make one as soon as I could. I can’t help but stretch my woodworking skills wherever possible, and the lantern’s corner joints were an obvious place to do this. Should you wish to make a similar lantern yourself, then there are easier ways to construct these corners, so please don’t be put off. Japanese lantern plan Further reading

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Woodcarving

GMC Imperial to Metric Conversion Table

Measurements Conversion Chart

Different countries use different measuring systems and typically the USA uses the standard/English/Imperial system and the UK uses the Metric system. It is possible to get calculators to make the conversions but the ones that use fractions are not so easy to find. Below is the conversion chart we use for all our publications and it gives the best results for woodworkers when sizing wood. If you want to do hardware conversions this will not work so well and you will need to find the nearest metric equivalent that the hardware manufacturers in your country makes. If the measurement conversion you require is not listed below simple find two, or more, measurements (in your measuring system) that will add together to make up the measurement you want, then add them and their conversions together to get the resulting conversion. If you wish to save a copy for reference, right-click on

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Big tree in green farmland under clear blue sky.

Tree for Life – Ash

We look at a tree that is more universally useful than any other tree on the planet – the versatile ash tree. The ash tree is unique like all other species, but it’s uniqueness almost knows no bounds in terms of usability. It can be sawn and riven. It can form massive structures and be steam-bent; it can be safely used for cooking utensils and has a natural beauty both as a standing tree and as a cabinetmaking timber.  European or common ash The common ash – Latin (Fraxinus excelsior) – ‘excelsior’ translates as high, elevated, lofty. This could be said about many mature trees and, although found everywhere, as is the utility of its timber, it seems unkind to call it common but more certainly ‘excelsior’ on account of its importance to the environment and mankind.  It is a large deciduous tree, typically growing up to 18 metres in

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Woodturning

Handcrafted wooden bowls with artistic edges on display.

Natural Edge Work. Part 2

Having turned a vase with a natural edge in the previous article, I am now turning my attention to the next challenge – turning a natural edge bowl. Log choice The log that I have selected for the bowl needs cutting round on the bandsaw. Fortunately, George has cut a flat on the base, large enough for it to sit on the table of the saw without rocking as I cut it. To guide my saw I cut out a 200mm disc of 6mm MDF, which I loosely fix to the log with a nail through the centre of the disc. As with many of the techniques I’m using in these articles, this is something I’ve seen done many times in books and magazines but have never tried. So far, I’m impressed at its simplicity and how well it works. As before, I mount this block between centres. It’s hard

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Woodturning with lathe, creating wood shavings.

Using Pewter in Turning

I have been aware of the use of pewter in turning for a number of years. The first time I saw it was on a quaich, made by well known pole-lathe turner Robin Wood in his book, The Wooden Bowl. I have since seen pewter used by well known turners such as Simon Hope and Stuart Mortimer. For some time I have fancied giving it a try and this series is a perfect opportunity for me to do so. Pewter is a soft metal which lends itself to use by turners as it has a relatively low melting point of between 170–230° depending on the exact mix of component metals (according to the internet), which means it is easily melted over a domestic stove without the need for industrial equipment. Being quite soft it will turn with standard HSS turning tools, making it ideal to add to turned work as a

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Woodworking Crafts

Hand-carved wooden mouse on wooden surface.

Carving a Mouse

Looking for a fun woodcarving project for the weekend? Johan Roudy carves a ready-to-leap mouse that perches neatly on any 90° corner. This precarious pet makes a fun little feature to place around your house, or to give as a gift to a friend or family member. A few basics This mouse is a fun project to carve. The base is left during almost all the carving process to allow the piece to be clamped on the bench more easily. Once the carving is done, it is carefully cut so that the mouse can rest, for example, on the edge of a shelf – as if being pursued by a fervent cat. My Japanese saw was quite handy for that step. A clean and accurate cut can be achieved both along and across the grain. It is important to carve the body large enough compared to the head to achieve

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Man woodworking in a cluttered workshop.

Good Practice in the Workshop

Could your workshop use a bit of a tidy up? Well, the Editor talks us through small, but effective changes to maximise efficiency and safety. No doubt this is a wonderfully productive workshop, but if your workshop and workshop practices resemble this, then maybe a bit of a rethink is necessary. Workshops are personal to us all. They are our space that reflects our needs, likes and what we want to do in them. It is, however, a truism that no matter how big the workshop we have, we will always find things to fill it, and thereby need an even bigger workshop. We can dream of bigger workshops, but the reality is, we must all look at utilising space well. But it isn’t just space in a workshop that affects how we work – there are other things we need to consider that directly affect how well we can

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