Recent content by NOTTNICK

I have a friend who works in the complaints department for MM. He frequently tells everyone he knows to avoid Clarke stuff. Gear bought in by the company is always a very cheap import, then sold cheap as money is saved through always putting the customer after profits.

I love using apple, particularly live edge. With sharp tools it turns well and it does have interesting grain. I like the contrasting colours. I am just processing a particularly punky piece at the moment. A fair bit of rot, but wonderful patterns. I'll dry it carefully and see what happens.

It turns fairly easily but does need really careful drying as it cracks easily, I have had to discard quite a bit lately. I had fun dying a piece, it took the colour really well.

OK, we laid the floor this week using the Torx screws. As it was onto chipboard the job was really straightforward. A few slightly bent boards could be straightened easily too when one end was secured. The floor looks amazing. My son is getting a professional sander to do the job for him and he...

Hi Graham, I'm pretty sure it was Danish Oil. Right now I love friction polish on the outside, finished on the buffing wheel.

I have made quite a few live edge apple wood bowls across the grain. You get a really good effect. Here's a couple for instance.

I've spoken with my son, I think he wants to go with the screwing option. The electrician & plumber have both drawn on the chipboard sub-floor so he knows where to watch for services too (but they should be we below screw depth anyway. A last query resulting from this: If they are screwed down...

Thanks everyone, that's really helpful. I'll now present my son with the options. Nick

I know he wants to varnish the floor so nails might be a better bet finishwise. If he sanded the floor, he might sand off some of the screw heads if he's not careful, That could make removal very hard!

Take care drying them after you've part turned though, they may well split if they dry out too quickly. I put them in a plastic bag with dry wood shavings that I swap over every so often but there are many other methods. Take care too if you have pith remaining in your pieces as it can really...

I'm about to help my son lay reclaimed pine floorboards on top of chipboard. They are straight edged, not T&G. I have just ordered a pneumatic brad nail gun for a big trellis construction job in my garden so I will have this tool available. Do you reckon it would be good for the job? It would...

No, don't get started! You'll get hooked and will keep finding excuses to go into the workshop. You'll end up spending well earned cash on useful kit and get immense pleasure from producing wonderful artifacts from plain pieces of timber. You won't have enough hours in your week to do everything...

I have a Makita LS1018L with a good 260mm 80 tooth blade. I love it. The laser is great and it is very adjustable. It is on a mobile unit but easily removable. I still swap to the original blade if I want lots of quick cuts. I've had the blade re-sharpened too, wow - that's worth doing.

You know, all fungi is edible, it's just that some is only edible once! ;)

That's really clever :)(y)