Woodturning an end grain vase out of almond and apricot wood

 

Tools and materials I propose:

Pyrography Wood Burning Tips

Pyrography Pen Wood Burning Kit

Alcohol based markers

Lathe

Wood turning tools set

Chuck kit

Tormek T8 Sharpening System

Tormek Woodturner’s Kit

Buffing kit

Forstner bit set

In this video I make an end grain vase / box out of almond wood. The cap is made out of apricot. I also drew some decorative leaves using my wood burner. 

I begun by turning the almond between centres. I also created the tenon for my chuck. 

I then chucked the piece and shaped the exterior first. Then I used a forstner bit to establish my depth. This was end grain so I mostly used my hook tool to hollow it. 

Then using my divider, I divided the cylinder and drew my decorative leaves. 

Using a cone on my chuck, I reversed the piece to clean the bottom. 

Then I added a coat of sealer. I coloured the leaves with alcohol based markers and buffed the piece with carnauba wax. 

Then I made the cap out of apricot. Apricot tends to crack, so I used sawdust and glue to fill my cracks. I kind of liked the cracks in this piece.

And that was it. My vase was ready. It came out really nice. But that was it, see you soon with a new project video. 

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, that at no cost to you, I get a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.

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Climber Heroes and Climber Shrubs: What Are They?

Conomorpha fragrans

 DESIGN ELEMENTS

Climber Heroes

This design series is about plants that are categorised as non-general lines.

Every week I’ve been saying that were talking about plants that you won’t necessarily find in your big box store or possibly even in your nursery so you may have to search for them.

These plants are so worthwhile that because they provide year round interest with their foliage colour, texture and contrast, not just their flowers.

Today perhaps some climbers fit the bill

Peter refers to cool sub-tropical garden or ‘cool sub-trops’ which means that overnight winter temperatures are down to about 5 degrees.

Don’t be put off if you live in a different climate because often plants adapt to a variety of climatic conditions and are worth a try.

Peter mentioned these climbers

• 

  Hoya carnosa

  Conomorpha fragrans often called climbing frangipani although it has nothing to do with the frangipani genus-Plumeria. The flower does look similar to the frangipani flower and are highly scented.
• vigorous habit requiring a solid support
• in cooler areas plant against a north facing wide. Deciduous in cold areas.
• 
  
• Dombeya ianthotrycha (tropical garden society of Sydney)-a winter flowering climber with large paper thin leaves. Flower colour is a muted red with a hint of orange. Can be trained as an espalier or a bun shaped shrub.
  
• 
  
• Hoya carnosa or wax flower, better in pots with specialised potting mix. If planting in the ground, must have well drained soil.
• TIP: don't cut those flowering spurs off -  this 

Let’s find out more by listening to the podcast. Marianne (host of Real World Gardener radio show ) is talking with Peter Nixon of Paradisus garden design. www.paradisusgl.peternixon.com.au

Climber Shrubs

This design series that covers everything from mixed shrub borders, sub-shrubs, climbers, hero trees to best garden bromeliads but use plants that are non-general lines.

I have to say, Peter Nixon, RWG’s contributor for this series, focuses largely on what he calls cool sub-tropical garden or ‘cool sub-trops’ which he refers to often.

Don’t be put off if you live in a different climate because often plants adapt to a variety of climatic conditions and are worth a try.

Hibiscus geranioides

Climber shrubs-what are they and how could I use them as 'garden fixes’ in my cool subtrops garden ?

In fact if you were search for the term climber-shrub, you would be hard pressed to find it on the internet.

Seems like a contradiction because climbers need support to climb whilst shrubs are free standing. But what about those plants that climb over themselves to form a sort of mounding shrub?

Some of these types of shrubs are self-striking which might be called suckering.

Insta examples from Peter Nixon

 Juanaloa aurantiaca -  or commonly called Golden Fingers because the flowers look like a little bunch of lady finger bananas.  Minimum winter overnight 6-7 degrees C

Gmelina philipensis - 'Parrot Beak'. A deciduous shrub with unusual yellow flowers that resemble a parrot beak.

