Sunday, March 8, 2015

Jumping from this to that over the weekend

©2015 Barry Smith - Saw cuts and colour on Blackbutt hardwood
On Saturday and Sunday I had intended to make a start on an installation of seven posts - way markers.  I'm going to use 150mm square Blackbutt hardwood timber I have had stored in my timber stash for the last 8 years. I've got six lengths of about 3 metres long each - so I thought I'd make a second installation whilst making the commissioned work. I'm cutting the timber into 12 posts varying in length from 1.1 metres to 1.8 metres.

©2015 Barry Smith - 3 of the lengths of seasoned Blackbutt hardwood
I decided to use the concrete water tank near the shed as the cutting platform.

©2015 Barry Smith - Shady sawing platform
Whilst I did make a start; I decided to leave it until Monday afternoon as the saw just screamed when cutting through the seasoned hardwood; and I did not want to disturb the weekend quiet of the neighbourhood.

©2015 Barry Smith - Seasoned Blackbutt hardwood
So I turned my mind to doing further work on the southern retaining wall that was collapsing under the weight of gravel. We have tied the wall back into the foundations of the house with thick threaded rod; and I have gradually removed gravel and cranked the wall back into alignment as you can see from the photo below. This has been a long and patient process; but it is coming to an end. The rods will then keep the wall in place.

©2015 Barry Smith - Straightening the wall
But there was a bit of time this afternoon so I started to make stock to go into the Botanique Bazaar at Mt Cootha gardens in May. The photos below shows the blanks cut for 18 leaf forms ranging from 15mm to 70mm in length. The formed, sanded and polished leaves look good on that scrap of timber cut off one of the Blackbutt logs.

©2015 Barry Smith - Earring leaf form blanks
©2015 Barry Smith - A stash of silver plated EPNS earring leaf forms - formed, drilled and polished
Fiona and I were having a discussion that went along the lines - if you have a list there is always something you can turn your mind and creativity to - and so it was over the weekend.

2 comments:

  1. Barry, you and Fiona certainly make the most of your weekends! I'm so pleased you pause at the end of the day for that glass of well deserved red! Nice stash of leaves there on the timber!

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    Replies
    1. Hi C - as you say there is always full on activity on the mountain - and the read are always appreciated. Go well. B

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Comments are welcomed - it is good to connect with fellow travellers.