Greenwood is wood that has recently been felled. This means the wood is still wet making it fairly soft which is easier to work on with hand tools and traditional woodworking skills.
Teaching greenwood bowl-turning is a new venture for me and is something I have only recently started offering. It is surprising just how much I have enjoyed the experience. I am finding satisfaction in passing on my knowledge to the next generation of bowl turners and enabling more people to get a taste for this…
A common characteristic of many people in the greenwood working community is the willingness to share skills. I’m no different. I have enjoyed teaching traditional bowl turning to individuals and small groups of people using a pole-lathe. In November, I was invited by the Beds and Herts Woodturners group to demonstrate pole-lathe turning to its…
Join me for a day to learn how to turn a wooden bowl. This course is suitable for complete novices or for those that have some experience in either greenwood working or those used to using an electric lathe. Please note that bowl turning on a traditional pole lathe is a physical activity, and those…
A spindle lathe is a traditional woodworking tool that has been used for 100s of years to create cylindrical pieces of wood, for example, chair legs and components. A lathe is a woodworking machine with a rotary axis, meaning it spins a piece of wood between two axes. As the wood is spun, the woodworker…
Are you looking for a new hobby but you’re not quite sure what you’d like to do? Do you want to exercise your creative skills by learning a new skill? There are several benefits to learning a new skill. If you’re interested in greenwood woodworking but aren’t sure where to start, I am offering short…
An end grain cup is made from greenwood, and as the name suggests, the cup is made by cutting into the end grain of a log to create a cup. This allows the cup to have very thin walls because the fibres run lengthways along the wall. This means that the cup will naturally flex…
Greenwood woodworking is the art of working with freshly harvested, or “green,” wood. This type of wood has a higher moisture content than kiln-dried wood, which means it is softer and easier to carve or shape. Greenwood woodworking techniques include using hand tools such as axes, knives, and chisels to create functional and decorative items…
Milk paint has been used throughout the ages with early examples surviving from ancient Egypt. It has recently become more popular with interior decorators and craftspeople. Its aesthetic finish and non-toxic appeal to many today. I like milk paint as it fits well with the rustic feel of the handmade bowls I make. The way…
I make wooden bowls using a traditional pole-lathe. I often get asked does that make your leg tired (the lathe is foot-powered)? And why don’t you use an electric lathe? In answer to the first question – yes. But it’s not just the leg I use to power the lathe that gets tired. I use…
The first greenwood woodworking project I completed was making a neolithic-style bow. I attended a course in Siccaridge Woods in Gloucestershire. These ancient woodlands are a wonderful setting to spend some time getting in touch with nature. The course involved felling an ash tree and working the log into staves using nothing more than a…
