A few more Perches...

Saturday saw David and Michael arrive at our workshop for our first 'official Rundell & Rundell' chair course. I know I've said it before, but these little Windsor style stools are great fun to make and just the right introduction to chair making. The combination of simple cigar style leg and stretcher turnings and a small hand carved seat ensures that the process is not all intimidating, no matter what your level of expertise. 

Both David and Michael had wood working experience and took to the turning like ducks to water. Same deal with the carving too. 

At the end of the three days they each took home a very fine Perch of American Oak and Eastern White Pine, quite fitting I thought, U.S. 'lumber' for a U.S. designed stool. The timing of the course worked well as I had a commission to make a special order Perch for a local artist. I used the commission piece as my demonstration model. 

This was no ordinary Perch however, with the commission calling for a figured Black heart Sassafras seat and Black Walnut legs. I've made a good deal of furniture with that combination, the Black Walnut highlighting the dark figure in the Sassafras.

The stock for the seat was some of the first timber I milled. I had bought the log in from Tasmania and it had been strapped and stacked in the shed for years. 

I think it came up a treat. Another coat or two of Danish Oil and it'll be ready to head to it's new home on Friday.

There's a lot going on in the workshop at the moment, with classes booking up and orders for chairs. High on the list is a Galbert Crested Rocker which has to be finished in a few weeks. It's for a very special customer indeed. A new customer you might say. A few updates to come.... 

The Workshop

A plumbers shed a couple of times, an auto electricians workplace, a hospitality and packaging warehouse. Our new workshop has worn a few hats over the years. It even lay dormant for a long time. When I say new, I should say, it's only new to us. You see she's a pretty old and run down old shed, but it's a good space. Space being the operative word, there's a lot of it. Not just inside either, which is what appealed to me when I first enquired about the property.

As our first 'official' Rundell & Rundell course draws closer I thought it might be of interest to show you all around the shop. There's a long way to go, but the bones are there. 

Here's the machine room. I may espouse the virtues of traditional wood working and hand tools, but machines obviously play a part in our business and some of the wood work I produce. To that end I feel the same way about the quality of the machinery I buy as I do about my hand tools. For a number of years I have collected my machines methodically, often waiting for years until the right old machine turned up. That's true of most of my drill presses, the mortise machine and my older lathe. 

Some of these have been in pristine original condition and some I've restored. When I couldn't find the right old machine or didn't feel confident that the 'right' machine had been treated well, I bought new. ( trust me, old machines -just like old cars-  cost a lot of money to fix if they break down!  ) That's the case with my Austrian made Felder bandsaw and combination machine and my new Australian made Vicmarc variable speed lathe. 

Yes, I'm very proud of my machines, in fact some people might say I have an unnatural love for my Waldown drill ! ( Far right in pic, nice eh? ) But it's not about their cost. In fact I see it as the polar opposite. You see while the new machines might cost considerably more than a Chinese or Taiwanese option, in my eyes they are usually much cheaper. Not only will a quality machine provide years of faithful service, if they do break down, they can be repaired. Cheaper Asian imports with their poor castings, bearings, motors and plastics are most often reduced to boat anchors when they fail. So after you've bought yet another machine to replace the first one, the price of the quality machine is actually quite reasonable. Not to mention resale value. But, back to the workshop!

The machine room is also home to a considerable amount of our stores of dried and green milled timber. Everything from Elm to Ebony, Blackwood to Blackbean, we have a goodly selection of some pretty nice stuff. Our old Vicrail Workshops workbench is out here too, for any hand held power tool use.

There's also the yard. Another storage area for the timber we are milling. Here's some of the Blackwood from our trip to the Otways. But the yard is not just for storage. It's also home to one of the best specimens of Pin Oak I've seen in a while. 

This lovely old Oak will provide shade for budding chair makers while they sit on their shave horses making spindles. Nothing like a bit of good 'ol fresh country air!

Our bench room is the heart of the workshop. Housing our two old European made workbenches and a third utility bench, this room is all about quiet woodworking. About not having to scramble for hearing and eye protection when a dust extractor or hand held router is fired up.  Air conditioned for the summer and a wood heater for the winter, it promises to be a pleasant work space.

