Mary Ostler » Wood http://www.maryostler.com Elizabethan Wood Butcher & Builder of Things Thu, 21 Apr 2011 18:33:05 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 Norse Glauchaus…. now with 30% more squirrel. http://www.maryostler.com/2011/03/norse-glauchaus-now-with-30-more-squirrel/ http://www.maryostler.com/2011/03/norse-glauchaus-now-with-30-more-squirrel/#comments Wed, 09 Mar 2011 23:27:07 +0000 DirtyMary http://www.maryostler.com/?p=2815

Last May I ran a games tourney. I devised a gluttons tourney, were game played was the only criteria to win… ie: quantity over quality. The Winners of the three categories Glutton (most games of the most varied selection), Obsessed (most played of a single game), and Righteous indignation (biggest temper tantrum will receive a custom made game board to their specifications..

Well Ylas of Lions Gate one the obsessed contest buy playing carpet boules almost non-stop for the event. Her prize was a hand made game board to her specifications. Well she was specific… She wanted Gluckhaus, but based on  Norse… also with tree of life, and has to have a squirrel…

<head met desk> x repeat ad nauseam.

I am not an artist. I am a builder drone. I have the skills to do a decent replica of most things I attempt. What I am not skilled at is making unique art. Ackkk.

So in the countless hours I spent looking at Norse knot work junk and stuff I came across the illumination in the image above.  Dated to c. AD 750, this is a page from an illuminated copy of Augustine’s Questiones in Heptateuchon. It uses the cross as an illusion to the tree of life.  It has four deer like images in the outer wicket, and the eagle up in the tree. The only things it doesn’t have is the serpent/dragon and the squirrel.

I printed out the original image to the size I wanted, and carbon paper copied it onto an oak board. I left most of the fiddly stuff out so I could figure out were I wanted the numbers to sit.

While I was deciding where everything was going to go, I charred in the border bits with a pyrography pen. I did try to do some strictly poker work on it, but it was going to take way to long.

Having decided on where the numbers were going to be, I outlined them with more pyrography, and then filled them in with verdgris, and red oxide in an egg white binder. The green numbers are normal pay outs, and the red numbers are special condition payouts.

Now all the fiddly stuff was burned in. I had to make a zoomorphic squirrel as I could find no images of any online.

Finally finished the front of the board. The only thing not on it from the norse tree of life is the dragon/serpent that lives under the tree of life.

I fixed that problem by placing a more period game of talbut on the underside of the board. This time featuring serpents and dragons.

that’s it… now to move on to Mailes for the biggest wobbler of a temper tentrum (it was awesome).

]]> http://www.maryostler.com/2011/03/norse-glauchaus-now-with-30-more-squirrel/feed/ 0 EB’s Swift http://www.maryostler.com/2011/01/ebs-swift/ http://www.maryostler.com/2011/01/ebs-swift/#comments Mon, 17 Jan 2011 17:44:33 +0000 DirtyMary http://www.maryostler.com/?p=2600

I have had a commission for building a swift I had completely forgot about. I had started it months ago, and then quickly forgot about it. Well the most excellent Mistress EB finally inquired about her swift, and asked if she could pick it up next apprenti meeting. That lite a big old fire under my procrastinating butt.

The plans were from Clayton Boyer’s Clock website, and I had previously made a yarn winder for EB. I made a few minor adjustments to the plans to accommodate the lack of the same metal fittings Clayton asked for in the plans.

The frame and arms are made of red oak, the yarn pins are made of rose wood, and the handle (which spins and is not fixed as in the plans as per EBs request, also has several holes for customization) is made out of a bit of my dwindling supply of mystery bright red wood. All it needs now is a quick coat of Poly-urethane.

I tried it out one my yellow dyied wool (balling the slightly felt mess was a breeze, and making large skeins of 100%cotton 2/16 thread was super fast, and way less taxing than using the niddy noddy. I must put this on the list of things I need to build for myself.

I also am feeling guilty as I have yet to build the spinning wheel from the plans Clayton gave me for free. Nor have I started building my calendar clock/oreray.

