The month of May was wet for nearly the whole of Kansas, and we happened to be one of the wettest spots in the state with over 30 inches for the month. Spring rains make grass grow and the lambs are good and growing. Photography and blogging has taken a back seat in a year of heavy labor on every front, but I managed to take my camera with me a few times while I did my rounds on the farm.
photography
Sister Hog, Brother Tree, and the Voice of Copper: a Celebration of Long Labor and Process
Echo Water
Various Light
Champion Table Build, Part 4: Base & Arc
preparing to fit the base to the leg assembly
defining a semicircle with 3 saw cuts
3 saw cuts get refined into facets with a paring chisel
and again
then shaped with a rasp
the base of one of the leg assemblies after the 1/2 lap-tapered dado has been cut
here, mated with the white oak leg
a different piece of white oak being shaped with a rasp, one of three slats joining the top of the leg assemblies together and to the table top
the slats also receive a long bevel
the slats will rest in the notches being cut into the top of this leg section
clearing out material from the notch with a 1″ chisel
establishing the final depth with a router plane
here the slats are temporarily in place
an arsenal of shaping tools to begin sculpting the legs
shaping inside-curves of the leg assembly with an aggressive rasp
forming a radius where the legs meet the base
the preliminary drawings had a horizontal stretcher connecting the two leg assemblies at floor level. Having rough-shaped the components and taking a look, I started visualizing an arc instead. PVC pipe (already bent from a previous life in some low garden tunnels) offered a quick prototype to help see how it would look.
the arc made sense, so now setting about squaring up a white oak timber for re-sawing
re-sawn white oak and a glue-lamination form ready to make an arc
the glue lamination in the form- my 8 year old son was indispensable in this process, helping to roll glue, assemble, and clamp
rhythm is in unity to woodwork
the white oak timber, reconfigured as a messy arc
work for the jack plane
now the smoothing plane
cutting the tapers along the length of the arc at the band saw
marking the taper at the width
cutting the taper at the width
more elbow grease with the smoothing plane
shaping the many curves and facets along the arc, first with a drawknife
then with spokeshave
establishing details with knife
facets ease into curves
test fitting- some refining-shaping to go yet
setting the location of the chamfers on the leg-base
shaving away rasp markings
carving corner transitions
so many details to bring together- here the leg base is about done.
That’s it for this round- next week there will be lots of sanding, also carving and inlay work as the table finally starts to become unified. Thank you to everyone for following along, and for your encouraging comments.
The Eternal Present
Summer waxing
into eternal presence
ancient thunder quivers along the crust
twinning amongst and toppling titans
the smallest witnesses quiet as their gaze
oldest of fault lines wrought with terror for men
Ragnarok not yet come to cleave a line between
the fruits of Eden and the curse
brothers old as Abel and Cain
approach the day with a steady gate
mend the tack and the linkage
the work the day is ready to hand
unfold unfold great sheets unfold
the heavens rain diamonds from the mouth of God
the rye bends, the wheat and barley bend, the corn the teff bend low, below
rust and blood speak and spin
the day is new again
tension speaks in unheard frequencies
felt, like order drawn from skeins of chaos
a fragment of destiny
order from a mystic mind
elder memories
ancient fodder, best fodder
tools for the telling of
tools for the remembering of
the days when Noah stored up faith
quieted his family with peace
as the rim of the earth spilled over
rolling stones
adjoining man with the presence
again, Noah enters day
moored, listening
breathing presence in
wrested in grace
see how the earth remembers differently
manifest ancient eternal presence
The Priesthood of the Land
“In some places the mysterious relation man has with sheep has never been forgotten, people have not so far left the land, and still honor the sheep who help them to live on it. For them there is joy of life in the shearing of the sheep…” Kevin Ford, Shearing Day.
Through Winter
Place
“Rootrill” I hope that you will forgive me for posting an eleven minute song in the twenty first century. Mostly, I hope that you enjoy it.
arc contain glow
seen through scene
bois d arc meteorite
slanting even evening light
ancient bone star dust
deere ghost sheep goat add straw and mix well
cross turn
years unfurl in the eternal present
young hands dextrous
core sample of stored solar energy
made vacant for gold
quince roots herbs leg
reamed tapered tapped turned twisted sunk fitted formed around
concentrate earth line essence
absorb the sun and use it for life
pull transfer motion
dividing even unto cambium and xylem
layers and layers
learn purpose practicing discipline
stop motion
frozen movement osage root as it once reached
three forms of light
hand in hand you who once swayed
ancient releasing story
the turning of light upon the solar bank countless voices scratch and turn
golden hands once full wait for wisdom
new moon forest window
tall down cut stack turn stack down
erth-maker here we bend here we grow
establish converge into order dust scratcher
welcome the new bird and fare thee well
White Oak and Cherry
A bowl for Clive, a mantle for Tanner, and a spoon and a saddle (I am only responsible for the plaque, which is in hedge and walnut) for Harold. This weeks bonus image is a little tree frog freshly emerged from my son’s tadpole nursery. I trust you’ll forgive so many images of one bowl when you consider how stunning the character of the grain is from every angle.
The School of the Transfer of Energy 