This wheel is for a spinner of Japanese heritage and requested that I keep the wheel simple and yet incorporate two art touches that reflect her family.The cherry blossom is the Sato Mon, or family crest, and I created epoxy medallions for the center of each hub with this design. I finished them to look like bronze. Since the cherry blossom is an important symbol for the family, I built the wheel itself from cherry. No brainer here as cherry is my favorite wood anyway! To add a bit of interest, the accents will be walnut. You can see this in the temporarily placed footman rod and also the orifice height adjustment knob on the front leg of the wheel. There is a section of the handle that I have rounded down from the basic rectangular shape of this upper assembly. I am ordering some black silk cord from a supplier in Portland and will do my best to replicate the way sword and knife handles were traditionally finished in Japan. On instruments that required a lot of wear and tear the handle are was first covered with stingray skin, which because of its rough texture kept the cord from slipping. Since this wheel will not be wielded in combat, I will forgo the stingray skin.
In this photo you can see a small plaque affixed to the frame of the wheel. The family motto is written there for the spinner to see every time she spins. It has been a joy to build this special wheel and let the simplified lines and the wood itself carry the main weight of the endeavor. Enjoy!
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I’m not complaining mind you, but boy have I been busy lately! For a while I was going along in a tidy way working on one wheel and finishing it before getting too serious with the next one. My schedule has been thrown way off and its no one’s fault. One spinner who ordered the fairy wheel wants some changes made and more time to think. The spinner who will get the Lord of the Rings wheel has been in the hospital so I’ve slowed down on working on that one. Another spinner who was waiting for some reference material from Japan (and has technically been at the beginning of my work list for a year) has come forth with the material we needed so I am working on that wheel. And there is another one, too, but I think you get the picture! And then it suddenly becomes imperative that I devote some of my time to Christmas presents, which I love to make. Our oldest daughter, Rebekah, realized that she actually doesn’t own any of my original paintings and would like one for Christmas. This leads into quite a story and I hope it will not bore you.
About the time my little venture into wheel making was taking off, our gallery featuring a lot of my own paintings was dying. The market was drying up and I had lots of company in the local art market to share my misery. Eventually we closed the gallery and with it a thirty year career of painting. We all took it hard even though we knew it was not really our fault. Times change and I was so grateful that I had an exciting new job! You all have made it possible and I absolutely love the opportunity you continue to give me. I get to play with wood and tools, invent stuff, and still use paint from time to time. So, when Rebekah requested a painting, it was kind of like going backward into a chapter of my life I wasn’t really missing. What to do…..? After a week of pondering the situation, we all came up with a plan. Maxine had discovered vintage posters on line and has been wanting me to try my hand at this sort of work. Sounded good but how to market. No more gallery. She asked Amy if she thought Rebekah would like a painting in this style. A big yes from Amy. I got the message but what to paint? Heck, I am now a fiber guy who likes to hang around spinners and sheep! So I thought of combining my painting experience with my new love and in addition to Rebekah’s painting, find a way to market this sort of art to my spinning and fiber friends.
So while I have been building wheels and waiting for glue to dry, I have been developing the first in a series of art pieces. Eventually I will have a product with several levels for each image. There will always be an original painting custom framed by me. There will also be a limited edition made from each image. And there will be a poster available from each painting too. These we can sell at the various spinning events we attend as well as perhaps selling them through fiber shops that are interested in carrying them. And who knows…cards? Calendars?
For the first image I wanted to paint a llama, as I just can’t get enough of these guys. I have started backwards by beginning with the poster. I have such a wonderful tool available to me called Photoshop. With it I can test this or that and discard, copy, and modify in a fraction of the time I could by starting with paint. This is especially true with graphic work like the posters will require (and text!) The photo at the top of this post gives you an idea of where I’m headed. The next image will be an Icelandic ram followed by perhaps an Angora goat, a rabbit, a yak, who knows where it can go! I just want it to be a pleasure for us all. Please feel free to offer comments or advice as I am doing this for spinners and weavers and all other fiber folk. I think a little collection of posters celebrating the critters we love could be a way to brighten any fiber studio. Thoughts?
