Now for something a bit different...

[Blackbird]

It ain't everyone's cup of tea, but I love seeing large slabs of nicely finished natural timber. My riding of late has been somewhat restricted due to demolition duties and building a new covered deck at home. We wanted some seating for the deck and came across a guy just up the road from us in Colville who makes beautiful timber furniture from mainly Macrocarpa and the odd bit of Kauri. We commissioned him to make us a bench settee and you can see the result in the photo. Just about bust a gut getting it up the stairs this afternoon but it was worth it.

If anyone likes solid wood furniture, look no further than Greg Taylor. For cash in hand, his prices are very sharp indeed He has a website: http://www.branchcreek.co.nz/ although the photos simply don't show the quality of his work. Nice to see craftsmanship is still alive.

Now that's all done and Mrs B is happy, I can get back to riding

[Motu]

Got to give credit to people who can work with wood - I've tried to weld it,but there must be a special rod to do it,or maybe a special flux.If I can find some good wood welding sticks,I'll give it a go sometime....

[Ixion]

Weld it? I'd settle for being able to tap a decent thread in the darn stuff. And have you ever tried to heat shrink a bearing into wood?

And don't be fooled by talk of ironwood. It's just wood.

But I did see an engine (stationary) with a wooden piston once. And it worked !

(Uh, don't like to rain on y' parade, but the top edge of the backrest is decidedly unlevel. Not workmanlike at all. But, a few minutes with a saw and plane will put it right. More seriously have you noticed that there appears to be a substantial defect, maybe even a crack, in the backrest ?)

[Ocean1]

I've tried to weld it,but there must be a special rod to do it,or maybe a special flux.

Pinecraft 22s.

BOC got 'em.

[Big Dave]

[Ixion]

Pinecraft 22s.

BOC got 'em.

But the material was specified as macrocarpa, not pine? Surely using Pinecraft rods on macrocarpa would be like using aluminium rods on cast iron?

What sort of rods are they anyway? And how do you use them? Oxy acetylene is a complete fail on wood (DAMHIK), they must be arc. AC or DC ? And do you need a shield gas?

[Motu]

You can get bush lawyer on a spool for a MIG welder,shielding gas comes from a DOC long drop.Use a teak handpiece with a slippery elm liner.....

[Blackbird]

And don't forget Haarlem Oil as flux......... or to drink if things aren't going well in the welding stakes.

[Timber020]

Nice piece! Just reminds me that I should finish making that chainsaw mill I started a few xmas's ago, I have a 48inch bar and the saw to run it. I have some 50cm X 50cm X 1500cm pohutakawa slabs that have been drying in my garage for 3 years now.

Would like to do something with all the trees I drop!

[icekiwi]

[QUOTE=Ixion;1790507]But I did see an engine (stationary) with a wooden piston once. And it worked !

Saw the same thing in my Apprenticeship....
Engine Wooden run rite...

[blossomsowner]

Nice seat for sure.........Working with wood is easy too........

new fangled things like stellite inserts.........

tct bandsaws..............

glues..................

[vifferman]

Nice bench, Geoff!
Yet another reason to come and visit.

[emaN]

Nice bench, Geoff!
Yet another reason to come and visit.

+1

[Hitcher]

That style of carpentry isn't my cup of tea for "furniture". But it's good to see somebody enterprising enough to make something of value out of scroty old Macrocarpas.

[vifferman]

That style of carpentry isn't my cup of tea for "furniture". But it's good to see somebody enterprising enough to make something of value out of scroty old Macrocarpas.

+1
However, I'd imagine that "scroty old macrocarpa" seat will outlast the elegant imported hardwood one that's sitting on our front deck. It has a beautiful smell too (although it looks like that might be sealed in by varnish on Geoff's one - or is it oiled?)
BTW - the new deck looks very nice!