Yesterday I rough forged a set of turners tools to go with my old lathe on the set of Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood film. These have been forged then ground and now go back in the forge to have the curved cutting hook forged. I have also been working on a quote for building an education shelter at the site…
Today I have been turning copies of 11th century bowls for an English Heritage order for Dover Castle. These three are 12″ diameter and made from alder which was the most commonly used timber at the time though not commonly used today. They are based on an original from Winchester which I studied a few years ago and is pictured…
Last year I had a really nice request to make a large collection of bowls for the set of Ridley Scott’s next epic film based on the Robin Hood story. The film was delayed but is now just starting filming and they decided they liked the bowls so much they wanted some more, lots more…..by the end of the week.…
I have just finished this rather fine quaich for a special order from a customer in Sweden. It may look just like the normal quaich on my website untill you see it alongside the one I use myself. It is a big brother quaich. Although I have been making quaiches for a couple of years now I only really started…
This week I have been working with Tim Clements a documentary film maker who is starting work on a project to make a documentary on heritage craftspeople. It was a very interesting process I think for both of us. Tim had interesting ideas about what he wanted but was feeling his way and using me as a guinea pig to…
Last year I made a lovely set of bowls and mazers for Ridley Scott’s medieval film “Nottingham” then at the last minute it was canceled due to the pending actors strike. I just heard that it is up and running again and starts filming in 5 weeks. Russel Crowe is Robin Hood and Cate Blanchett has just been confirmed as…
Most of the trees I use come from a tree surgeon who does a lot of management on Sheffield’s street trees. Even large old trees can not be sold to the sawmills because of the risk of nails and things inside. This can mess up an expensive sawmill but I cut them up with a chainsaw and if I hit…
Yesterday I went to London. That meant a 7am start, drive through the snow to Chesterfield and train to London. I was there for an inspiring meeting. A small group of very committed folk were discussing the way forward for traditional crafts. We have been researching all the previous initiatives and all the different organisations that have done work in…
A couple of years ago I was contacted by a researcher studying Viking bowls from excavations in Dublin. Her research was interrupted by maternity leave but we are now back in touch and here is a picture of 1 year old Aoife with her wooden bowl, a copy of a medieval design but still working well today.
Last week I took the lathe in to Sheffield and did a demonstration for the local woodturning club. I am on a bit of a mission to try and convert folk to making a wooden bowl and eating their breakfast from it. Whenever I do a demonstration or talk to a turners group I start by asking for a show…