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Sometimes in my crazy way of making spinning wheels, I have to wear some pretty interesting hats. Karen bought her rabbit wheel quite a while ago and it has been her faithful companion both in her home and on the road when she travels to spinning events in our part of the world. I think this little rabbit has been through a lot and we decided it needed an upgrade rather than just a tune up. I could have just gone through it and tightened and greased things, but Karen noticed the new and improved features on the recent wheels. So, I have been working the past few days on this project. The wheel was stripped down to bare components, and I am salvaging everything I can. Most important is the little bunny. I carefully cut it off the wheel and nestled it in a warm towel. Today, after having completely remodeling the frame, I re-attached the bunny to its new wheel. I used a liberal amount of slow-curing epoxy for this and after I finished I stood back to admire the results. That little fellow with its bandages looked just like it had come from the vet. The little eyes were so expressive and trusting I was actually surprised, and then again I wasn’t really. Every critter I have made seems to take on a personality very quickly and this is so much fun to see. So today I was a surgeon and a veterinarian as well as a wheel maker. I turned our little bunny the other way around on the wheel this time too so instead of facing away from Karen as she spins, it will be watching her every little move. I will sleep easy tonight (after I make my rounds and check on the patient a few times!)
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A lot has developed since a surprised block of wood stared at me in the shop. Since then she has turned into quite a lady with lots of things to attend to. She attempts to carry on a meaningful conversation with those who see her, she is in charge of guarding the fairies and whatever other occupants the wheel might become home for, and that little young one sleeping so innocently on her back can get rowdy when he wakes up. Yes, she’s a busy lady. I was busy too trying to develop a way to give her secure footing on a curved surface that must double as a handle.
This photo gives an idea of scale and position. You might note that the footman rod has a dragon wing carved and painted into it to carry this theme into the rest of the wheel.
From this view you can see the unfinished treadle. I needed to get the other elements pretty well finished before deciding on how to add art to the treadles. Also I need to get input and approval from the spinner. There are other things to attend to now – things that actually turn this into a spinning wheel in addition to being a sculpture. So I will move on to the flyer and shaft assembly. I did pick up some more pewter buttons that will cover the screw holes in the hubs. I’ve always used wood plugs for this so I am anxious to see how a fancier approach works. I think it will be worth the extra investment. Thanks for checking up on me. I always appreciate the help!
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Sometimes I get surprised by my wood. Sometimes I surprise the wood. Sometimes we both get surprised! This little dragon will spend a goodly amount of time residing on the fairy wheel. On her back will be her sleeping baby dragon.
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First let’s start with the advancing. The fairy wheel is coming along pretty well. The spinner, who I think wants to remain anonymous right now, requested painting of the Irish countryside. A thatched roof cottage is across the stream beyond the stone bridge. If you look closely you can see two tiny fairy cottages under the bridge!
On the other side is the same scene but by moonlight. You’ll notice the fairies must be busy in the little houses too.
In the little house between the spinner’s treadles you can see that a little fairy is visiting. She is sitting on a little stool. sorry for the fuzzy picture. Fairies are hard to photograph!
On the front leg of the wheel is the orifice height adjustment knob. This time I used a pewter pin that Maxine purchased on ebay. I felt her presence adds another dimension the the art of the wheel. I found a large silver fork at an antique store, cut off the tines, re-bent it, and heated it with a torch to give a patina to match the pewter fairy. Adds a touch more elegance just in case.
Now for the retreat! Amy and I have been thinking about it and think that the weekend following OFFF might be a good time. That would be the first weekend in October of next year. Any thoughts?
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I’ve been working very hard on the new wheel and have done everything possible to psych myself up for this challenge. I even tried to channel my inner fairy but found there isn’t one. This is the best I could do. If the little fairy that goes in the house looks anything like this guy, I think I’ll put down this channeling thing for good!
