New baker tent!

[Eric_Methven]

Toddy would be able to put you right on the dye colour, but I think it is the linen you can buy off the roll at IKEA. It doesn't look too dissimilar to woad dyed linen (to my untrained eye).

Eric

 

[scruff]

Thanks Eric.

Looks like a trip to Ikea at the weekend for me then

 

[Seagull]

Thats a great looking set-up , Eric.

Nice to see so many natural materials used and on display.

Please, put me out of my ignorance, and tell me what is the device on the far left; it looks like a very sturdy set of stocks.!

Ceeg

 

[spoony]

Thanks James and Chewie, appreciate the input.

Nigel, can I remind you that this is a thread about my new tent. If you want to express your opinions about the use of animal skins, please feel free to send me a PM. I realise you have very strong feelings about this, but here might not be the best place to express them.

Eric

At nigels defence you did mention the skins first. Something he and prob many others feel strongly about, after reading the black Rhino thread. Could you guys not just use sheep or goat skins??

 

[Eric_Methven]

Seagull, It's a spring pole lathe. It is for turning greenwood (unseasoned wood) using a springy pole with a cord wrapped around the workpiece and going to a foot operated lever. When you press down on the lever, it pulls the cord down, spinning the workpiece and pulling down the springy pole. When you release your foot pressure the pole pulls the cord back up spinning the workpiece in the opposite direction.

You use a gouge and chisel to shave waste material off the spinning wood until you get the shape you are after. You just cut on the down stroke, so you get a whoosh, whoosh sound as the wood spins of in ribbons. It's very relaxing and after a while you tend to find the operation of the lathe gets in time with the beat of your heart.

There is historical evidence that pole lathes were in use in the iron age, and possibly before. They are still in use today having changed very little.

Eric

 

[spoony]

Could you put one together with just the things you find in a wood?? or need specialised tools?? how long would it take to build one?

 

[Eric_Methven]

At nigels defence you did mention the skins first. Something he and prob many others feel strongly about, after reading the black Rhino thread. Could you guys not just use sheep or goat skins??

Why should I? I do use sheep and goat skins where appropriate, but I reserve the right to use ANY appropriate skins so long as doing so does not break the law.

I don't spend my time telling others how to live their lives, what to wear and how to behave, and I get hacked off when others take it upon themselves to tell me what I should and shouldn't be using. I'll say it again. These skins were bought from a legitimate source. Their history can be tracked all the way back. The wolves were part of a cull and the bearskin is over sixty years old. Where's the problem?

Now let the subject drop.

Eric

 

[Eric_Methven]

Could you put one together with just the things you find in a wood?? or need specialised tools?? how long would it take to build one?

You can build one in the woods. If you read the thread on meetups http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=14063
I'll be building one then, and a shave horse too if we get enough bodies interested. Put your name down and you can have a go. There'll be enough wood taken down to let everyone make one for themselves to take home.

In times past, bodgers would work a wood, make a pole lathe on site, turn a couple of thousand chair legs for the furniture industry, load the chair legs onto their hand cart and abandon the lathe, then move on to the next woods to be worked. When the only transport you had was a hand cart, it made sense to take only the finished product away and leave all the waste behind which will biodegrade nicely anyway.

Eric

 

[spoony]

how can you cull an endangered species?? i only asked if you couldnt just use something else in stead no need to get on your high horse with me, jeuz

 

[Eric_Methven]

You can build one in the woods. If you read the thread on meetups http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=14063
I'll be building one then, and a shave horse too if we get enough bodies interested. Put your name down and you can have a go. There'll be enough wood taken down to let everyone make one for themselves to take home.

In times past, bodgers would work a wood, make a pole lathe on site, turn a couple of thousand chair legs for the furniture industry, load the chair legs onto their hand cart and abandon the lathe, then move on to the next woods to be worked. When the only transport you had was a hand cart, it made sense to take only the finished product away and leave all the waste behind which will biodegrade nicely anyway.

Eric

PS. BES members are invited too.

 

[Eric_Methven]

They are only endangered in some countries. In parts of eastern europe they are prolific and need controlling. Wolf crossbreeds are always culled as they weaken the bloodlines. Sorry Alan, I wasn't getting at you, I'm just fed up with being questioned about a personal lifestyle choice.

