Found a nail

[xy mosian]

About a month ago I had a Sycamore felled. A rare opportunity to get hold of some green wood for carving. The surgeon left me three lumps about 400mm long x 350 mm diameter. I have already carved a large fruit bowl, drying before the final shaping, and a spoon.

I thoroughly enjoyed both. That being said today I decided to cut another slab for a shallower fruit bowl. About an hour in and I heard the tell-tale sounds of saw on nail. I had to split the rest of the cut. This was a shame as the split section will need more finishing. There was no sign of the nail on either surface before I started, it can only be a left over from a For Sale board that must have been on nearly thirty years ago. At least my encounter only means a few minutes with a saw file and not a new band saw blade.

My initial reaction was to go ahead a have a Harewood inclusion, but second thoughts have turned me to two smaller bowls.
xy

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I cut a leylandii down for a mate, and went through a 4" wire nail horizontally - half disappeared with the cut, and a perfect 4" cross section was left on a ring. It didn't even blunt the chain.

 

[xy mosian]

Hi phil, I too have cut through nails before, with a hand saw. I think it depends a lot on the support at either side of the nail. In this case the teeth of the saw were dropping either side of the blade into the soft wood. Perhaps if I had been sawing more quickly, I might have got through it?
xy

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I put a brand new 5/8" blade on my bandsaw and hit a broken plasterboard screw in the first piece of wood I used. I'd checked it all over and found nothing, but the head had broken off under the surface. No way back from that!

 

[xy mosian]

That made me wince phil. That sort of thing normally happens when there is little extra time or money to sort out a quickish solution.
xy

 

[Woodchips2]

That is a nice spoon you've carved. Well done =D>
Regards Keith

 

[Racers]

Very nice spoon.

Pete

 

[nathandavies]

A joinery shop I used to go to had a piece of timber that they had put through the p/t that perfectly planed in half a piece of barbed wire, beautiful finish on the timber and metal, (the planer blades didn't do too well though) you never know what a tree may have eaten over the years.

Nathan

 

[Bluekingfisher]

I helped a friend dismantle the roof on a house in Bromley around 15 years ago The house was built in the 1880's, he gave me the old 2x8 pine rafters. Having put it through the P/T I hit something metal. As it turned out it was lead so no damage. It was a bullet, the blade had cut it along the its length leaving a perfect shaped shiny bullet head.

I wondered what lucky animal or man had dodged the bullet (literally) 150-200 years ago?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I once found a musket ball in a tree. :shock:

 

[xy mosian]

Hi all, Sorry for the tardy response.
Thank you all for your comments about the spoon.
As for metal inclusions, I suppose most of us have had some. This is the largest bit I have come across personally. Although I did work with a chap who cut up some fruitwood and came across a large mortice key. Perhaps hung on a twig for a lover to find when the master was out?
xy

 

[rd6743]

Happy it didn't end too badly for you. I found a snapped screw with my first plane and it didn't fare so well. Hours on float glass & wet and dry and still not been able to get rid of it totally from the sole.

 

[xy mosian]

Sorry to hear about the plane. It is always a punch in the stomach when a newly acquired tool is damaged.
xy

 

[rd6743]

Just, think could be worse.... me ma wanted to borrow a plane as she's boxing in some pipes.."Use this plane!" I say giving her the small plane that's already battle scarred and saving my larger unscarred plane.

I get back from work the other day and me ma says "I used that bigger plane or yours, it's lovely!"

Well it isn't lovely any bleeding more!!!! Not only has she found a nail....she must have gone to war with it. Guessing I'm spending a few hours with float glass, sole and blade.

 

[xy mosian]

Ouch! Difficult to really fall out with your Ma, as well.

xy

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Xy - see if you can find a copy of yesterday's Telegraph magazine - there was an interesting article there on a spoon carver. Only a page, but interesting.

 

[xy mosian]

Thanks Phil.
xy

 

[xy mosian]

For anyone else interested the article is available on-line here:-
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink ... arver.html