Saturday 29 September 2012

GOLF CLUB COAT HANGERS.


Remember this idiot?
 





Available in stainless soon...


LEAF SPRING CHAIRS.




I had an idea to make these a long time ago, something that's super comfy and a pleasure to sleep/chill on.


I collaborated with Bill Amberg to finish the larger chair with horse saddle leather which brings some warmth to the metal, it is an outdoor or indoor chair and the leather should age just like a Brooks saddle with a bit of wax.


The smaller chair was a collaboration with my legend of a sister Jen, its an indoor TV rocking chair and features a super comfy cushion that matches the ribs of the metal frame. [the bottom pad is missing in these pics]. Jen went to town with the detailing and put piping on all the ribs, proper job!


These things are dangerous to take apart not for the faint hearted...



and not easy to clamp together...


 but the finished result works well.





 In the lead up to Tent things got a little busy so Lizzie the best partner in the world jumped on the grinder to lend a hand. She always surprises me with her many talents.


A picture of the larger chair lacquered ready for the leather. These chairs will soon be up on the web shop and the first of many that can be tailored to suit many needs.


CHANDELIER PART 4.


 Ding dong. I think we're finished ol boy, and looking all good.




This project has taken a year on and off, and now I'm finally done I am really pleased with the way things turned out. Using exactly the same components the shape and final finish could have gone so different many ways. 




 Just the light bulbs cost me an arm and a leg, but was a joy to finally plug in and hit the switch.





 Thank you to all who helped make this happen from the bloke walking past who helped me shift the entire plane engine off the pallet into the workshop, Stevo, Barney, Kev and Mat who spent a whole afternoon helping wire the lump up not forgetting Stuart York who has taken some cracking snaps of the splendid spectacle, I doff my hat to you. I believe its being packed up and shipped to Sydney Australia to its new home.....


I just spotted this as I was looking for some pics.

 Manfred von Richthofen, nicknamed "The Red Baron". This German aristocrat loved hunting; his bedroom was covered with the serial numbers of British aircraft he'd shot down and the chandelier was made from the rotary engine of British plane. The Red Baron was recognisable by his red-painted plane: the colour of his former cavalry regiment.

The shape of a radial engine lends itself so well to making chandeliers
Original text can be found here.

http://tv.fopii.com/news/p3_2434_0.html

Wednesday 19 September 2012

McCLOUD'S MAN MADE HOME.


 I had the pleasure of being involved in a project for C4 recently, helping Kevin McCloud build a chair from an old TE20 little grey fergy vintage tractor. Can't say to much...


But, this is the chair which is a collaboration between Kevin, Bill Amberg[leather genius] and myself.


Some pics of the inside of the shed and the hot tub which was made from a Boeing 737 engine cowl.
 

More on this to come and for a clip from the program click here.

Sunday 2 September 2012

CHANDELIER PART 3.


 After changing the top fire extinguisher as the old one was more of a prototype, I added the next nine arms. It took a few attempts cutting these down but I am beginning to take in the overall look. [Its difficult to visualise when there are no plans] I just hope the ceiling takes it.



I have tightened up the whole look by doing this and its brought the two different shaped light bowls together which I was well chuffed with.


Kevin Smith top lathe man helped out turning all the threads of half the compression fittings to lighten things


and created loads of nice looking gold dust. Good work and thanks.



 Barney popped over for a cuppa and ended up removing the identification plate, giant main bearing and a few other bazaar bits, to make space for the light bulb that will sit in the middle of the main body. Cheers Barns.



Before taking things to the shot blasters I decided to pop to the hand car wash to clean all the grease off. I think I made a few guys at the garage laugh rocking up with this on my push bike.


Then off to the shot blasters to get things sand blasted and then bead blasted which should make things easier to polish.


 Next to do is make the bulb holder bits for the light bowls and a hell of a lot of polishing.


LAURA'S LAMP PART 2.


 Some pictures of Laura's lamp after applying the green patina, I think it works quite well.



 The top faze from green to copper came out a lot brighter than the bottom but applying this particular chemical is not an exact science.



 I found this old wall mounted loud speaker whilst at the scrap yard and thought with a little bit of work it may make a nicer lamp shade than a gramophone horn?


The insides of the speaker could be placed on top to produce a more streamlined shape


The whole lamp shade is only suited for an up light but it does have a space to let some light out and a vent for the heat......