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G'Day from Salisbury

R

Rob Stoakley

Full Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2016
Posts
16
Location
Wilton, nr. Salisbury
First Name
Rob
I joined the forum some years ago but haven't posted, principally as I wasn't a pen turner, but events have now taken a slightly different course so now I am one, in theory at least. At a practical level, I know absolutely nowt about the craft, but am happy to learn. I have a fully equipped cabinet making 'shop which is ideal for the sort of work I like to do; I recently completed 17 boxes (can't post a pic yet) for our local NHS hospital to raise funds; each box contains an insert of heritage Victorian oak, circa 1840 (complete with a Certificate of Provenance) from the headstocks of the bells of St. Paul's Cathedral and I learned today that one had already sold for Ā£200. The timber was donated to the cause by my good mate Andy Pickard, who is a member of the Worshipful Company of Turners, to whom the wood was originally given. Andy also gave me enough material to turn 60 or 70 pens; hence my burgeoning interest in doing something with this unique material.

I used to work for Axminster and if your'e familiar with the rather excellent April 01 video (Rider 'Reversa') from 2014, that was me! - Rob
 
Gadget-UK

Gadget-UK

Graduate Member
Joined
May 18, 2018
Posts
855
Location
Nr Blandford Forum. Dorset. UK
First Name
Colin
Welcome Rob. Not to far from you Blandford and pass through Salisbury most days (I was born in Wilton)
We love to see pictures and by the sounds of it your an accomplished woodworker, turning pens should be an easy task for you but if you fancy a day playing then give me a shout if your up for a trip to Blandford šŸ‘ŒšŸ‘
 
flexi

flexi

Executive Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Posts
6,210
Location
Maidstone
First Name
mark
Welcome to the forum,...or welcome back... I turned some bell stays from my local cathedral (Rochester) as fundraising, don't think it's the same league :chuckle: but I have been turning some other historic blanks and find it satisfying to see a second or third life given to wood...
 
R

Rob Stoakley

Full Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2016
Posts
16
Location
Wilton, nr. Salisbury
First Name
Rob
Thanks for the welcome (back) Shown in the pic are a few of the boxes (oak, mahogany, lacewood/rosewood) with the heritage oak inlay from St.Paul's Cathedral, together with the Certificate of Provenance and an info sheet giving details about each individual box. A feature of each box was the wooden hinge (seen in the open one) that almost completely disappears at the rear when the lid's closed - Rob
 

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Phil Dart

Phil Dart

Moderator
Executive Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2014
Posts
5,458
Location
Colebrooke, Devon
First Name
Phil
Hello Rob - welcome (back) to the Forum. Sadly, Axi appeared to have sold out of the Reversa by April 2nd, so like so many others I was left disappointed. But I wasn't convinced I'd be able to easily get replacement Titebond Green in any case, so possibly a lucky escape. :whistling:
 
ValleyBoy

ValleyBoy

Graduate Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2019
Posts
660
Location
Cardiff
First Name
Ash
Welcome Rob.

Beautiful boxes, and for an excellent cause.

I just watched the video of the Rider Reversa. An excellent innovation and I am surprised it never caught on šŸ˜‚šŸ˜‚. (I think the "titanium hopper" was my favourite bit).

Cheers
Ash
 
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