Hibiscus geranoides-native to Australia. Loves a 'La Nina' type of weather. Interesting foliage texture

Bauhinia tomentosa-sulphur flowering semi-deciduous  shrub to 3m with a cascading habit.

Let’s find out more by listening to the podcast. Marianne (host of Real World Gardener radio show ) is talking with Peter Nixon of Paradisus garden design. www.paradisusgl.peternixon.com.au

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Assembling a tele style electric DIY guitar kit and wood burning the artwork

 

Tools and materials:

Pyrography Pen Wood Burning Kit

Alcohol based markers

Buffing Wheel Set

Cleaning & polishing rotary tool kit

Chisel set

Bandsaw

Cordless drill

Rotary tool

Belt sander

Flat rasp

Round rasp

Flat file

Round file

Spoke shave

In this video I assemble a guitar kit. I also decorated the guitar with pyrography and alcohol based coloured markers. 

Harley benton was kind enough to send me this kit. You can find it here.

First of all I scanned the headstock and designed a template based on a telecaster. 

I then cut the headstock on the bandsaw and sanded it. 

The guitar is pre-finished so I sanded the old finish and wood burned my design. Next I added a coat of sealer and then I coloured the piece. Finally I buffed it on the wheel with carnauba wax. 

The fret work of the kit was alright. But I like my frets really shinny. So I polished them with a rotary tool. This helps  when bending strings or when you like to produce vibrato effect. 

The same techniques I applied on the body of the guitar as well. 

The electronic part didn’t require soldering. So at this point I assembled all the parts together. 

I then worked a little bit on the action of the strings and the intonation of the guitar. Also I like the pickups relatively high so they are kind of loud. 

Over all it was a really interesting process and the guitar came out great. But that was it. See you soon with a new project video. 

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, that at no cost to you, I get a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.

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Bright Shade Planting But Not In The Gloom

 DESIGN ELEMENTS

Bright Shade Planting

This design series is about plants that are categorised as non-general lines, in other words, plants that are not production grown that then become available in several different sized pots. This series is also about year round interest in the garden even when plants are not in flower. Imagine opening the back door to look at a sea of just green with no distinguishing features! A tad boring don't you think?

Instead, think of plants with different sized and shaped leaves, that might also have contrasting colours.

Plants we mention in this series, you won’t necessarily find in your big box store or possibly even in your nursery so you may have to search for them.

These plants are so worthwhile that because they provide year round interest with their foliage colour, texture and contrast, not just their flowers.

So you’ve got some shady areas that’s under trees. This spot is usually thick with the roots of the trees so will be difficult to plant anything there that will survive the root competition, or will it?
This is where you have to think outside the square and look at plants that don't need to grow in too much soil.

Cryptostephanos vansonii

What are you going to grow in these root ridden shady areas?

Peter mentioned

• Calanthe sylvatica-a ground orchid-good for moist shade

• Philodendron marshalliana-has storage stems and not a climber.

• Syningia bullata and S. Canescens and S. cardinalis other syningia sp-small cordex that can regrow from.

• Cryptostephanos vansoni
  

I say every week that Peter Nixon, RWG’s contributor for this series, focuses largely on what he calls cool sub-tropical garden or ‘cool sub-trops’ which he refers to often.

Don’t be put off if you live in a different climate because often plants adapt to a variety of climatic conditions and are worth a try.
I'm talking with Peter Nixon of Paradisus garden design. www.paradisusgl.peternixon.com.au

Have a listen to the podcast.

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Mixed Shrub Borders Are In Again

 DESIGN ELEMENTS

This is a series about foliage colour and contrast and textural contrast  for year round interest. The focus is also on non-general lines instead of production grown planting. In other words, plants that may not necessarily be easy to find but so worth the effort. We kick off the series with mixed shrub borders.

1. MIXED SHRUB BORDER

 Are they a thing of the past or a living process that still has relevance for the modern smaller garden?

