Since Mastercrafts back in 2009, I have continued to practice and develop my love for working with green timber. This as involved lots of time up at Guy Mallinsons woodland workshop, and back home building my own shave horse, pole lathe and collection of froes, draw knifes and other tools.

Following the programme airing, Chris Amey contacted me as he had an interest in making greenwood chairs, and lived only a few miles away. We have since become very good friends, now sharing a workshop were I design and build hen houses (www.devonhenhouses.co.uk) and work on greenwood commissions while Chris creates his fantastic wood sculptures (www.chrisamey.co.uk).

Together we are hoping to push the Greenwood Chair Project into new terretory, including designing and making greenwood chairs to order. This has led to an evolution of the Greenwood Chair Project whereby Chris and I are taking on some of the ways that traditional chair bodgers worked together, making components in larger volumes and almost mass producing chairs. Although I’m sure that IKEA are not quite shaking in there boots just yet, it does mean that we are able to offer high quality, hand made greenwood chairs for sale or commission.

More details will follow soon, but in the meantime please free free to contact me or Chris with any questions or commissions.

The shaving horse is now complete, all packed up and on its way to its new home in the south of France!

I’m really happy with how’s it has turned out, both in terms of it aesthetic, but more importantly how it functions. I found it to be really comfortable, easy to adjust, very stable and with the ability to give a really strong grip on the work piece.

If you would like to order one for yourself, I would be very happy to make you one. The will cost around £300 plus the cost of sending it to you, to cover the materials and my time to make one. At the moment I would need 2-3 weeks, so if you’re thinking about Christmas presents, please get in contact sooner rather than later.

If you fancy making one for yourself, then take a look at Mike Abbotts book ‘Living Wood’ as he has plans in there for this type of traditional shaving horse. I also read through Ray Tabor’s ‘Encyclopaedia of Green woodworking’ which has lots of useful information in it that, some of which I applied when making this horse. There is also a few Mallinson inspired ideas (the leather hinge for example) plus some of my own as well!

Anyhow, the bed is shaped and the holes for the legs tenons have be drilled with the help of Chris who sighted the drill level for me. Check out his work here….(http://www.chrisamey.co.uk).
Im going to allow the tenons on the legs to ovalise so I can shave them to fit knowing that they are less likely to shrink and become loose with time.
Its been a lot of fun working on this commission, and Im really happy with how it is coming along. I have taken most of the dimensions for this project from Mike Aborts book ‘Living Wood‘ although I have free styled on a few aspects! I would defiantly recommend his book as it loads of info on all aspects of greenwood working.
Hopefully the completed shave horse will be in the post to France tomorrow afternoon, and I expect I will then be starting on one for myself.

The trio of legs are now ‘seasoning’ next to the Ray Burn at my parents place. I want then to ovalise before I cut the tenons at the top of the legs. This will mean that I will not have to worry about the legs becoming loose in the bed of the shave horse at a later date.

Depending on at happens with my other day job, I’m hoping to start on the turned sections of the shave horse tomorrow.

On a horse, making a horse

I would be very happy to take further commissions for shave horses (or green wood chairs for that matter). If you’re thinking about commissioning one as a super original and fantastic Christmas present then please get in touch sooner rather than later!

Away form the woods I’ve been super busy with building various chicken houses and other things. I’ve recently just completed a commission to build a new home for a pair of pygmy goats. Great fun and I am quietly very please with the results, even if I say so myself! All the latest info is on my site www.devonhenhouses.co.uk
If you mention this site I’ll give you a 10% discount on any hen house…hopefully this might entice one or two of you to buy a County Cottage or even a Mansion!

I’ll be back to help teach on forthcoming courses including a greenwood chair masterclass, make your own shave horse and pole lathe and various other courses right through to the end of the autumn. What an amazing time to be able to work in the woods. I count myself very, very lucky!

Way back in May I visited the National Trust Property ‘Lower Brockhampton’ to see the work being done to repair the medieval Timber Frame. Part of this involved cleaving fresh oak lathes for the Wattle and Daub panels, for this a lovely oak was felled from the estate. Two 4ft lengths of the stem were left over and I was very kindly allowed to take them back to Devon with me for future Green wood chair projects!

I cleaved one length of the oak during Dorset Arts Week at Guy woodland workshop and embarked on a post and rung Bar Stool. Having no previous experience of working green oak I wanted to find out how the oak would work, and most importantly behave as it dried out. Over the next few days I am planning to put together a new page about the process of making this Green Oak Bar stool.

PS: Many thanks to Tayler at Blindspot Design for sorting out the website and blogging page for me. Great work! www.blindspotdesign.co.uk

Cleaving and Side Axing Green Oak laths at Lower Brockhampton, for part of the restoration project taking place on the Tudor timber framed house there.

A brilliant day, lots learnt, and 2 quality sections of oak kindly donated for my next greenwood chair project! You’ve gotta love the National Trust!