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Yesterday Maxine and I took the wolf and raven wheel to Kent for its trip up to Anchorage by barge. Parting with a special piece of my life is always hard, but it will find a good home with Cathy, I’m certain. While it was in the testing stages I started a new project and these photos will give you a glimpse into a different spinner’s dream. She love fairies and dragons and this wheel will be inhabited by both, I’m hoping. I’ve never crafted a fairy before and it will be quite a project. I decided to build the fairy’s house first. It fits snugly onto the lower frame between the treadles but is easily removable. There are three little LED lights at play here – one under the porch canopy and two will be affixed in final position after the fairy takes up residence.
The house itself springs from an object my wife found at a yard sale weeks ago. It is a brass cuff and when I saw it I immediately saw its potential for the roof on the little cottage. I pried it open to the right degree and built the house under it. The canopy is designed to look like a flower blossom. The windows are stained glass. The door is not made yet as my craftiness has not kept up with my ideas. I also accidentally found a small bag of brass decorative tacks. They surface in my shop every few years and then go back into hibernation. This time I was ready! There are four caps around each window and more on the back of the house. Behind the house closer to the big wheels is a small shed addition. This houses the switch and battery and who knows what else. So far I am really pleased with the progress. When my older daughter Rebekah saw it she told me that this is just the kind of thing she would love to have had as a little girl. She and her brother would have put little Lego people in there!
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Off and on during the day I will come in from the shop and check my mail and see what’s new. First I brush myself off and be sure I’m not tracking in a lot of wood chips or possibly paint on a shoe. Yesterday I found a wonderful letter waiting for me. It was from Cathy, who will be the new owner of the raven/wolf wheel. I didn’t realize how knowledgeable she is and how much experience she has had with some very fine custom wheels. She gave me a partial list of her wheel makers and I was very impressed. So, after basking in the glow of her enthusiasm and eagerness for this new wheel, I went plodding back to the shop for another sanding session. Somehow my little achievements in woodwork seemed a bit smaller than ever. A good dose of perspective. As I sanded I began to realize that my passion is not be be known as the best wheelmaker in the world or even to make perfect wheels. The thing that most motivates me is the opportunity to use what tools, experience, and skill I have to craft something someone else will treasure. After working through a project like Cathy’s and enjoying the sense of teamwork, we come up with something unique in the world. Of course there are probably little rough spots I’ve missed or things I’ll do differently next time. These, if noticed at all, become like my fingerprints that I think only add to sense of this being a hand made object. And then I find comfort in the fact that a coat or two of varnish diminishes my mistakes and brings out the great warmth and beauty of the wood. The wood begins to live and shine! Perhaps I’m being a bit indulgent with a post like this but maybe you can think of it as a kind of soap opera – “As the Wheel Turns…” Stay tuned for more episodes. Maybe about the trials of making bobbins. Oh the pain I’ve known!
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We got a small break in our gray and wet weather so I decided to make the most of it and take some shots of the new wheel. It is not quite finished, but the little that remains can be done in the next couple of days. I borrowed Amy’s flyer and bobbin for today. Cathy wants a flyer with my older style orifice.
One thing that might go unnoticed is that the scotch tension knob, speed adjustment knob, and orifice height adjustment knob all have abalone inlays.
In the center of each hub I sculpted little medallions from epoxy. One one side is the sun in gold tones while the other side is a sleepy moon in more silver tones. The caps that cover the top end of the footman rods still have to be made.
I solved the open beak of the raven in a good way, I think. I do thank those who helped out. I just had already finished before I read the comments! The raven is holding a small plaque of padouk upon which is glued a very handsome free form and polished chunk of abalone. While it does not exactly represent the traditional sun disc, it does represent a gift offered to the spinner – a little treasure of unknown purpose but thoughtfully given. The right side of this photo shows a close up of the orifice adjustment assembly. After experimenting with several more complicated methods I have gone back to the tried and true- a simple pin that plugs into a matching hole. Now we get to touch up little spots and begin the testing. I like this wheel!
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Olympic Spinning Wheels 