A separate kitchen area and enough onsite parking for over a dozen cars, the old girl has some merit. Better still in the morning we are talking with the first of our potential co-tenants, an exciting prospect and part of a much grander plan than just Windsor chairs and wood work . So stay tuned and watch this space. Or better still come and take your place here and see it for yourself! 

You bought beans?

The last week has been a dusty and hot affair. I've been down to the Otways milling some spectacular Blackwood with Dad and Carl Karascay. More to follow about Carl and his family later... 

This was no ordinary Blackwood though with each log being around 8 metres long and most of them barrel straight and BIG. Between the 3 of us we milled over 15 cubic metres of the stuff in the last few days, a good effort with a portable mill I'd say. Good friend and fellow furniture maker Tim McLeod even came down and got in on the action, milling up a very nice 1.2 cube log too. 

There was some good variation throughout the logs from light browns through to rich and deep reds. A couple of logs even showed some nice fiddleback figure. The Blackwood will be set aside for both furniture pieces and chairs. The timber earmarked for furniture has already been sticker-ed and is going to be kiln dried, the chair stock will be sticker-ed, stacked and put aside to air dry naturally. Why? Air dried stock can still be steam bent reasonably successfully, kiln dried cannot, unless it's a very slight bend. So the air dried is much more versatile stock for me, chair wise.

                       Some of the wany edges split for spindle and legs stock......waste not

The unfortunate part of the whole deal was starting last week with two 40 degree days in a row, unpleasant. But the nights were anything but, staying out a Carl's place. 

                                             His view of the Otways is pretty damn fine. 

But beans you say??

Whilst I was down that way I happened to come across a few stacks of pre-cut stickers. Stickers, spacers, sticks, I've even heard them called sliders. Whatever you want to call them, these wooden spacers for puting between green timber are invaluable to sawmillers and without them your just wasting your time and the wood your cutting. 

So when I heard from Carl that he had a source for them I was pretty happy. Happier still when I found out they were 'Class A' hardwood. Knowing that I have a lot of Elm, Oak, Plane and other logs to mill I thought I'd best buy a couple of packs. Ok, I bought four packs, but you can never have too many right? Well perhaps I should have looked at the packs first. They are immense, so much so that when Carl loaded them onto the ute the springs lay flat!  I have another trip to Colac later in the week just to collect the rest! Over 3 tons worth all up I think.....oops.

I came home that day with the first load of stickers and a couple of packs of Blackwood. As I unloaded I had visions of Lisa seeing the huge pile of sticks and saying you came home with sticks? "You went milling Blackwood and came home with sticks??" "STICKS!?"  You know the whole Jack and the beanstalk thing. Of course then then I started thinking of beans, which in turn made me think of the Blazing Saddles bean scene.  Hilarious. Anyway enough about the beans. I'll eventually have a page on our website ( which is all but a week or so away from coming on-line ) about the timber I'm milling, but in the interim I thought I'd throw open an opportunity here on the blog. 

Blackwood retails for around the $4700 per cube mark for 2"/50mm stock at one of the better known Melbourne timber merchants. I thought I'd make some of this magic freshly cut stock available, but at a very reasonable price. It all averages around 50 and 60mm thick, 400 wide and around 4m long.

So if you are interested in either green or kiln dried Otways Blackwood, drop me an email  here and let me know. Cheers.

Hear Ye! Hear Ye !! 2013 Course Dates

Happy new year to you all. Although we downed tools and needle and thread for a moment or two between Xmas and New Years, we've been furiously collating dates for our first year of workshop classes. It's such an exciting prospect for us to be officially offering the first classes in our new Central Highlands Workshop that it's a little like Christmas all over again.

When we decided to offer classes in woodworking we wanted to be sure that we were offering classes that were not 'run of the mill' or say, a little dreary! Classes that inspired creativity in people and of course that related to lost trades and techniques that are rapidly disappearing from our landscape. 

And so with that in mind we put in a considerable amount of footwork and have come up with what we think are a good cross section of classes for the first half of 2013. We will try and run 2 and occasionally 3 courses per month. These will vary and should ensure that there is something of interest for most people. We would have liked to offer more but we have to set aside time to make stock for the shop too and of course allow time for commission work, which is already mounting as we speak.  Please contact us here to express your interest in a course and please remember that we have had an exceptional response to our workshops so we recommend that you book early.

