Homemade sanding stick...

Now that the garden and allotment are starting to wind down a bit I've had more time to get round to a few projects, one of which is making a tool to hold sheets of sand paper so I don't have to put my hand inside things I'm turning on the lathe.

I've made a couple of video's, one is of it being made and the other is of me using it, but basically it's a round handle that you can attach a sheet of sandpaper to, there's a coupe of pictures below and the video's as well, all I've really done is to turn a round piece of wood and then cut a slit into it, it's into this slit that the sandpaper slides, it's very simple, but saves catching your fingers on fast spinning bits of wood.

Pictures - 

Really should've made one sooner

Check out the video's, there's a couple of pictures of the brush pot I made for my daughter at the end of the shorter one, onto the next project.

Making the sanding stick - 

Using the sanding stick - 

Thanks for reading.

Treen,well sort of...

Although it's been a bit colder of late I've been messing about in my shed again,there's not much going on at the allotment,I do have a few jobs to get done before spring so this time of year I normally focus on making stuff for the shop,or just general experimenting.

We watch a load of antiques related tv in this house,we have a load of antiques related books and a fair few antique/vintage items (our front room looks like something from the 1950's) if you've ever watched any antiques related tv you may well have come across stuff known as Treen.

I quite like Treen,it basically means things made from trees (wood) and usually they have a purpose,which is probably what I like about it,so to that end I thought I'd have a go at making something similar to an item I saw on tv,it's a sewing case,and although it's not antique I guess it could be classed as Treen (it's made from wood after all)


Sewing case -

Doesn't look like much.

It's pretty normal from the outside,the main part is made from Walnut,but here's where the function comes in,it's the bit on the inside that's interesting.

As with most pieces of Treen this has a function,on the inside is a second smaller case,one that holds needles and pins and also cotton,you need cotton or some kind of thread if you want to sew stuff.


The inside case -

Makes more sense now?

Basically the inside part is a small case with what look sort of like a load of bobbins stuck together,this is where the thread goes,the needles and pins go inside it,and it has a little stopper in the top to stop things falling out,the inner case is made from Beech.


Like so -

Have thread will sew.

Like I said it is pretty simple,it's useful although not as refined as a bit of antique Treen,but I think it's quite good and it's useful,not very big,about 15cm long and about 4cm wide so would easily fit in a bag,perfect for any on the spot repairs.

Another thing I've been working on is small bowls made from Silver Birch,these are quite troublesome due to the state of the wood,but so far they seem to be turning out okay,I've recently sold one that was given as a birthday present,despite the work it came out quite nice,I've got some more in various stages of completion,which will go in the shop eventually.


Here's the bowl -

It came out well.

Thanks for reading.