]]> http://www.maryostler.com/2011/01/ebs-swift/feed/ 0 niddy noddy v2.0 http://www.maryostler.com/2011/01/niddy-noddy-v2-0/ http://www.maryostler.com/2011/01/niddy-noddy-v2-0/#comments Tue, 04 Jan 2011 19:24:24 +0000 DirtyMary http://www.maryostler.com/?p=2568  I finally decided to just buy the wool for the carpet. I have been waffling on the exact wool for ever, and if I don’t start soon, this might turn into a 4 year project. I calculated how much of each color of wool I needed, and had to wind them to the right size for the dye pot. To do this I made myself a niddy noddy (6ft) out of some rosewood billet cuts I had picked up recently.

I turned the handle and put on two beads so my hand wouldn’t slip while winding. Rosewood finishes so well it was easy to make the handle kind of slippery.

I have one side pined in place, and the other side is free to twist around.

I wish I had curved the arms a bit more. When starting the skein its easy for it to slip out from the ends.

The yellow is wound (yellow ties), and so is the Blue (green ties), and the red has 6/10 wound (red ties). I still have 12 skeins of black to wind, and the white wool will need to be cleaned too.

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]]> http://www.maryostler.com/2011/01/niddy-noddy-v2-0/feed/ 0 Emily’s Highchair v1.7 ~ Short Stuff http://www.maryostler.com/2010/07/emilys-highchair-v1-7-short-stuff/ http://www.maryostler.com/2010/07/emilys-highchair-v1-7-short-stuff/#comments Sun, 25 Jul 2010 19:00:27 +0000 DirtyMary http://www.maryostler.com/?p=2298

Emily turned out to be a rocker. To such a degree, the high chair with its fairly narrow foot print was becoming a bit on the dangerous side. So a year early than I thought, I have cut the legs down to a  child’s height. I had designed the chair so that there was a turned ball just below the foot rail of the chair.  Thus with the lower barley twist leg removed the foot still looked finished. The leg sections that were removed will be made into a foot stool to match the chair, complete with rush fiber webbing.

]]> http://www.maryostler.com/2010/07/emilys-highchair-v1-7-short-stuff/feed/ 3 Triangular Stool ~ V1.1 http://www.maryostler.com/2010/06/triangular-stool-v1-1/ http://www.maryostler.com/2010/06/triangular-stool-v1-1/#comments Thu, 17 Jun 2010 03:09:23 +0000 DirtyMary http://www.maryostler.com/?p=2199 The days are racing past and I am in need of progress on the triangular stool front.

The legs need holes drilled. I used a bit and brace for the first few holes, but pear wood is hard, and I am weak! Drill press it is.

Fitting the first leg with the cross dowels. I made a mistake on were to place the grooves on one of the crossbars, and need to add a fourth grove on the remaining ones. This will make it a little more difficult to drill the holes for the vertical dowels that are in between the cross bars.

Looks like a little stick man. You always start with one leg and work your way out with a triangular stool.

It also helps to make sure all your pieces are labeled. Makes assembly a lot easier.

The front legs have one set of holes drilled.  At this point a ruler is placed across the front legs for two reasons. The first is for the length of crossbars in the front. The span is 1.5″ wider than the back sections. The other reason is to scribe a line for the angle of the drill holes.

The scribed line is then transferred along the edge of the leg using a ledge brought up to the scribe line.

The legs on this stool are narrower than on my original back stool. It hadn’t occurred to me that the 3/4″ drill holes would then be so close together. This means the chair will have a weak point at the joint. I am hoping the strength of the wood will help strengthen the joint compared to the softwood used on the back stool.

The final crossbars loosely placed in the drill holes.

Next up… Cutting the dowels so they fit properly in the holes. Drilling for the vertical dowels, more turning, and then stringing the chair seat.

]]> http://www.maryostler.com/2010/06/triangular-stool-v1-1/feed/ 0 Triangular stool v1.0 http://www.maryostler.com/2010/06/triangular-stool-v1-0/ http://www.maryostler.com/2010/06/triangular-stool-v1-0/#comments Mon, 07 Jun 2010 04:40:34 +0000 DirtyMary http://www.maryostler.com/?p=2182 A.T. War is near at hand, and I have procrastinated on the A&S competition. So with the pool of days diminishing quickly, I decided I better get on with it. My entry is going to be a pole lathe turned triangular stool. I had previously turned a triangular back stool, so it should be a fairly easy build as all the confusing stuff I have previously puzzled out.

