Catching up

its been a while since i posted anything on here so here are loads of images  of the story so far...

Got my workshop finished and soil on the roof

Tools and CBG related junk installed

I made a little wood burning stove to heat the place up. and get rid of waste. It needed some slight modification as it took over an hour to boil a kettle.

Tennor Canjolele completed

A three string CBG with fancy carved heel. Ale brewing themed carving

The green roof goes up (not green yet though)

The waterproofing lining goes up.

Soil is added. This is the soil removed from the foundation footings. Lets hope for rain so that it grows (sorry folks).

I added some logs to encourage biodiversity, this should help to create different habitats for plants and bugs.

I started fitting out the inside. This is turning out to be the hardest bit, deciding where everything should go. I don't want to have to shift it all about again. Its all about ergonomics.

more shed updates... and a lil wood burner.

Sheeps wool insulation and breathable membrane.

First side cladding

Opening front wall

Front clad and insulated then stained black. The two triangle bits below the roof will eventually be windows... as soon as i find the right sized bits of discarded perspex.

Here's a little log burner i'm making at work. The 200 x 200mm box section was an off cut from a job a couple of years ago. I stashed it knowing that it'd come in handy one day.

workshop continues.

more updates for my workshop build...

First of the uprights go in and big joist for roof span.

Side walls

some inner walls and half the roof. The roof has been painted with a waterproof paint - an extra barrier before the green (growing) roof goes on. Ive also marked out where the front door will be. Its going to have a normal fron door plus the front left half will also open up, allowing for easier access for equipment and great for working on those hot sunny days (not that i can remember hot sunny days!).

Side window. and more internal walls.
 

new workshop

I was hoping to use mostly reclaimed timber for the workshop but this can be pretty tricky to hold of in the right lengths and i would also need a van to collect as no one seems to deliver. This being the case i have resorted to using new stuff but with as much reclaimed as i can scavenge locally.

The fun thing is that when i do manage to fine reclaimed stuff, like the piece used for the big lintel below, the size of it determines the form of the building. It will be supporting the green roof so need to be big enough not to sag when I open up the front.... all will be revealed.

Timbers arrived.

6 old railway sleepers (apparently they came from Russia and are around 100 years old... I wonder how many poor folks were sent to gulags on these!!) were then chopped in half, sunk into the ground and levelled... aching i am!

new workshop

Here are the beginnings of my new workshop. Ground cleared and timber coming tommorow... Excited i am.

Appalachian mountain banjo #4

Just handed over my latest mountain banjo to a very happy - and surprised recipient.

Its made from reclaimed mahogany (Edwardian wardrobe), with a goatskin head. Fully fretted, 24.5" scale, screws for position markers, ebony (piano key) nut.

It also has some folk art, naive carving on the heel and the center section of the pot picked out with coloured enamel.

Original inlay work from the old wardrobe.

And here's the happy owner. Thanks Nick and Laura.

Just got delivery of a bunch of stickers... let me know if you want some.

and ive been designing another

Ive been playing around with a new logo image... i might make a few stickers and maybe some teeshirts.

 sketch work: