Post a photo of the last thing you made

[Lons]

Nice wall Mike, that's exactly how I'd have done it I much prefer working to a line as well.
Reminds me of a sandstone rubble garden wall I built a few years ago 600mm deep at the base tapering towards the top, on a sloping site it started 1200mm high at one end but was 2500mm by the time we reached the end, the wall was a good 40m long and like yours faced both sides with all sorts of cr*p and mortar in the middle.
I can't remember exactly how much sand, cement and lime we used but it was tonnes and tonnes of the stuff.

BTW why is there an ostrich egg on top of the wall in the front of your pic? :wink:

 

[Lons]

Sammy that's a horrible block wall with poorly finished joints and the neighbours are quite likely to get damp penetration through that, I'm not surprised you wanted to cover it up, a big improvement.

 

[MikeG.]

Nice wall Mike.......

Thanks. That sounds an amazing wall you built.

BTW why is there an ostrich egg on top of the wall in the front of your pic? :wink:

Well, you know, but I'll say anyway. Where the brickwork is toothed you need an appropriate sized flint to fit, so you pick out likely candidates as you work your way through the barrowful.

 

[Bm101]

Simple Trellis.

But effective. I would never have thought of grading colours or indeed using that range of colours but I love that. Maybe we tend to all be a bit brown when it comes to fencing and similar. In a small spot like that the corner looks much happier.
Job done.

 

[Lons]

Thanks. That sounds an amazing wall you built.

That's not the way we thought by the time it was finished, I had another to do at the same property which was a retaining wall in a long slow curve which was much nicer to build as only about a metre high at maximum and one face as the inner was a gravel covered drive and constructed with HD concrete blocks.

The walls worth much simpler than yours Mike as if a bit of sandstone didn't fit a lump hammer soon sorted that and a bonus was all the bits I knocked off went in the middle.

Well, you know, but I'll say anyway. Where the brickwork is toothed you need an appropriate sized flint to fit, so you pick out likely candidates as you work your way through the barrowful.

This one would have fitted in well, a bit of Capetown tourist fodder wish I'd known as I could have sent it to you. I rather suspect you've seen these before. :wink: :lol:

 

[MikeG.]

....... a bit of Capetown tourist fodder wish I'd known as I could have sent it to you. I rather suspect you've seen these before. :wink: :lol:

Outshoorn is the centre of the ostrich world. There are more there than you can poke a stick at. I guarantee that if you bought an egg in Cape Town it was actually farmed in Outshoorn.

 

[Bm101]

Well, you know, but I'll say anyway. Where the brickwork is toothed you need an appropriate sized flint to fit, so you pick out likely candidates as you work your way through the barrowful.

That's not a skill that everyone can learn though Mike, even at that size. I did a few years dry stone walling in Snowdonia and stone selection for that was a dark art. Big round field stone mind. Not a flat surface in the pile. As you got better you'd not just look for the next stone but for 'chess' stones. (Never called them that at the time mind). Ones you'd need later in the wall. Gradually as the wall got built , piles would accumulate (easy at the back ) of suitable stones. Caps, throughs, hearts and corners. Whathaveyou. Some of the guys had been doing it on and off for years but couldn't see the stones and they knew it mind. It wasn't intelligence led. Couple of real bright guys on there would take a day to lay a wonky 2 metres. Bloke I worked with personally had a gift. Look at a 3 ton pile of stone and just pick the right one in seconds. Again and again. I was okay but he was uncanny.
Didn't talk a lot mind and did a bit of boxing but stand up fella. Sort of bloke you'd want next to you if the pub kicked off.
One bright spring day we were working up in the literal middle of nowhere. A mountain road over the Carneddau range which is quiet by Snowdon standards. And it's bright and quiet, a beautiful March morning, clarity, and Kev is about 60 metres over at the other end of the wall. Perfect job really sometimes.
And I look up at some point, and I'm gobsmacked. Because I haven't seen a car pass us in 3 days and as I live and breath here come 5-6 people in black suits. Walking over this mountain pass. It's so unusual I can't state that enough.
They looked like crows they were that far away. I can remember that.
I carried on working, they carried on walking. When they got to me it was a bit dissapointing to be honest.
Hello! We're Jehova's Witnesses!

