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INteresting site, thank Giles Hill the dry wall is very appealing, and looks almost affordable! i know a few builders so ill see if they have any broken stuff lying around! Ben

Sorry for the delay in my reply! been a hectic week arguing with vosa and the dvla! Budget - cheap as possible! ie not much currently there is no time scale as money is a bit short! ive attached a plan of the garden as it is at the moment, square in the middle is the pond 4 meters by 12 meters ish. Im looking at raised beds down the left and right sides, continuing round the arcs. if that makes sense. maybe on 2 tiers. as the back garden is on hold at the moment ive done the front instead! drawn a fibbonacci spiral in the garden in block paving, interior filled with gravel, and im now looking for some woodchip/bark for the outside (any body help with this ) thanks Ben

If you get an email saying you can get swine flu from tinned pork. Please delete immediately. It's spam. cheers Ben

Hey guys and gals, hope every one is well! Since getting a collie puppy our garden now resembles a bombsite, also due to the harsh winter round here everything is pretty much dead! Currently I'm redesigning now in the cold and wet to make a start in the wam(er) wet bit of the year! So heres the question - what do people use for raised flower beds? Ive been looking for railway sleepers or reclaimed timber but well out of our price range, Dad has a plan of what needs to be done, and as soon as i can get cad to cooperate ill put up a line drawing of what we are thinking. Basically we are looking at raised flower beds, on two tiers. And just wondered what people use for them? We are aiming for a rustic look so blocks and a skim are out of the question im afraid. options ive considered- sleepers - very expensive fence posts - lost needed and decisivley square logs/trunk sawn in half - anyone help with this? hazel/willow woven panels - where to source several miles of green hazel! ive not realyl thought this thread through so any help appreciated! Ben

I dont think its yew, but i could be wrong! Ive got some yew on my newly created wood shelf and it doenst look anything like it, but as i say you probably know more than me! I was working on an idea like that in my head, its got the threads in the outboard end, so i was thinking a length of 4" x 4" angle bolted to the headstock with a two lumps of plate or box sticking out and right angles to take the tool post and slide. scuse my words at the moment ive a thundering migrane! cheers Ben

Cheers Ian, im capable of making one myself i think, a big section of box or angle iron bolted to the head stock using the existing holes and nab a tool post and slide from something else, should be workable i think! i think the floor standing rest is going to be an aweful lot to post, its in milton keynes (land of the concrete cows) and im well, not. thankfully Ben

Not yet no Ian, They are off away for a few days so will be talking to them on wednesday. Bad bit about it is its missing the outboard tool post/rest so im currently looking at a floor standing one on the bay of e. on second thoughts it could be rose wood as the wood smells of roses haha Ben

made this last night for my sisters christmas present think its tulip wood but not entirely sure! Ben

ahh perfect, thanks ian! Ben

evening all Im off to look at a union jubilee lathe up for sale by some one on here, i forget his name! Just wondering if anyone knows of a spindle thread adaptor for it? its 1" 10tpi (bsf?) and the chuck is a fox fx4000. Which is exactly the same as the sorby and the nova chuck, ie all the sorby and nova extras fit it. I just cant find a thread adaptor for the m33x3.5 in the chuck body to the spindle thread:thumbdown: any ideas were i could find one? Ben

good to see there are a few people on here that are into it! Wintercamp 2011 at Gilwell Park was a good camp, not to cold to be honest, last year was snow all weekend at the chance of sounding (even more so) like a prat - is that actually the gilwell oak, having looked at the pics monkey-d posted im not so sure. a few of the staff said it was but they looked as gormless as i do! Ben

when i say 150 i mean 220 ish. once the car has gone i can probably get some more. oo just noticed im a senior member Ben

Sounds good (and useful!) our local campsite is on a nature reserve and i believe the lease is up for review this year. THe current warden is an arse so we arent sure if we'll get the site again. despite our help and donations. Its all good fun though, chance to meet new people and have a laugh. Ben

Hey guys and gals. hope everyone is keeping well! Just wondering if anyone here is involved in scouting (or guides for that matter!) Ive just got back from a camp in gilwell (as staff) and met some awesome people, so just curious really! Im an explorer leader and have been for about 4 years now, Ive been through the whole scout movement since i was like 5 or somthing. anyhoo heres a pic of the Gilwell oak that you may like!

cheers guys, unfortunatly cost is a major factor. at the moment ive 150 saved and could possibly scrape a bit more out. IM not working at the moment and ive got alot of bits for sale to get some funds in. inc my pride and joy, my old volvo. ive had an offer (from a guy on here) of a union jubilee lathe that im going to chase up and see how things turn out. Ben

its the dms 900. reviews seem to like it... i just cant find anyone local with one, inc shops to have a play. Ben

has anyone had any experience of the sheppach lathes? im looking for a new one but cant decide, cos due to the vat increase i wont be able to afford a new axminster. there is a lathe on ebay at the minute in telford-ish that looks pretty dam good for the price, just wondered if anyone has any opinions on them? wilkinsons do a good abrasive foam/brillo bad thingy for not much at all! Ben

nice, kinda makes in more believable, in my opinion! no offence! Ben

He is a lovely little fella, a proper kleptomaniac any thing shiny gets put into his cage.(including the tag on the yorkies collar, even though its still attached to her!) You can see the little yorkire in the first picture aswell, looking as gormless as usual! Ben

just thought id give you all an update on him! hes now 4 months old, still very timid with new people but getting there! hes masterd the sit, wait, paw, and down command already! Ben

here we have a sycamore candle holder, for grandmas birthday and christmas, and a spalted beech bowl also for grandmas birthday! Flames: ive seen them before but by a different name - a dougnut chuck - looks a good idea may have a go with one at some point! Ben

looks nice matey felt a bit better today so did soem more in the shed and got some other bits done. still got my sisters box to make now Ben

I believe most of my stuff is chestnut, ive picked up most of the abranet ive got from from shows and ebay, snainton woodturning seems to be the cheapest ive found. im looking at getting an axminster or a jet lathe as recommended by Ian Leach. I also have some brillo pad sorta things i picked up from wilkinsons! work well at low speeds, they melt at high speeds though! also turns out i have swine flu, which sucks big time. Ben

the lathe i have is this - Clarke CWL1000 Wood Turning Lathe - Machine Mart had it a year and its been back to clarke about 3 times. i go to about 600 grit, its more the irregular shaped stuff i have issues with, like the cheese plate. i use abranet, which is fantastic. i do the best i can with the tool then go from 180 - 600 grit. ive got some melamine laquer which is pretty good, and paste wax, beeswax and now some tung oil. Ben

that yew bowl is awesome!! the finishes is on thing im struggling on at the moment, need to keep practicing! unfortunatly is -10 in the shed at the moment i mounted the blank on a waste block using a hot melt glue gun, whicn went into a chuck (a fox fx 4000) the 3/8" bowl gouge (and ebay find for £2!) just swept down to the lower corner, nearest the chuck. if that makes sense! ill be making anothe at some point so ill take some pictures if wanted flames: ive used jam chucks before with little success, but the lathe i have at the moment isnt that good to be honest, the bed flexes as does the tool post when cutting (which would probably account for the finshes im getting) and what the gibbly gibblets is a cradle chuck?? cheers! Ben