Also, keep an eye on the blog for the opening of Watervliet Shaker Cottage, our self contained Shaker style cottage in the heart of Kyneton. We will be able to offer subsidised rates during the week for people participating in 'chair making courses.'  So without further ado, here's the course information and dates

January  

Due to commitments milling timber and previously booked courses we have only one course scheduled for the remainder of January.

18th - Bar Open!

Rundell and Rundell's Wine Bar, The Chairmakers Wife, re-opens providing a select range of wines, beer and cider in relaxed atmosphere on Kyneton's historic Piper Street.

Perch Class - 26- 28th inclusive.  - FULLY BOOKED

The Perch is an ideal introduction to windsor chair making. A design collaboration between Pete Galbert, Curtis Buchanan and Galen Cranz, the Perch is unique in that it is designed with a short front leg, tilting the carved seat forward. This rotates the sitters pelvis forward keeping their back straight and encouraging good posture. Participants will get an introduction to wood turning, shaping the legs and stretchers. Hand carving the seat and drilling and reaming the leg holes and fitting the stretchers round out an enjoyable 3 day course with most participants getting the opportunity to apply the first coat of their chosen finish. A maximum of 3 students at one time ensures a quality learning environment with personalised attention. Come and experience a great introduction to chair making and take home a Perch made by your own hands and something not otherwise available for sale outside of our retail shop, Rundell & Rundell Chairmakers.

$500 including all materials and light morning and afternoon teas.

February

Seymour Alternative Field Days - 15-17th inclusive -

Come along to one of Australia's most progressive country field days with an expected crowd of over 45,000 per day, Seymour is where you can see the latest innovations in farming, agriculture and everything in between. We will be part of the Lost Trades exhibit, along with traditional Stone Masons, Lead Light Window makers, Broom makers, Hedge layers/rowers, etc. It will be a great weekend and worth a visit. For more information visit their website here .

Coopered Bucket Course - 23rd - with George Smithwick of Beveridge Coopers.
                                                          - FULLY BOOKED

George comes from a very long line of coopers and is an incredible tradesman, able to make just about anything from wood and iron, from barrels to buckets, wagon wheels and carriages to oval boxes and everything in between. 

Come and spend a day in the workshop with George and learn how to make a traditional style coopered wooden bucket, with wooden staves and iron hoops. Then finish it off with the proper spliced rope handle. George will go though the techniques employed by coopers for centuries to mate wooden staves together to form a watertight seal and the techniques for measuring and shaping and fitting the solid wooden base. Learn how to shape flat iron into a round bucket hoop and rivet it together with traditional 'tinmans rivets.' Then assemble the bucket and fit the spliced rope handle, taking a home a watertight bucket that will last for generations! An amazing day class with an inspiring teacher. Limited to six places only, please express your interest quickly as we are already aware how popular this course will be.

$220 per person includes all materials and light morning and afternoon tea refreshments. 

March 

Perch Class - 9-11th inclusive -   please see above

                                                   - FULLY BOOKED

Shaker Oval Box Class - 23, 24th - FULLY BOOKED

The Shaker Oval box was a mainstay of Shaker community life, utilised everywhere from the Bretheren's workshops to the kitchen, housing everything from copper tacks to foodstuffs. I learnt how to make these beautiful traditional boxes from the modern father of Shaker Box making in America, John Wilson of Charlotte, Michigan and we now bring that tradition to Australia. Over the course of the weekend, Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon, learn how to shape, and prepare the box bands before heating them in hot water and bending them around a formwork to create your box. The bands are then tacked in place with U.S. imported traditional copper tacks before being set aside to dry overnight. On Sunday afternoon when your boxes are dry, mark out, cut and trim your bases and lids before pegging them in place with wooden dowels and not a drop of glue! An unchanged process for generations, the oval box making class is suitable for most ages and pretty much any woodworking skill level. Set over the weekend, so you can take in the township of Kyneton and experience a lunch or dinner at one of our many chef hat awarded restaurants! Participants can expect to make and take home 3 finished shaker boxes and the know how to continue to make them at home.

$220 per person, with all materials and light morning and afternoon tea on each day provided.