Why a stool though?. The competition is to make something on the theme of WAR. Stool doesn’t sound very war like. Well, I am not a fighter, just a mere ostler in the south of Tir Righ (England) . If a war was to break out near my inn, I would have to use what was near at hand. A stool although no match for a true weapon, will still stun one of those Avie bastards when I smash it over their bacon obsessed heads. Just Say’n

So I took a trip to the magical fun time shop of Awesomeness (Windsor Plywood – Burnaby), and saw much to my delight that pear wood slabs were on sale. Not a commonly used wood for furniture construction, but considering I live in an orchard rich area it is probable. Pear wood is an amazing wood, as it is resistant to alot of tear out issues you find in alot of other wood species. I took a slab that had some nice hartwood/sapwood sections. The change in color ads so much awesomeness to wood. The slab was almost big enough to get two full stools out of it. The second stool I will build will have a bit of dogwood to make up for the missing pieces.

I still haven’t got around to making a rip saw. I turned to my trusty table saw to cut the slab down to 1.75″  board. I love the color contrast.

Earlier in the year I was given a new live center for my lathe. Sadly my tail stock doesn’t have a moris taper on it, thus rendering my new toy kind of useless. Useless except for using it in the head stock for pole lathe applications. This is a big improvement on the old conversion method that had me remove the motor belt. I still had alot of motor resistance, but this new method is effortless.

Short video to show the action of the lathe. The treadle is getting hung up on other machinery, but otherwise is a workable solution.

The three legs of the stool turned, and waiting to be drilled.

]]> http://www.maryostler.com/2010/06/triangular-stool-v1-0/feed/ 4 Cone Tent v1.3 ~ Hardware http://www.maryostler.com/2010/05/cone-tent-v1-3-hardware/ http://www.maryostler.com/2010/05/cone-tent-v1-3-hardware/#comments Wed, 26 May 2010 04:58:30 +0000 DirtyMary http://www.maryostler.com/?p=2131 So I have a conical tube of canvas. I now need to make a pole to support the whole shebang. Since my truck will only accommodate poles 6’4″ in length. I am going to have to make a two part sleeve/pole set up.

First I laminated two 2×3″ over night, and found a piece of square tubing out in the old metal pile.

Cut down the laminated 2×3′s so that they are the same size as the outside of the tubing.

I then tilted the table saw blade to a 45′ angle and cut a bevel down each corner. Octagonal poles.

I then measured the tubing and divided by 2.

The table saw left a small triangle of wood that needs to be knocked off with a chisel.

Mom & Dad got me chisels for my birthday. Kickass.

The small void in the corners of the metal tubing will be where I place metal hooks. Place to hang the cloak.

12′ of octa-pole.

With the original design of the tent, I was going to make a proper yurt ring for the domed effect, but as I screwed up, I know don’t care enough to get that fancy. Instead I just made up a jig to cut a 15″ disk on the band saw.

Chiseling out a square hole in the center of the disk.

The top of one of the octa-poles is cut down to square. the ledge of the octagon will support the disk.

Square peg in round disk.

I then painted the octa-poles with the never ending can of reddy-brown paint.

The yellow tubing got a coat of black tremclad.

Dad came into the shop and plopped down a portable hole from the scrap pile. Kick ass.

I also painted the roof ring and installed two pulleys. The ring section will be made into a  candle ring that will hang around the octa-pole.

