My Covid-19 and later projects
- Thread starter John Fenna
- Start date
-
Come along to the amazing Summer Moot (21st July - 2nd August), a festival of bushcrafting and camping in a beautiful woodland PLEASE CLICK HERE for more information.
Project 99
Xmas booze
Blackberry Vodka (made like Sloe Gin but with Blackberries and Vodka) and Blackberry "Port" (made by soaking the Vodka infused fruit in red wine after bottling the Vodka)
No Raspberry this year as our crop was a disaster!
Xmas booze
Blackberry Vodka (made like Sloe Gin but with Blackberries and Vodka) and Blackberry "Port" (made by soaking the Vodka infused fruit in red wine after bottling the Vodka)
No Raspberry this year as our crop was a disaster!
Project 100
Black belt and Brown Belt Pouch
Looking through my box of buckles I found this one and was intrigued by the marks on it ...
They look like Silver Marks - but I have not been able to identify them. The metal tests for silver (non-magnetic, good heat conductor, gives black marks on a white cloth, is relatively soft and has no odour) but Of no known purity...
You can see the marks in some of the photos...
The belt is came on was stamped as coming from Australia but was in such poor condition it needed replacing... so I made this one from 2.5mm Veg Tan leather stitched with waxed Linen thread.
The belt pouch was made from dark brown calf leather and stiffened with beeswax.
Black belt and Brown Belt Pouch
Looking through my box of buckles I found this one and was intrigued by the marks on it ...
They look like Silver Marks - but I have not been able to identify them. The metal tests for silver (non-magnetic, good heat conductor, gives black marks on a white cloth, is relatively soft and has no odour) but Of no known purity...
You can see the marks in some of the photos...
The belt is came on was stamped as coming from Australia but was in such poor condition it needed replacing... so I made this one from 2.5mm Veg Tan leather stitched with waxed Linen thread.
The belt pouch was made from dark brown calf leather and stiffened with beeswax.
Project 101
Coffee brew kit
I recently acquired another military mug - a Belgian (?) aluminium,"L" shaped handle model ... and decided to make a full coffee brew-set around it.
First move was to tape the rim to avoid burned lips and to make a lid and a coffee filter stand to fit it. Both of these were made from aluminium (cut from the bases of unwanted mess-tins bought for pennies in charity shops) and the button on the lid from a piece of Hazel held on with a self tapping screw.
My metal work is not of the best (but is functional) and I even split the wooden pattern I was hammer shaping the lid around!
The billycans were a set of Tea, Coffee, Sugar storage cans (again from charity shops for pennies) drilled to take fence wire or knitting needle bails and Hazel buttons.
The billies take my (charity shop find) coffee filter, washing-up sponge, teaspoon ... and enough coffee, milk and sugar for a couple of good brews!
The Teaspoons are from bone - reshaped and sized from horrible African souvenir spoons with badly carved animal head terminals, found in ... a charity shop.
Coffee brew kit
I recently acquired another military mug - a Belgian (?) aluminium,"L" shaped handle model ... and decided to make a full coffee brew-set around it.
First move was to tape the rim to avoid burned lips and to make a lid and a coffee filter stand to fit it. Both of these were made from aluminium (cut from the bases of unwanted mess-tins bought for pennies in charity shops) and the button on the lid from a piece of Hazel held on with a self tapping screw.
My metal work is not of the best (but is functional) and I even split the wooden pattern I was hammer shaping the lid around!
The billycans were a set of Tea, Coffee, Sugar storage cans (again from charity shops for pennies) drilled to take fence wire or knitting needle bails and Hazel buttons.
The billies take my (charity shop find) coffee filter, washing-up sponge, teaspoon ... and enough coffee, milk and sugar for a couple of good brews!
The Teaspoons are from bone - reshaped and sized from horrible African souvenir spoons with badly carved animal head terminals, found in ... a charity shop.
Yes, your re-creation of the spoons is neat. you will be able to eat soft boiled eggs now.