April

Continuous Arm Chair Course - 7 -13th inclusive - FULLY BOOKED

The Continuous Arm Windsor Chair is perhaps the only chair the the U.S. can claim was designed on their soil. Getting it's name from the single piece steam bent crest rail which gracefully sweeps down to become the arm rest on both sides, the Cont. Arm Chair is an iconic New York pattern chair, perfected over years of  fine tuning by Curtis Buchanan of Jonesborough, Tennessee. This chair is one of the most graceful windsor chair designs with 13 slender, hand shaped spindles, shield shaped seat and a choice of baluster or double bobbin/Bamboo turnings. 

Utilising Curtis's chair patterns, over 7 days participants will master the use of the drawknife and spokeshave, shaping spindles and the crest rail. Scorps / inshaves, travishers and scrapers shaping the seat and learn the techniques for drilling and reaming the 19 compound angled holes in the seat and fitting the 'H' pattern stretchers. Taking home a chair which is a true heirloom and will last for generations not just a few seasons, the Continuous Arm Chair is a course for those who want to experience traditional woodworking as they never have before and take home a stunning piece of furniture that is otherwise not widely available.

$1200 per person or participants booking together will will receive a 10% discount.

Please note - unlike other Australian windsor chair classes, we will only take a maximum of two people at once to teach the art of chair making. We truly believe this gives the best opportunity for participants to experience this traditional craft in a relaxed manner, with undivided attention from Glen and not be lost in a sea of other people. It reflects the manner in which Glen learnt the craft in Tennessee and Massachusetts. We are also happy to co-ordinate mutually convenient dates for individual chair courses only. 

Perch Class - 26-28th inclusive -please see above.

May 

We have purposefully left the month of May free to work on commissions or to allow for people wanting to book in for further chair courses. 

June

Perch Class - 8-10th inclusive - please see above

Sussex Trug Class - 29th

Join us at our Central Highland Workshop where Cooper George Smithwick will show you the secret to making this traditional Sussex style staved basket. The name Trug comes from the Saxon word 'Trog,' a wooden vessel or boat. Trugs shot to fame when Queen Victoria ordered a number of them for her family after viewing them at the Great Exhibition of 1851.  Made from cricket bat Willow, as were the originals some 200 years ago, the Trug is the ideal garden companion for carrying freshly cut herbs and flowers, freshly picked vegetables or even kindling for the fire. Come and learn the secrets to making these iconic english field baskets. Participants will learn to steam bend the handle and hoop frame,  heat, bend and tack the willow staves into position and trim the basket to it's final shape, taking home a traditional hand made basket otherwise unavailable in the country.

$220 per person including all materials and light morning and afternoon teas.  

July 

Shaker oval box making class  - 6, 7th - please see above

Continuous Arm Windsor Chair Course - 21 - 27th inclusive  - please see above.

The second half of 2013 will see an equally exciting range of new chair courses and other interesting and unique woodworking classes with celebrated guest instructors both local and from abroad. We look forward to hearing from you and sharing some great experiences in 2013. So stay tuned and again, Happy New Year!

Phew....

Christmas eve, a few good Harcourt ciders down and Lise and I are slumped on the couch with a hot chocolate in hand. The last 24 days since we opened the shop have been interesting to say the least. From oval boxes to leather bags, hand made brushes to Sussex Truggs, even the odd refurbished axe, they've all headed out the door in the hands of happy customers. And the comments we have received have been quite humbling. Just yesterday a woman actually shook Lisa's hand after she wrapped up a brush and one of our oval boxes. She appreciated the time Lisa had taken to explain our ethos and the finer details of our products. I think it comes naturally when your passionate about what your doing. The nice part is those sort of comments are frequent and to us that means we're on the right track.

I cant say I expected to be making 50 odd oval boxes ( amongst other things ) in the last 3 weeks but despite the late nights trying to keep up with orders, I haven't regretted a minute. Not even at 10am yesterday when 'KB' placed her Xmas order for a special Perch for her Mum. Not usually the sort of thing I make overnight, but it's Christmas after all. Merry Christmas KB's Mum!

                      

                               Kyneton Elm and Black Walnut, waiting for a good oiling........

We've had some great publicity too with articles in the local Guardian newspaper and the current issue of Town and Country Farmer magazine. Then last Monday we had the pleasure of spending a morning with Janis and her husband Rob. Janis and Rob come out to Australia from Vancouver, Canada every few years to visit Rob's family and came into the shop to have a look.  

