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Recent articles
- Stuart wins Strictly Woodturning
- History of Marquetry (with Glossary)
- History of the Lathe: part one – reciprocal motion
- History of the Lathe: part two – continuous rotation
- History of the Lathe: part three – mechanical power
- History of the Lathe: part four – the machine takes over
- Marquetry and Me
- Raymond Harvey makes his (wooden) bed
- Bone up on Bobbins : the craft of lace bobbin making
- Khokhloma Ware: Folk art for the masses
Older articles
Topics
- folk art (6)
- lacemaking (1)
- marquetry (2)
- Uncategorized (1)
- woodturning (18)
- woodworking (3)
Yearly Archives: 2008
History of Marquetry (with Glossary)
The earliest evidence that I am aware of for marquetry/inlay is a remarkable casket from the city or UR, in Mesopotamia dated c2600 BC. Much of the work is cut from ivory and set in bitumen and is a pictorial … Continue reading
History of the Lathe: part one – reciprocal motion
All lathes by their very nature rely on a revolving work piece. To capture and impart this motion, to devise and create the required force has challenged mans ingenuity back into pre-history. Man has been using the momentum provided by … Continue reading
History of the Lathe: part two – continuous rotation
The wheel is probably man’s most important technological discovery. A Sumarian pictogram dated 3500BC is the earliest reference for the wheel. By 2000BC man was making spoked wheels yet the earliest pictorial reference we have of a wheel driven lathe seems to be from the 15th century. Continue reading
History of the Lathe: part three – mechanical power
From classical times man has harnessed wind and water to work heavy machinery, to relieve him of hard physical labour and to speed up production. A Roman settlement C.200AD in southern France boasted sixteen water mills for grinding corn. It … Continue reading
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History of the Lathe: part four – the machine takes over
Man has always tried to find ways of making manual tasks easier and the businessman methods to reduce manpower, speed production and lower operating costs. A good illustration of this was the manufacture of rifle butts. Hand held firearms have … Continue reading
Posted in woodturning
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Marquetry and Me
I left school in 1957 aged 15 years with notions of being an archaeologist or naturalist, or even a film cameraman, but with not one qualification to my name. My furniture-making farther said that I had no choice but to … Continue reading