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Read on for a quick introduction to "Bodging". Click on the thumbnail images for a larger picture.
Anyone can learn to use a pole lathe to turn useful items from green wood. Its the ideal woodwork teaching aid as the use of the students own foot power reduces the risk of tool dig-in accidents associated with power lathes.
For many centuries our woodland has been managed by man and worked for the mutual benefit of Flora, Fauna and the local community.
Many items were traditionally made from the green timber harvested from the forest.
Turned items included spoons, rolling pins, bowls, tool handles, chair legs and even babies rattles.
Please Click The Thumbnail Images For A Larger Picture
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Working a Spirtle at an Open Day
This primitive but very efficient lathe has been used by forest timber workers for many centuries and little is actually known of their origins.
They became the mainstay of Britains Windsor chair industry and have also been used at some time or other in almost every town and village of the land for the production of domestic kitchen items known as treen ware.
They have been used to turn wood, bone and even limestone before the more sophisticated treadle wheel lathe arrived.
However, even the arrival of the small electric motor failed to kill off the Pole Lathe, as among green woodworkers, it will always be considered a most pleasant and safe means of wood turning. A pole lathe cutting green wood produces very little harmful dust and gives healthy exersize and the satisfaction of producing something by the sweat of your brow.
Working a Spoon
This is the forest workers combined bench and vice. It allows a billet of timber to be quickly and securely held during the work process.
When using a Draw Knife to round up timber ready for turning, the harder you pull on the work the firmer it grips it.
It allows immediate release of the work for moving to a new position, yet holds securely without damage to the work piece.
Many different versions of the shave horse exist and each is taylor made by the user to suit their individual needs. Shave Horses are used in many forest trades other than pole lathe turners or Bodgers, for example Trug Makers, Basket Makers and Spar Makers are known to have used them.
This traditional design allows the secure holding of lengths of log for sawing into suitable sizes for the item being made.
For chair legs the logs would be cut to approximately 18" long (460mm).
For rolling pins a length of approximately 15" (380mm) would be cut.
For spoons perhaps 9" (230mm) would be used.
By careful cutting, each piece of timber could be made to yield the maximum return of finished goods for the worker. Unworkable pieces provide fuel for the stove or for the production of charcoal.
Any convenient large log on which the length of wood may be stood whilst splitting into quarters and trimming.
It is this process of quartering that allows green wood to be used without fear of later splitting of the finished work as it dries out.
After quartering, the wood is trimmed with the side axe with great care to ensure the true run of the grain is maintained through the billet.
It is this stage that determines the ease of production of good finished work. If the timber itself is unsuitable or the preparation is poor then hard work will surely follow.
Check with your local Adult Education Center for Courses being run in your own home town.
If none are available contact the :
The Secretary
Association of Pole Lathe Turners
Scullsgate Cottage
Benenden
Cranbrook
Kent
TN17 4LE
and ask for a list of residential courses.
Or, after you have explored the rest of my site, come back here and click on this link directly to The Association of Pole Lathe Turners web site.
Click to Return to Jim's 1st Page
Copyright ©1999 Jim Rushton