Janis is the author of the well known Canadian Blogs 'Poppytalk' and 'Pinecone Camp,' as well as being a truly gifted photographer. With around 13,400 odd members at Poppytalk, perhaps well known is a bit of an understatement!  Have a look here at some of the shots Janis has taken of the laneways of Melbourne, they are truly spectacular. Millie even got her hairy little face on Poppytalk too, here. Who says you should never work with kids and animals!

Added to that, The Chairmakers Wife ( our little bar ) has received plenty of praise too for it's relaxed atmosphere and simple wine and cider selection. It's been another great way to meet some more of the locals, with people dropping in for a glass or two before dinner and often after dinner as well. I have to say I'm becoming quite partial to the Harcourt Cider. Hey, it's been hot in the workshop you know!

So before I put out the Brandy and mince pies for Father Christmas, Lisa, Tom and I would like to wish you all a very merry and safe Christmas and good health for the coming new year. Merry Christmas!

Boxing Day

Boxing Day came early this year. We had so many enquiries about Shaker oval boxes last weekend in the shop that I had to get back into the workshop and make some more.

I made up 3 No.5's, a couple of No.4's and a handful of No.2's and 1's.  As these little boxes are going to be a regular fixture in the shop ( and courses too ) I thought I'd best teach someone else how to make them, to lighten the load a little. So Lisa got a lightening quick tutorial on bending and tacking. Tomorrow they will get their top and bottoms fitted and pegged.

Best part of that was getting into our new workshop to make them. The first thing I've made there really. Another bonus was trying out a recent addition to the workshop. An old and very unique bench.

Made in The Hague in the Netherlands, this square bench has four factory fitted vises and is ringed by dog holes on all sides and in the faces of the vises. Four original wooden dogs came with it. Each vice also has a custom metal screw and heavily knurled nut, recessed into the face of the vise jaw. This nut can be wound out to mirror the thickness of what's being clamped. That way when clamping a narrow piece, the nut stops the vise from wracking and losing grip. Very flash.

It needs a good clean up and oiling but it should be just the thing for our Shaker Oval Box Classes for 2013. Millie the shop hound gave a nod of approval too.

For anyone looking for that ever elusive present for the person who has everything, why not get them a Rundell & Rundell Shaker Box Anvil !? Solid steel and not a hollow, tinny piece of pipe, these anvils are the ducks pyjamas for all box sizes from '0' to a No.7. Good for hollowing out hot dog rolls too!

.... and cheers to you too!

It's been a little over a week since we threw open the doors to Rundell & Rundell. What an eye opener. We had an eclectic range of product in the shop. Our products, the work of some local artists and makers and also a few collectables that Lisa and I have picked up on our travels. Oh and some windsor chairs too.  A few things that we thought would sell didn't, some others that we thought might not, did. Long story short, I've been back in the workshop already making more stock. Lisa has as well, in fact I can hear the murmur of her sewing machine as I type.

 Austrian style 'Jause' Boards. So popular anyone would think people are eating them and        

                                                                    not from them ! 

I've had the odd email too. Ok, a lot of emails. Most ask for a photo or two on the blog of the inside of the shop. I'll get around to organising that soon. As soon as I find my camera, which I cant seem to find. With stuff strewn all over the place, I'm sure it's under a pile of sawdust somewhere.

But more importantly I wanted to give an update on some other R & R news. As most of you who follow the blog might know, work space has been an ad-hoc affair since our move to Kyneton. At first we had none, then after building a shed at the back of the cottage, we had and still have a small workspace. When I filled it with my workbench, cabinets, lathe and other machinery the small workspace became a whole lot smaller. With not enough room to sneeze and having to go outside to change your mind, it was an interesting experience.

So a few months back I took it upon myself to look about for a space to rent. An old factory, which I knew had been vacant for some time, came to mind and I made some enquiries. After speaking with the owner I found that it was beyond our means and so went and had a coffee to rethink the issue. 

