Commissions are slow here but then what do you expect of a woodshop in the middle of a Wattle bush, in the middle of a recession? There has been a few though, an Oak chest of drawers, some L-shaped Boekenhout kitchen countertops, and most recently, four side tables in the French provincial style. Those with the curvy legs that you see in all the current décor mags. Had to spray them white and sand the paint away a little on the corners to make them look old. “Just like in the picture, please”. It is what the people want, who am I to argue? Hate painting things white though. Just can’t seem to get my hands clean enough to prevent finger prints. In the same décor mags I see houses where everything is white from head to toe. How people live in there is beyond me!

The positive side of slow is that it does give me time to explore my creative side. I‘ve been able to do some art furniture and sold the first piece recently at a gallery in Franschhoek. Someone bought “Sculpt Cabinet” at a bargain price. (Well, that is what I think.) These galleries just kill you with their commissions! Two Englishmen wanted to buy tables as well but the cost of shipping to Europe is a real killer and twice the deal fell through.

My sculptures have been doing well and “The fruit bowl” sold quickly to a buyer in Europe. Proof again that Europeans has a much bigger appreciation of quality craftsmanship than the average Japie. Same thing with art. A large percentage of my wife’s paintings go to overseas buyers. They just have a much stronger art culture.

My little bird sculptures is quite popular, even locally. (I have to post a picture!) I sold the first lot in Franschhoek, then KKNK, and now pretty regularly at The Natural Edge at Scarab Village, Sedgefield. (Hallo Richard!) They have turned into this little production art item and I make them all the time. I price them very realistically which is why they sell.

How about someone else out there tells what is happening in their shops? Come on you big spenders, don’t be shy. Don’t you have any work or is all secret stuff?

Bunch of BC Carpenters if you ask me. BC = Before Computers

Hi there
Glad to finally join all the sawd*st producers.
I'm planning a rocking horse for the kids, but something a little bit more than the ones found in the Spur's play-place.
On the other hand, it needs to be simple enough to finish it before they're too old to fit the bill.
Any good ideas out there?

My current client approached me with the request to make him kitchen countertops out of Boekenhout which he would supply. When he said that the timber had been sawn on his farm in Limpopo, I became more interested, especially when he said the timber had an orangey brown colour. I thought Boekenhout only grows in the Southern Cape and is the colour of, well, Boekenhout. When the timber arrived, it didn’t look like any Boekenhout I had ever seen and I thought he probably made a mistake.
Some research later and I could identify it as Transvaal Boekenhout, Faurea saligna and a member of the Protea family. The grain pattern is rather similar to Boekenhout or Cape beech, Rapanea melanophloeos. There is also a hint of Terblans in some pieces, which explains the Protea connection.
Its working qualities are unusual. The jointer doesn’t produce shavings, it looks more like sawdust. I don’t know if the batch I got is just exceptionally dry but machining it produces an incredible amount of dust. Just making one cut on the table saw fills the air with a very fine dust. It saws easily but I get sparks off the blade! Huh? Not all the time but occasionally. Explain that to me! Anyway, Transvaal Boekenhout hand planes reasonably well and sands easily. It looks like it will finish very well. I will know next week when I varnish.
It is a beautiful wood and I am glad for having the opportunity to work it. Lots of offcuts available if any one is interested.

The next SANPARK wood auction will be held on 25 and 26 May. For those not in the know, here’s how it works. Indigenous logs harvested from the State forests in the garden Route are stockpiled at dedicated depots in different forests. On auction day each prospective buyer receives a list with lot numbers. Each lot contains one or more logs and details on type, length and volume of the log(s) are given. Lots are auctioned off one by one. Price can be as low as R200/m3 depending on species, size and buyer’s interest.

Removing logs from the depot is the buyer’s responsibility. Added to the cost of the log is transportation and off course, sawmilling. Keep in mind that around 50% of log volume is lost in the sawmilling process (sawing round into square, sawdust etc.) R200/m3 becomes R400/m3. I have bought some of the less popular species like Assegai, Candlewood, Forest Elder, and Boekenhout at that price in the past. Off course, popular woods like Yellowwood and the large Black woods fetch much higher prices with Stinkwood normally the most expensive.

Harvesting of these logs is done according to principles laid down by the Forest Stewardship council (FSC) and all timber is FSC certified. The FSC is an international control organization who aims to regulate the extraction and marketing of timbers derived from natural forests, thus ensuring sustainability of the resource.

On 25 May 2010, the first auction will take place at the Diepwalle depot at 09h00. The next auction is at 11h30 at the Harkerville depot. On 26 May, all the action will be at the Covie depot near Nature’s Valley.

If you want more info, email me: info@woodspark.co.za and I can forward the auction notices.

The next indigenous timber auction will take place on 25 and 26 May 2010. I will post more details as soon as I receive it.

Going to town is such a depressing business. Every one is complaining about the recession, lack of work and how bad things are. Here by me paying work is also slow, only coming in drips and drabs (It is because all my clients also believe in this recession thing, as invented by the big spin doctors in the States and prescribed by the media). I thought a good way to beat the recession that everyone talks about, would be to work on my new house again. I’m not sure exactly how that will beat the recession but at least I won’t be hearing and hence thinking about it! I love being down there by my half built wooden house next to the river. All I hear is the sound of running water, birds chirping; occasionally monkeys chattering and laughing at me (that’s only when I arrive in the mornings. When I start swinging my hammer, they normally go. Guess it gets boring to watch me).
Have wood, have nails, have tools, no problem. I bought all the roofing materials and a pile of plywood for flooring during the boom times, so no need to spend major bucks at this stage. If I run out of wood, I can always fire up the sawmill. I know of some Pine trees that can come down if need be….

I’m very excited about my new water supply. With much sweat, I rerouted the overflow from my dam via pipes and trenches to come out uphill from the house. I now have a steady stream of water flowing right next to the house which then joins the little river in front of the house. Because it is quite a steep drop, I could make a little waterfall. Now, when I stand in the house, I hear water all the time. To have water on tap in the bathroom, I just have to stick a pipe into the stream and through the wall. Open the tap and voila, a steady flow of spring water, 24/7! And to think, these are drought times. I could actually have the stream flowing through the house if I want! Maybe do some crazy water feature.

The roof is almost done now so things will stay dry and I can work in the shade. Got to start on wall cladding and flooring. All the floor joists are in place so I can lay plywood. Also 4 exterior doorframes with doors and I don’t know yet how many windows. And so on and so forth. Enough work to last me until the end of the recession and beyond!

Might have to start the veggie garden and become a vegetarian sooner than I thought!!

I saw the following sign on the wall in a woodworking shop :

"The easy way is hard enough."

The other one read:

"If you didn't have time to do it right in the first place, how come you have the time to do it over? "

And here is another one from my collection :

Either you is or you ain't;
Either you can or you cain't;

Either you will or you won't;
Either you do or you don't.

Danish Oil - man, I love the stuff!! Easy to apply, no worries about dust, dries quickly, no fart assing around with sprayguns or brushes, no worries about goggas and what not getting stuck in your finish.

Best of all, what a finish! Doesn't look plastic, doesn't look on top, doesn't shine too much. Brings out the true beauty of wood!!!