Tree Fest - Turned a Mushroom!

[handcrafted]

I was at Tree Fest in Edinburgh today. Was great fun. I bought 12 slices of wood for £3 which i can make for coasters or small signs. Not sure what kind of wood it is actually so il put a pic up to see if anyone can help. It still has its bark on it. Good contact too for future wood.

I also had a go at turning a wooden mushroom. There was a guy there helping people and he mucked up my mushroom!! So he gave me a free one :D Il post a pic tomorrow.

There was also a guy selling his wooden carved jewellery which was so so so so so beautiful but very expensive. Iv a website for him so il post a link. I can see why its so expensive as its all hand carved. Im going to ask him to set a big piece of amber i have into some wood as he had quite a few stones set in carved pieces of wood.

So a fun day despite peeing it down and i had to sell raffle tickets for this place i volunteer at.

[Scorch]

Cool! Sounds like a great day...

[wendy]

It sounds like a fabulous day. I would love to go to a tree fest!!

And I'd love to have a go at turning a mushroom :mf:

[nettie]

Sounds a great day out, I love wooden things. Did you take many photos? It'd be nice to see the jewellery too, sounds interesting :)

[indri]

Sounds like fun. Shame you had your mushroom mushed. At least you got a free one!

[woodtattoos]

Sounds like a great event... why do the best ones always happen so far away from me? ;) Glad you enjoyed it... what did you think of woodturning? I love it but haven't had a go for years now.

Si.

[C Hupfield Ceramics]

Sounds like a great day out, I'd be interested to go to an event like that too if it was closer.

At my last craft fair I was opposite a man that did wood turning, he had some really gorgeous pieces and I particularly loved his bowls that sort of still had the pattern of the inside of the wood all round the outside, and the edges of the bowl were all wonky, can't fully explain what I mean but it looked really nice.

Got talking to him and he showed me photos in his portfolio of work in progress and how things were made. I didn't realise how much work goes into it, its really clever!

[bodrighy]

Woodturning seems to be one of those crafts that fascinates people when it can be seen to be done. I think part of the attraction is that you can achieve a result quickly. The kind of bowl that you are talking about is called a natural edge probably, the wood is turned in such a way as to leave the edge of the bowl with the bark still on it and the shape is dictated by the shape of the tree or branch. By 'pattern of the wood' I assume you eman the grain. This can vary dpeneding on the wood and can vary form almost none as in sycamore to heavy and crazy as in elm or warped wood from burls and crotches. Depends on how the wood is cut.

Pete

[C Hupfield Ceramics]

Woodturning seems to be one of those crafts that fascinates people when it can be seen to be done. I think part of the attraction is that you can achieve a result quickly. The kind of bowl that you are talking about is called a natural edge probably, the wood is turned in such a way as to leave the edge of the bowl with the bark still on it and the shape is dictated by the shape of the tree or branch. By 'pattern of the wood' I assume you eman the grain. This can vary dpeneding on the wood and can vary form almost none as in sycamore to heavy and crazy as in elm or warped wood from burls and crotches. Depends on how the wood is cut.

Pete

Thanks Pete - Yes that sounds like it. You are much better at describing it! :)

[AnnieAnna]

"I didn't realise how much work goes into it, its really clever! "

Yes I've been floating around in my airhead way thinking, find a tree, chop it up, turn a bowl.
But I got brought up sharp the other day.
I'd sold all the bowls I'd got from my normal wood turner and my customers were harrassing me for more bowls and I saw a fellow happily turning bowls all day long, making a tower of them that was reaching for the sky. So, in my Alan Sugar mode, I strode up to him and asked if he's sell them to me.
"No way!" he answered.
I looked like this :o
"What! Why? The man must be mad!"
But he explained he was using wet wood and there was a high possibility of all the bowls cracking as they dried out.

So there you go. You live and learn.
(Robin Wood and Bodrighty must be laughing there heads off at my naivity :D)

AnnieAnna

[bodrighy]

"I didn't realise how much work goes into it, its really clever! "
.

So there you go. You live and learn.
(Robin Wood and Bodrighty must be laughing there heads off at my naivity :D)

AnnieAnna

No laughing here Annie. I am the same with painting, jewellery making that fimo stuff some of you do etc etc. I wouldn't have a clue.

With any craft all people see usually is the end product. I can't speak for Robin as his turning is different though I suspect he uses only wet wood but my house is perpetually littered with things that have been turned and are 'conditioning.' Every now and then a few subtle comments about the difficulty of dusting makes me check them and put them away.

Pete

[AnnieAnna]

Have I told the story of a friend who thought he'd restore the panelling in his old house with wood cut from his woods?
Like any good DIYer he thought topping idea. I'll have it done by next week :p .

It took a month or two to choose the trees, a month or two to fell them, a month or two to clear out a barn to store them in....
5 years later the woodcarver came to inspect the wood. "Still wet."
Another 5 years later "Coming on nicely but still too wet."
Another 5 years later "Nearly there."
Another 5 years later "Hmmmm might be able to use it now."
Another 5 years later the panels are carved, in place and look fantastic! :D

I think the woodcarver 'retired' half way through this...... but I've yet to meet a crafter that has really retired.

AnnieAnna

[handcrafted]

Sorry iv just gotten back to this. Bit hectic having started a new job!

So here is a photo of the mushrooms...can you tell which one is mine :D

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t229/amylowson/IMG_3035small.jpg

Here is the wood i bought. Any idea what type it is?

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t229/amylowson/IMG_3037small.jpg

Here is hte link to the jewellery. His stuff looks so much better in the flesh!

http://www.woodlandtreasures.co.uk/

And here is the link to Tree Fest but they havnt added the 2009 photos yet.

http://www.edinburghtreefest.org.uk/

[bodrighy]

I am guessing the pointy one as getting the top round is a bit of a knack. If this is the first time you have tried it don't get a lathe 'cos I don't need the competition thank you very much.

Difficult to tell what the wood is but possibly sycamore. Is it very pale and little or no grain showing?

pete