My neighbour Joe happened to be in the cafe and we had a chat about lack of workspaces. Joe was in the same boat and being a builder, was looking for a workspace too. We both revisited the factory and I'm very happy to say that we have now co-leased the space. It's an amazing workspace to say the least. In fact the shed space alone is immense. Add to that a separate room ( air conditioned and with wood heater ) for hand tool work and running classes. There is also a large yard to the side of the building with a spectacular Pin Oak providing plenty of shade. Just the thing for sitting under whilst on the shave horse! Best of all, it too is only a short stroll from Piper Street and great coffee.

Whilst on the subject of the workshop, both Joe and I have some grand plans for the space, given its size. I won't go into great detail now, but it revolves around others utilising space in the workshop to work at their own chosen trades and crafts. A little like a communal hub for like minded trades people. We've already had some really positive enquiries from people who would like to ply their trade there, so exciting times are ahead! 

Finally, workshop wise, I have sent out the workshop overview email to the dozens of people who have enquired about a course for the new year. If you haven't received that email or would like to, please let me know and I will forward it to you. Our course dates for 2013 will be released on the 1st of January, 2013. We expect to be running at least 2 varied courses a month, time permitting and other chair courses at pre-arranged times too.

One more thing. Next time you're passing through, call in for a drink at the bar! Yes that's right, the bar. At 4pm on Fridays and Saturdays, ( Thurs - Sun after Xmas ) Rundell & Rundell Chairmakers transforms into...... The Chairmakers Wife, a little bar serving wine and local cider by the glass ( and bottle if you're so inclined ) and the odd beer and sparkling too. It's a great spot for a drink, after work, after a long drive, after a great meal else where on Piper Street or even after one of our classes! Another reason to call in and say hello. Cheers!

Cheers!

This afternoon Lisa and I took a good, deep, breath, ......then exhaled. The past week has been a complete blur. Days flowed into nights and then into the early morning. But just after 10am yesterday morning we opened the door to our shop in Piper Street, Kyneton. It's been a long held dream of ours for as long as either of us can remember, to have a space of our own where we can share the things we make and the things we've found in our travels with others. To have it finally come to fruition is something we are both very proud of.

We had so many positive comments from those who came into the shop too. Both locals and those visiting town. So thank you to all those who came through the door and visited with us. We're grateful for your support and kind words.

As well as putting in a lot of hard work ourselves, we have more than a few people to thank for getting us over the line, as it were. Immediate family and friends, too numerous to mention, but they know who they are.Thank you. Having people who have faith in what you are doing and supporting you along the way strengthens your resolve and there is no doubt it has done so for us. 

This afternoon after we closed the doors on a weekends trade I went and mowed the lawns. A simple and welcome distraction from a hectic week . Lisa and Tom spent some time in the garden, taking in how well everything is growing. The last time I stopped to look at the red currents, they were very green. There'll be more time now for simple pleasures.

We hope that you call in and say hello if you're in our neck of the woods. We'd be happy to see you.

Shelved

This morning I focussed my efforts on removing some of the detritus from the inside of the shop, in preparation for our opening next weekend. As some of you may remember from my post  back in July, there have been some fairly average alterations to the building. That's being diplomatic. Time and money wise we haven't time to renovate the shop front in the same manner as we have with the cottage, from the ground up. But as a friend Kath ( stylist to the stars! ) said to me the other day, people aren't coming to look at the floors walls and ceiling, they're coming to look at what's between them. .....and I don't think she was talking about the studs and noggins!

                                                         Hmmm. Pinus Horribilus

So with trustee cordless drill in hand I began to remove the hundreds of bugle head plaster screws that held in some rough cut pine that was cobbled up as a 100mm shelf on the wall above some faux panelling. Said previous owner should have been the poster boy for Selley's because for every 10 screws he jammed in, he used a tube of No More Gaps or Liquid Nails as well. My sincere hope is that the building doesn't fall over when I remove all the liquid nails! 

                                                                Pegus Maximus 

So in place of the rough pine I headed to the workshop, grabbed up some Elm off cuts and whizzed up 25 Shaker pegs. The shop isn't having any theme, Shaker or otherwise, it's just that they are such a handy thing to have on the wall, especially for hanging all manner of 'smalls' , bags and things. With the rails pre-cut I glued them up ready for Milk Painting and fixing this evening.

                                             Authentic Australian Swiss Cheese Wood

A long while back I picked up an old wooden bracket/shelf support that had been long ago discarded and left to the borers in a shed. It was such a nice shape that I held onto it until I had the right use for it. 

