Saturday 9 April 2011

The end of the sap season...



The Birch sap season has finished locally, and it is time to plug the tap that I made three weeks ago .
I found a nice piece of Birch from my carving pile and made a long plug, slightly tapered...

spoon carving first steps spooncarving jon mac

 I took my carved Birch plug, Axe and a folding saw into the forest and removed the old spile...
 
spoon carving first steps spooncarving jon mac

 Then popped the plug into the old tapping hole.
Here is a close up of the old spile...

spoon carving first steps spooncarving jon mac

And the hole in the Birch.
I'll soon repair it...

spoon carving first steps spooncarving jon mac

Here is the plug. 
With a slight taper at the end...

spoon carving first steps spooncarving jon mac

Pop it in and hammer it home with the pole of the Axe...

spoon carving first steps spooncarving jon mac

Then  cut the free end nice and neat with the folding saw...

spoon carving first steps spooncarving jon mac
All done.
The tree should heal nicely around the new plug.
I am casting around for a stand of Birch for a 'syrup camp' next season...
Enjoy...
J

Friday 8 April 2011

The Ngombi harp...

Last week my friend Ben asked if I could make some new tuning pegs for his Ngombi harp. This harp is made by his friends in the Bacha tribe of the Pygmy/Bameto people, who live in the jungles of The Gabon, West Africa...
I set too carving the pegs from some seasoned Chinese Ash that Ralph.H had given me last year.
First I split some wood down and carved it into a uniform bar shape...

spoon carving first steps bushcraft

And then carved the peg shape at the end...

spoon carving first steps bushcraft

From time to time I offered up the peg to make sure it was a good fit. The original pegs were made a little to thin, which made it difficult for Ben to tune the harp...

spoon carving first steps bushcraft

When the peg eventually fitted with a nice  interference, I partially cut through the other end...

spoon carving first steps bushcraft

And snapped the peg off...

spoon carving first steps bushcraft

I made eight pegs in total.
All fitting beautifully...

spoon carving first steps bushcraft

Here is the finished harp...

spoon carving first steps bushcraft

I asked Ben if he would play the harp for me, and he kindly agreed...



I think he plays it beautifully...
Enjoy...
J









Tuesday 5 April 2011

H.Roselli Bearded Axe...

A new movie by Sean Mulhall.
How I sharpen the H.Roselli Bearded Axe...
PART ONE...


 PART TWO...


Sean and I had a great time making this short movie.

ENJOY...

Monday 4 April 2011

Grimspound with Jon and Sean...

My friend Sean from Silver Fox Bushcraft came and stayed with us a week or so ago.
He made a few films whilst he was here. 
Here is one of us visiting Grimspound on Dartmoor ...


Enjoy...








Carving a Dragon Kuksa.

Carving a Dragon Kuksa.  I have been carving Kuksa from green Birch for 15 years or so, I’m self taught. From the beginning, I limited mysel...