Project 102
Toggled "Jungle Knots" guys
I have used "Toggle Ropes", on and off, for quite some time but have recently decided to replace the bungee guying system on my tarps with "Jungle Knots" with an added toggle end to give more adaptability plus a reduced weight/bulk than with the bungees.... cord is cheaper too! I will replace the bungees over time as they get old/perish and lose stretch.
Previously I would drill the wooden (Hazel/Ash/Willow) toggles to take the cord but now I am grooving the center of the finger length toggles and tying the cord on with a clove hitch so that the toggle is removable if I just want to semi permanently attach the cord to a tarp or such by Lark's Heading it through the guy point or similar.
I have been experimenting with different cord, knot size (thumb or Fig 8) and spacing but the real test will be at the Winter Moot - if I find any real differences I will edit this post!
Toggled "Jungle Knots" guys
I have used "Toggle Ropes", on and off, for quite some time but have recently decided to replace the bungee guying system on my tarps with "Jungle Knots" with an added toggle end to give more adaptability plus a reduced weight/bulk than with the bungees.... cord is cheaper too! I will replace the bungees over time as they get old/perish and lose stretch.
Previously I would drill the wooden (Hazel/Ash/Willow) toggles to take the cord but now I am grooving the center of the finger length toggles and tying the cord on with a clove hitch so that the toggle is removable if I just want to semi permanently attach the cord to a tarp or such by Lark's Heading it through the guy point or similar.
I have been experimenting with different cord, knot size (thumb or Fig 8) and spacing but the real test will be at the Winter Moot - if I find any real differences I will edit this post!
Project 103
Bits and bobs - Sisal brush (and tinder) and Amadou - inspired by things I saw at the BcUK Winter Moot
The "glue" on the brush is pine resin.
Bits and bobs - Sisal brush (and tinder) and Amadou - inspired by things I saw at the BcUK Winter Moot
The "glue" on the brush is pine resin.
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Continued ...
Blotting Paper Slow Match/ ember extender (blotting paper soaked in Saltpeter)
Fire Crane - the swing arm, height adjustable, multi position pot hanger made from the prunings from our Apple trees and sisal baler twine - sized to mt fire pit
Blotting Paper Slow Match/ ember extender (blotting paper soaked in Saltpeter)
Fire Crane - the swing arm, height adjustable, multi position pot hanger made from the prunings from our Apple trees and sisal baler twine - sized to mt fire pit
Project 104
Lime spoon and spatula
Lime was the favourite carving wood of Grinling Gibbons the famous Dutch sculptor ( https://grinlinggibbons.uk/ ) and having found some I proceeded to try some out! Carved in the woods, sanded and oiled when I got home these items showed me how come GG chose Lime as his favourite wood!
Lime spoon and spatula
Lime was the favourite carving wood of Grinling Gibbons the famous Dutch sculptor ( https://grinlinggibbons.uk/ ) and having found some I proceeded to try some out! Carved in the woods, sanded and oiled when I got home these items showed me how come GG chose Lime as his favourite wood!
Project 105
Exterior grade stuff sacks and waterproof cover for a large pack.
Looking at my kit - and the current weather - I realised that my various roll mats were looking vulnerable to the weather( and thorns/rocks etc) when strapped onto my pack, while the whole pack was vulnerable to the rain ... these were my answer the the issues...
The stuff sacks are made from and old IPK sheet - tough, light and highly water resistant (no taped seams) they should protect my mats OK, while the pack cover is made from an old Kathmandu Trekking silnylon rainwater collecting sheet - all I had to do was run some elastic through the hem and returning it to it's original role would be as simple as just removing the elastic!
Exterior grade stuff sacks and waterproof cover for a large pack.
Looking at my kit - and the current weather - I realised that my various roll mats were looking vulnerable to the weather( and thorns/rocks etc) when strapped onto my pack, while the whole pack was vulnerable to the rain ... these were my answer the the issues...
The stuff sacks are made from and old IPK sheet - tough, light and highly water resistant (no taped seams) they should protect my mats OK, while the pack cover is made from an old Kathmandu Trekking silnylon rainwater collecting sheet - all I had to do was run some elastic through the hem and returning it to it's original role would be as simple as just removing the elastic!
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