                                                               Work in progress

Today I cleaned it up and used it for a  template to make another 8 for a shelf behind the counter, replacing more Pinus Horribilus. A very simple Pin Oak  top and job done.

This afternoon at the cottage the last of the peg rail was painted and fitted into the bathroom, with Huon Pine Shaker pegs. It's the last piece in the puzzle and means I can finally remove every last tool from the place and concentrate on furnishing it. At last.

                                          Great colours, not too flash in your coffee....

Another late night of painting at the shop but it's coming along well. On that note, as an opening special we are offering our current stock of Original Milk Paint Co. product at the reduced rate of $13 per pint package, down from $15. 

I was the first to bring the product in to Australia nearly 3 years ago, for my own use and for other chair students and haven't raised the price since.  Recently I heard from an old customer that there are others bringing in the product now too and charging $25 a pint for it! Pretty outrageous really at nearly two and a half times the retail price in the U.S. 

Tomorrow, time permitting I will list a few of the unique classes available for 2013 at our new workshop and factory, just a short stroll from the shop, cottage and Piper Street. It's a great space, indoor and out with plenty of parking and plenty of inspiration too! 

Every which way

A few more garage sales this morning, this time in and around Taradale, about 15minutes from Kyneton. It's the time of the year for them and something I just cant pass up. You never know what bargains or treasures you might find! A quick coffee on returning to town, then back into it. So much to do that it's hard to know which way to turn.

Lisa and I have been lucky enough to have Dad come up and stay for a few days and lend a hand. As a result we've managed to get the deck oiled and the hand rails finished and painted. I have to say it's handy having the sawmill up here at the moment. Dad bought up some clean 200mm plus x 50mm  cypress boards. We went down to the factory ( oh, yeah I don't think I've mentioned that yet? ) put them through the mill and came back to the cottage with perfectly straight 120mm x 50mm hand rails. A bit of sanding and a couple of lap joints later and the rails were fixed to the posts. Then a once over with the router and round over bit. Undercoat and top coat, job done. I wanted the deck railing to have a rustic feel, like farm fencing, and I think it fits the bill nicely.

Sure the base boards need a coat of paint too, but that might have to wait a while. Then it was back down to the factory to get the old 'Tough' chisel mortiser fired up and mortise out the posts for another workbench Dad is making. One of them will be the donor for the vise screw and guide rail I posted about a few weeks ago. While I was down there I picked out a few nice Pin Oak boards. These will be for a new set of shelves in the shop

Back to workshop, planed, thicknessed and edged the Pin Oak into 3 shelves for fitting in the shop in the  morning. While I was at it I cleaned up a few off cuts of London Plane I had sitting around from making the built in's for the cottage.

A bit of cutting, shaping and hand planing and 3 spider legs and a cleat appeared for the candle table I'm making. I'd glued up and shaped the top earlier as well as turning and dovetailing the column from New Guinea Rosewood. I reckon the combination of the quarter sawn spalted Plane and the even colour of the Rosewood should be a good combination.

By dusk I had it sitting together. Now just to taper the legs, plane the top and glue and screw it together. These little tables are fun to make, incorporate the right balance of hand and powered tools and are a functional piece for the house. Another item you will be able to buy at Rundell & Rundell and from next year, book a a course to make one for yourself!

Hanging out

Last weekend we had a break from the renovating and racing about and headed to Bendigo for the day. The reason? One of Australia's best swap meets is why and boy was it worth the trip. With over 1600 stalls selling everything from pressed metal toys to parts for your '57 Chev, it was amazing. On the trip up I made a mental note of just what I was going to focus on....which of course was old tools, but I was also keeping an eye out for a nice old bracket to hang a sign on. Not just any sign but our 'shingle' for the new shop.

I hadn't walked 50 metres through the gate when I saw the familiar outline of a drawknife sitting amongst a few tables of fairly nice looking tools. As I made a b-line for the stall I began scanning to see what else was on display. Bingo. A very nice and full bladed scorp. So I picked up the drawknife, saw the name 'Sorby' on the blade, checked the back and it was as fresh as you could want for a drawknife. Not even a sniff of rust, let alone pitting. Great. As I held the drawknife I picked up the scorp with the other hand and zeroed in on the 'Matheison' stamp on it too. A very British affair so far. The Matheison had tight handles and again not much if any use. Two for two. 