]]> http://www.maryostler.com/2010/05/cone-tent-v1-3-hardware/feed/ 0 Inspired and Humbled http://www.maryostler.com/2010/05/inspired-and-humbled/ http://www.maryostler.com/2010/05/inspired-and-humbled/#comments Tue, 11 May 2010 20:25:33 +0000 DirtyMary http://www.maryostler.com/?p=2071  

I am in serious Awe. I need to make me a floor lathe.

yoinked from Stuart Kings blog

]]> http://www.maryostler.com/2010/05/inspired-and-humbled/feed/ 0 Another Good Weekend. http://www.maryostler.com/2010/04/another-good-weekend/ http://www.maryostler.com/2010/04/another-good-weekend/#comments Mon, 19 Apr 2010 14:34:29 +0000 DirtyMary http://www.maryostler.com/?p=2014  

Another good weekend has passed me by. I spent the majority of the weekend in the dusty depths of the wood shop. One major item I got off the list was making a set of Pal Mall mallets. It would have been easier to buy a set, but the commercially available set have such ludicrously short handles on the mallets. Longer handles = win.

I also got to play around with my axe, lathe and froe.  I cut up stump I had in the shop and turned a half round into a bark rimmed bowl. I had thought of Poll Lathe turning it…but I was lazy. I also used the froe to break of a thin strip of wood, and then tried planing it down to a flat board. That’s a skill I need a whole lot of work on.

Months ago, Morweena gave me a number of pine shelves to use in my evil plans. They sat there mocking me for months. I finally showed them whats what and cut them down and trimmed off the rounded edges. Now I have a bunch more room where the shelves had been living and a bunch of ready to go 1×3.5″ boards…. Woot.

I also got to move around a lot of plantage. The mulberry tree is starting to grow, ruhbarb has transplanted, and new bark mulch was installed in all the areas that needed it.

I also got some work done on the up coming games tourney, The mini siege engines got some more work done on them, and I started to read up on what it would take to make a siege engine company.  I need to start making armor that’s for sure. Dose it make me a bad person if I am late period English, dressed in Ottoman Turk Garb, and Fight in Japanese armor?

Good Weekend.

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]]> http://www.maryostler.com/2010/04/another-good-weekend/feed/ 0 Siege Engine Boules http://www.maryostler.com/2010/04/siege-engine-boules/ http://www.maryostler.com/2010/04/siege-engine-boules/#comments Mon, 12 Apr 2010 02:12:47 +0000 DirtyMary http://www.maryostler.com/?p=2004

I have an evil plan to run a siege engine boules/ golf tourneys at up coming events. Since I have only so many weekends off before camping season starts, I needed to get on with it.

I cut up one 2×2 board into (2) 20″ lengths, (6) 8″ lengths, and one 11″ section of 2×3. Two of the 8″ sections had 45′ angles cut off them. These will be used to help support the uprights.

The 2×3 piece of wood then has notches drawn on, by plunking a 2×2 piece in the corners. Once traced, I then used a carpenters square to straighten the lines out a bit.

The notches were cut out on a band saw

The 20″ lengths were marked 3/4″ in from both ends, and 1/2″ from the sides. I then drilled pilot holes, and countersunk them so we can cover the screws later on.

Assembly starts with the bottom base screwed together.

I then place the uprights on the base, and took the angled supports to figure out were I wanted the uprights to sit. I then took a pencil and marked the uprights position.

I drilled two more holes through the base on each side (pilot holes, and countersunk)

The uprights then were fastened with more screwage.

Before I started playing with the supports, I decided to attach the strike plate to the uprights. This way I could rest the onager uprights flat on the bench.

At this stage I place the supports in place, and since clamping angled piece a can be difficult, I used painters tape to hold the upright in the right place. Lots of tape is good! (forgot to take a picture… my bad.

Angle pilot holes and countersinks at 90′ to the supports.

I marked the tension rope hole approx 1″ back from the uprights. I think I should have gone a bit farther back as the strike arm now angles back slightly. I am not sure, but I think you want the strike arm to have a slight forward angle optimally.

Since this cheap nasty 2×2 is made of super soft hemlock (I think) I am using metal washers to protect the sides. I also drilled to smaller holes either side of the rope holes. This will keep the pressure rod in place.

Everything I need but the tension rope. 2 washers, 2 pins, 2 pressure rods (allen keys). I also have hammered in a nail atop of a 12″ wooden dowel. Just need to cut off the end.

The first one is almost done. The rope is small 1/8th braided stuff.

The final step is glueing in some dowel plugs to cover up the screw heads.

The first two are done. I only need two for siege engine boules, but a few more if I run a golf tourney later on.

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