Boles with Holes

In November 2018, we were looking at the wood pile in readiness for burning on the log burner. I said it seemed a shame to be burning cherry and certainly we were not going to burn the walnut tree. Mum had only let us take it down from her garden when we were building the new bungalow on the condition we made something out of it.

Bob had an old lathe in the shed which was a relic from his brother. He had a go with a piece of cherry and an old chisel he had lying around. Then I had a go... He made a bowl out of walnut and I tried one with sycamore. I was hooked!

The new Rector came to the next village and Bob offered our services to cut up a tree that had been taken down because it was dangerous. It turned out to be walnut, so we snaffled a few pieces and I was off.

A set of tools, dust mask, face shield later off I went, only to discover I had to sharpen the tools which involved different grinding wheels, a new jig and many hours of utube videos. No local wood turning classes, so even more utube videos. Then there was finishing and sanding and dust management.

After 6 months, I found I was thoroughly bitten by the wood turning bug so decided I needed a bigger lathe with more than one speed. The old Coronet the Minor was just too small!

I found a Hegner 200XL with variable speed, 16 inch swing over the bed, ability to turn the headstock and turn up to 30 inch items (not that I have actually ever turned anything that big! I bought it second (or third) hand and brought it back in the trailer from Walsall. It was such a neat fit in the space it could have been made for it!

What with hedge cutting and old trees taken down and donations, I have plenty of wood to turn, just the occasional days work gets in the way, and the garden, dog needs walking, husband needs food.... I would rather be turning wood!

So to the name. Boles with holes - Quite a few of my turnings have holes or had holes that I filled. Insects, nails or natural. A bole is an old name for a tree trunk, quite apt I thought.

Boles with holes will do for me - part time wood turner in the making!

It is definitely a hobby - one which frequently requires new and different tools, finishes, and skills. I love finding a very unpromising looking piece of wood, only to mount it on the lathe and discover the hidden depths in the grain and bark. Off to the lathe now!

I have read elsewhere that wood turning is a hobby that eats your hard earned cash and fills any flat surface in the house with objets d'art that are kept or possibly given away more often than not....

Still working on this page, I will attempt to put on a gallery at some point.