Just when I thought I was on a roll, a very large hairy hand scooped up a old brace right before my eyes. It was one of those moments that happened in slow motion. As it passed by me I confirmed in was a 'Spofford' style brace and then I saw the nickel silver bands around the rosewood centre grip, meaning it was a 'Fray.' The type that Curtis Buchanan swears by and the very same type and size ( 6 inch sweep ) that I had made my first Windsor chair with in Tennessee.

The largish fella that now held it walked off to look at other stuff and I put the experience down to not being quick enough off the mark! C'est la vie. Besides, he was about 6'4", had a neck like a Mallee root ( a very large, thick and hard tree stump for my overseas friends ! ) and arms that would shame a silverback gorilla. I wasn't about to ask if I could have a look at it..... Another scan and I picked up a nice old Thor brand copper headed mallet which was a nice consolation. 

As I wandered over to the seller with my mitts full I couldn't believe what I saw next. The big guy casually walked past, popped the brace back on table and walked off. No sooner had the brace hit the Laminex, I gathered it up with the others and kept moving. With a bit of banter I agreed on a price for the lot ( including $20 for the brace with the bit! ) and walked away with a big smile on my dial. The day was looking good. Both the drawknife and scorp will be sharpened and honed ready for use and for sale in the shop.

Half the swap-meet later and I came across another great stall. A guy from Ballarat with everything including a kitchen sink. That's when it popped out at me. A beautiful old hand made, wrought iron sign bracket. It was a horrid green colour with about six or seven layers of old lead paint on it, but you could see just how well made it was and the hand finished detail in it. He would not budge from $150 saying that about 10 people had already picked it up and ummed and arhh'd over it. It's was a hell of a lot more than I wanted to pay, but I hadn't seen another like it and the seller made a good point. "Go get a blackmith to make a new one and see what it costs you!" Good point I thought.

Monday morning It was taken down to the local sandblaster who took a good 3-4mm of heavy old lead paint off it. Then, another surprise.....

A makers stamp. 'Vulcan Works Sheffield' and 'Sphinx' with a sphinx logo in the triangle. Bonus, made in England too and most likely when Sheffield was in it's prime as Britain's premier iron and steel manufacturing city

Repainted in matt black, replete with sign. ( ...a little touching up of weatherboards yet )

Keep an eye out for it when you come to visit.

 

"It's the final countdown.."

No, I'm not referring to the immortal words of 'Europe's' '80's super hit. But the home straight in our renovating journey. 

It's probably no surprise by the lack action here on the blog, that things have been busy. Things have dragged on a little with delays here and there so Lisa and I made an executive decision and gave ourselves a dead line to not only get the cottage finished but the shop open also. And that's the end of this month. So come high water or the other place, the doors to both will open to the public. 

On the cottage front, the kitchen received its final coat of barn red paint from Lisa this morning and the Ringed Gidgee drawer pulls and door handles from me this afternoon. I'm quite happy with the final outcome and I think it reflects what a contemporary Shaker kitchen should look like. Lets not forget that the Shakers embraced technology ( some say they invented the washing machine too ) so I think a dishwasher would feature in a modern Shaker fit-out. Add to that an electric fan forced oven with gas cooktop and that's the conveniences sorted. I think the solid Elm bench top compliments the barn red paint too.

Little details are there too if you look for them and icing on the cake will be a traditional hanging wall cabinet, which I will get a start on this week.

Lisa has done a fine job of the curtains with just a few finishing touches like small flat lead weights that are to be hand sewn into the corners to ensure they hang neatly.

Lastly the drawers of the 'chimney cupboard' are yet to be made, but I'm saving that for the end of the week. Nothing like hand cutting more than a hundred dovetails to see out the week!

Before the end of the week I'll be posting more details of the cottage as we begin to fill it with the furnishings we brought back from the U.S. and others I have made. Then it's all systems go with the shop.

It's going to be quite an eclectic assortment of products made by mine and Lisa's hands and also by others both local and abroad. There will also be everything that a budding ( or experienced for that matter! )  chair maker could want, from chair parts, chair making tools and milk paint etc. So stay tuned it's going to be an action packed 10 days.....