Eric

 

[Tony]

Eh? The thread's about a tent, why are people getting confused with that and some skins? If people have an issue then it's their issue, there's nothing illegal about them and it's not up for discussion, Eric has already explained himself very generously and now it's time to drop the subject.

 

[Hoodoo]

Eh? The thread's about a tent, why are people getting confused with that and some skins? If people have an issue then it's their issue, there's nothing illegal about them and it's not up for discussion, Eric has already explained himself very generously and now it's time to drop the subject.

Thanks Tony for setting this straight. I couldn't agree more.

And once again, Eric, that's a great tent! :You_Rock_

 

[spoony]

They are only endangered in some countries. In parts of eastern europe they are prolific and need controlling. Wolf crossbreeds are always culled as they weaken the bloodlines. Sorry Alan, I wasn't getting at you, I'm just fed up with being questioned about a personal lifestyle choice.

Eric

No worries cheers,

 

[Eric_Methven]

Thanks Tony!

Now, back to the tent stuff. I've located the drawing I did for this tent. Here it is as a JPG image:

Click on the link to get the PDF version

http://www.btinternet.com/~e_methven/images/baker-tent.pdf

By the way, the curtains in the photos are just an old decorator's dust cover from B&Q.

Eric

 

[Toddy]

Hmmmm, I foresee a sudden use for my 20 metres of olive green waxed cotton

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[Abbe Osram]

For authenticity it’s OK. I like your justification. I think it would be better if you where to advertise that you are using synthetic fur for you period costumes, who really cares how authentic they look. Legal stamping is just a formality, for the organized gangs they have no problem in obtaining these documents.

Nigel

Sorry pal this thread is about a baker tent and not about your political views.
We have some rules about this here in the forum and I believe you should read them and stick with them.

I am hunting and trapping fur skins and take offense in how you stick your views into a Thread not meant for political views. Fur is by far the most outstanding cloth protection in cold climate, I rather have my reindeer cloth than any synthetic crap made out of Oil. Have you checked what is needed to produce synthetic stuff?

Anyhow I dont want to do the same mistake talking politic here, so we both should stop here and hand the Thread back to Eric.

Erich by the way, you made a great Tent and I like the fur a lot too.

cheers
Abbe

 

[longshot]

Thanks Tony!

Now, back to the tent stuff. I've located the drawing I did for this tent. Here it is as a JPG image:

Click on the link to get the PDF version

http://www.btinternet.com/~e_methven/images/baker-tent.pdf

By the way, the curtains in the photos are just an old decorator's dust cover from B&Q.

Eric

thanks eric, another peice of the puzzle :You_Rock_


dean

 

[longshot]

Cheers Dean, I always use authentic stuff, even if some of it is not seen as PC by some. I've never been PC anyway so what the heck!

The wolf skin with the paws and claws still on will be used in the colder months as a shoulder and neck wrap. The pelt goes across my shoulders and the head lies over my right upper arm and the tail lies over my left upper arm. Its left legs get pinned together under my chin to keep it in place.

The wolf/coyote cross will be turned into a davy crocket/mountainman hat with the face of the animal at the front of the hat. The remainder of the pelt will be kept and used as trim for other projects.

The grizly will just be used as a sleeping mat on the floor. A jumper stuffed inside it's head raises it enough to be used as a fine and warm pillow.

I'm after a wild boar skin next - still with it's face and trotters intact. There's a place that breeds them for meat and they have started having the skins tanned.

If I were to go down the synthetic route I might as well just give up. It's not just looking the part, but feeling the part as well. It just don't feel right wearing man made fibres when you are portraying something ancient.

At Chopwell last weekend (where the photos were taken) I got some awful looks from a few animal rights types. But there was lots more positive interest in the skins from the ordinary public.

Eric

just a thought Eric but i thnk you would find Reindeer/ cariboo skins to be warmer in winter, the hairs are hollow and tend to keep you warmer in the cold. i know they are not native to the UK, but prehpas you could get them from the nordic countries if it is legal to trade in skinns in those countries of course.

cheers
dean

 

[longshot]

just as an add on to erics thread, you can learn more about the baker tent in the Song of the paddle" book , there is a cpmplete chapter and tones of great pics of the tent in use in the Canadian wilderness.

dean