Hibiscus capitolia 'Apricot Sport'

This kind of design style has been used for hundreds of years because it has great garden appeal.  There is no reason for it be considered irrelevant or 'old hat,' simply because it is so adaptable. It can be either formal or informal, full of colour and contrast or not, annuals, perennials and shrubs.

Today though, it's all about the shrubs and is a start of the design series that covers everything from mixed shrub borders, sub-shrubs, climbers, hero trees to best garden bromeliads.

I have to say, Peter Nixon  and Real World Gardener's contributor for this series, focuses largely on what he calls cool sub-tropical garden or ‘cool sub-trops’ which he refers to often.

Don’t be put off if you live in a different climate because often plants adapt to a variety of climatic conditions and are worth a try.

Peter mentions the following shrubs as his 'best.'

Posoqueria longiflora

• Tibouchina multifida-not more than 1.5m in height.

• Hibiscus capitolio  'apricot sport'-double flowering hibiscus, slightly pendulous. 2.5m in height.

• Posoqueria longiflora-commonly called Japanese Needle flower. Has perfumed flowers with a long white tube, height to 3m in semi-shade.

• Brunsfelsia macrantha, 

• Acokanthera oblongifolia - Bushmans Poison, 

• Gardenia grandiflora ’Star’, 
  

•  Rosa sanguineus, 

• R. chinensis ’Ten Thousand Lights'

Let’s find out more, I'm talking with  Peter Nixon of Paradisus garden design. www.paradisusgl.peternixon.com.au,

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Funky amphora inspired hollow form from almond wood - Woodturning

 

Tools and materials I propose:

Pyrography Wood Burning Tips

Pyrography Pen Wood Burning Kit

Alcohol based markers

Lathe

Wood turning tools set

Chuck kit

Tormek T8 Sharpening System

Tormek Woodturner’s Kit

Buffing kit

Forstner bit set

Propane torch

In this video I make an amphora inspired hollow form vase out of almond wood. 

I begun by turning my stock between centres and making a tenon for my chuck. 

I then chucked the pieces and turned it’s outer form. With a forstner bit I established my depth. Then using the hook tool, I started hollowing the end grain. 

I filled the cracks with super glue and saw dust. I burned the inside black with a torch. 

I then used my dividing mechanism to divide the piece and draw my designs. I used my wood burner to burn the designs. 

I used a cone block on my chuck and then reversed the piece between centres to clean the bottom. 

I added a coat of sealer and then coloured my designs. Finally I buffed the piece with carnauba wax.

It was a really interesting project, but that was it. See you soon with a new project video. 

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, that at no cost to you, I get a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.

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Making a second wooden chair for kids - DIY

 

Tools and materials:

Table saw

Block plane

Cordless Impact Driver

Cordless drill

Random orbit sander

Chisel set

Jointer planer

Flush trim saw

Bandsaw

Belt sander

Tormek T8 Sharpening System

Chisel set

Dowel center pin

Trim router

Flush trim saw

Drill press

Air compressor, nail and staple gun kit

A few years ago I made a kids chair. Now I had to make a second one out of spruce. I also made a few fine tunings to the first one. 

I first made a paper template using the first chair as reference. 

I then planed and cut my wood to size. I used the table saw and the bandsaw. I then sanded the pieces to my lines. I also used a chisel to clean the pieces I couldn’t reach with the sander. 

I used dowel joinery to join the pieces together. 

While glueing the sides I wanted to make some fine tunings to the first one. I removed the screws, and removed wood with the router and chisel. I then glued new wood in place which I then sanded and planed flush. I then  painted and varnished the chair. 

Back to the new chair. I glued the sides in place. To glue the back I first planed it with the block plane until I achieved a good fit. 

Next I glued the base. Finally latex paint and water based varnish again.

And my chair was ready. It’s quite lighter coloured because it’s spruce. The old one was pine and it was really old wood.

But that was it see you soon with a new project video. 

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, that at no cost to you, I get a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.

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