OhhhFFS...

Can we interest..

No. Sorry. (Brain ticking into gear...)
...
But you know what.. Have you walked a long way?

Yes/ Puffed out/etc????

Well I'm a hopeless cause, I say, but maybe, just maybe... There's a REASON you're on this road today of all days.

*General inquisitive bemusement*

See that fella over there? I say.
* 6 Heads swing in unison then nod*
Well he has had lots of issues. Troubling times. ( I probably nodded with the bobbing heads). I'm just saying he has talked of being lost and in need of something. I...I dunno...? What with the booze and the loss of his family in that tragic accident and the huge inheritence...

The herd mentality was incredible. Insect. I was forgotton. They moved as a hive mind. Of one intention... A lost soul to gather up. A metaphysical raison d'être.

I put my club hammer down and quietly sat down to watch and laugh...
The poor f*ckers ghad no chance. I saw them approach him the keep approaching him as he was backing away,
Then Human thermo nuclear detonation! Booom! I saw the Jehovas crumple and burn in the furious winds of Kev's Anger. They Ran away!

Meanwhile I'm laughing so hard my cheeks hurt.
Then... Oh wait ... is he coming over here?
Oooooohhh shiiiii... RUN!!!

Anyway. Good days.
Digressing down Memory Lane!
Nice wall Mike. As always.

 

[Trainee neophyte]

As I learned it, the rule is: "If you pick a stone up, you have to use it." Concentrates the mind, somewhat.

I have been known to cheat.

 

[Bm101]

Weeeelp. No.
I'm pretty sure that's boardgames mate.
You want a straight flush wall not a challenge.

 

[Trevanion]

If the stone does not fit, make it fit.

 

[Lons]

Love the story BM, made my night and I'm still laughing at the mental images.

 

[Richard S]

If the stone does not fit, make it fit.

Looks like the explosion blows his knob out of his pants!!

 

[Dominik Pierog]

I'm in process of restoring old wood/hobby lathe from 70's; quality of manufacturing is horrifying and previous owner use bead as anvil....
good-chuck-to-buy-in-eu-or-china-how-to-start-turning-t123066.html

So I made some parts for this lathe using this lathe... And I'm happy because because week by weeks lathe works better and quality of turning is improving.
Gear change lever and drill chuck made from scarped shaft from bench drill.

Some parts for modification tailstock.

And improving in turning quality.

Fast polish

I'm so happy and this is very satisfying.

 

[DavidEP]

My wife has been nagging me for a tissue box in purple heart, so I finally got around to it. Inlay is Poplar in the shape of our wire haired fox terrier. Finished with 2 coats of OSMO Matt.

 

[Blackswanwood]

Very neat David

 

[MarkDennehy]

Small yew bowl for trinkets for Her Indoors. Some resin to fill an awkward knot and some texturing and gold buff-it. Yorkshire grit and microcrystalline wax to finish.

 

[transatlantic]

Made another plane. Quite boxy as Im still figuring out what shape I find most comfortable.

Sent from my SM-J510FN using Tapatalk

 

[NickM]

A box for a god son of mine (I envisaged it as a tool box, but he can put whatever he likes in it).

It's made from oak with some American black walnut "accents" (the handles and the pegs in the bread board ends). It's finished in Osmo Polyx satin.

 

[AndyT]

That turned out well! What did you do about painting the initials in the end? After the first coat of oil and before the second?

 

[NickM]

That turned out well! What did you do about painting the initials in the end? After the first coat of oil and before the second?

Thanks. I'm really pleased with it. There are a few mistakes, some hidden better than others, but it's more than good enough for me.

I actually just painted on top of the oil (two coats of oil). I did a sample and the paint seems to stick well. I decided not to bother oiling over it.

We'll see what he makes of it when I give it to him this weekend. I expect he'll lose interest when he realises it doesn't need batteries! It's the sort of thing I would have shrugged my shoulders over as a child but would love to have now, so hopefully he will appreciate it one day even if he doesn't immediately.