Abney Park II

Appear to have run out of space on the last entry. So picture 2 of Orlando and his chopping bock leg - the wedge in situ, the blind hole and ready to go.

The leg has now been firmly whacked into position with a maul.











The completed (apart from a little refining axe-work) hybrid chopping block.

01-06-13 Saturday
So once again to Abney Park Cemetery on the official monthly meeting for the London group.  The amount of passing trade in this part of North London is growing. Later in the afternoon Jo Clarke was turning people away (but suggesting arriving in the morning next month) as we had run out of space. The tool grant from the Worshipful company of Turners is certainly being put to good use!

This couple from Australia, now living and working in London rocked up straight of the street. They were delighted to have been given the opportunity and the tools to make a couple of spatulas.

One of the traditional and special treats of the meetings is the shared lunch. The clientèle changes every month so then the mix of lunch. Some make bread, grow their own salad, make preserves, make dhall, always buy chips, or cheese... from the Stoke Newington farmers market.





Orlando was busy fitting legs to a hybrid chopping block. Into blind holes with wedges - hence the following images, this one showing the wedge and the saw cut in the leg. The perceived wisdom being a dry leg, a very dry hard wedge and a great deal of judgement.

warwicker's wanderings

So I am the Local group co-ordinator for the APTGW and the newly elected chairman, having taken over from Tony Newby who has been doing and excellent job for a long time. I am also a teacher at King Solomon high School in East London. My background is really as a self employed joiner and spent many very enjoyable years playing with wood albeit dry wood. I have been the secretary for Fairlop Woodturners for 8 years having been introduced to turning by my now good friend Gabor Lacko. However one day I bumped into Robin Fawcett and that then changed my opinion of what we can do with trees!


30-05-13 I visited Abney Park Cemetery in Stoke Newington East London as they open, free to the public every Thursday. The group is managed by Jo Clarke, they also meet every first Saturday of the month as the London group of the APTGW.

Jo Bloor who is a regular and a spoonmaker and other things, was mass producing spoons from some very nice Alder. I live in Alderbrook East London but have only ever found one example of the species.