New dreams for the new year

Well this could be an exciting year for Paparwark. We are starting to find our workshop is too small and really needs a new roof. So we're starting to dream and plan for a new workshop. After rearranging this one so many times to make it work better I am not looking forward to the same process when we get a new workshop!!! Hopefully we have alot of experience to get it right first time. I have just be listening to a guy talking about how if you can see your dream then you can get there and work towards it. He was talking about how Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard because he could see Microsoft and was concern that if he could see it, others could see it as well and then he would miss out. It turned out he was two years ahead of anybody else and the rest in history! So I guess there nothing to lose, We just have to push the door and see what happens!

Building a Norwegian weaving loom

As part of my professional development I decided to take part in a cultural exchange trip with Norway. I have been interested to learn more about the Norwegian craft skills since my apprentice took part in a log cabin building project which was built and situated in Papar Stour. Their tradition of building with and shaping wood with axes really interested me. Atle Ove Martinson who also organised to Stova project is now working with the Osterøy museum near Bergen. They are working to preserve traditional craft skills and are keeping these skills alive.

The Project was to run two courses. One on how to build a traditional weaving loom and the other was the teach people how to weaving traditional akle and valmal. I took part in the building project. It was everything that I hoped it would be. One week using only hand tools to shape and construct the weaving loom. The roughing out was done with axes and really took it toll on the skin on you hands. The axe was also used to finish the timber to quiet a high standard before finishing it with a plane.

Two of the things which impressed me the most was there use of what was called emnet. It is finding the correct shape of timber for the purpose. Having very few trees here in Shetland this way of thing was a bit of a revelation to me. Instead of have to create joints you just find the correct shape of timber and was used for both the støyrer (uprights) and the Kløyser (holders). They also have a very interesting way of using pins to hold the loom together which I hadn't seen before. Instead of drilling straight holes they used a tool called a navar which bores a conical hole. The pins are also conical and it creates and stronger join which is also much easier to take apart. Having in the past had problem with using straight holes and dowel I am keen to use this technique but I am having problems sourcing the tooling in the UK

Busy Summer

Well this is shaping up to be a busy summer. I have a load of work to get through without my apprentice as he is in New Zealand till the end of July. We are hoping to be at the Johnsmas Foy in June. I am also going with my wife to her exhibition at the new designers in London in June. In July I will be taking part in an event in Norway. They are going to teach me how to make a timber weaving loom in the tradition way using axes. I can't wait! I will also be demonstrating some Shetland crafts skills. This is going to be a season of adventure and hard graft. Bring it on!

The beach, a great place for being creative.

This weekend we were up in North Roe at the in laws. There is a great sandy beach there, I have be working on a design using sand patterns as inspiration. The picture I had found on the internet were all of desert sand. When we were strolling along the beach there was a wonderful pattern created from melt snow running over the beach. We then went to another stony beach which also gave me idea for new bespoke wooden furniture products. Shetland is such a good place for finding creative ideas for work.

Graduation day

Over the last 3 years I have been training Andrew Watt as a Furniture maker. The day came at last when he has achieve his NVQ Level 3 in making and repairing hand crafted furniture and furnishing. He needed a graduation photo for his Grandfather's wall of fame, much more interesting then the university ones!!!

The enjoyment of being creative

Well, I think I have re found the passion for being creative. This last year has been interesting to say the least with the recession and all. Before the recession I was trying hard to build a larger business but with all of that not working the way I hoped, I had to just get on with keeping the business going. I have had a few good commissions come my way and I have remembered why I like doing this so much. It's getting the inspiration for a good idea that the client also really likes. I was able to come up with a design with a customer a few weeks back in their living room, the idea just came from talking with them about their interests. So here's hoping for lots more creative commissions.

The gluing puzzle

I wonder if you have ever experience the gluing puzzle when you are making a piece of furniture.
Everything is fitting tight before your glue up. When the glue goes on it's like the timber changes size and it doesn't fit as well as before. Sometimes you could swear you are going crazy. Clamps have to be manipulated at strange angles and occasionally they all have to come off and then go on again. There needs to be a glue invented that doesn't do this. Anybody that could do this would be rich!!!! Don't worry I got the piece glued up and it looks great!