Posted on by Dan Young

Displaying the Anglo-Saxon, Copper Alloy bound bucket.

This past weekend at the Barony Beyond the Mountain and Bergental Yule celebration, an Arts and Science display was held among the many other activities that were happening. I was unable to make it to St. Eligius with my project so this was to be its debut. Ástríðr Sægeirsdottir and I arrived and were presented with a space to set up our displays. She was displaying a small silver spice spoon which she had made for me as an anniversary gift.

I barely had the bucket unpacked when the first questions began rolling in. I would continue to set up my display while talking about the project as a whole. I will admit that while I had an idea of how I might set things out, the first few questions really helped me place items out upon the table. An early question was about the designs and repoussé work, so those tools and samples gained a prominent place in the display. The extra wood bits and sample staves helped me illustrate grain direction and some other choices. The books I brought allowed me to show other samples, tools, and helped describe other aspects of the project itself. Of course, I forgot to snap a photo of the display while I was there, so the above photo was recreated the next day at home.

I met some wonderful people that day and was filled with so much encouragement at every corner. We talked about culture, construction, cræft, and despite my nerves and shyness, I had the most wonderful time. One woman even proudly brought back over her utility bucket made by a master cooper within the SCA, so that I could see it and perhaps gain some insight. (It had the most wonderful chamfer on the bottom cutting up to the base.)

I could not have done this with out the encouragement and love from Ástríðr and to her, I am forever thankful. I left there with a list of questions, suggestions and ideas to further this project along. I would like to make a sample split pin rivet and gather some samples of yew and natural dried pine for example. I was also asked if I had thought about either Kings and Queens A&S champs or Artifacts of a Life. The truth is that I had, but not so much as to have made a decision. On the drive home I listened to a great podcast called Cut the Craft. This episode featured the wonderful, Roy Underhill.

The work we did early in our evolution with the materials of nature shaped us – as we shaped it.

Roy Underhill

To see the project in person, I guess you’ll just have to come visit me at the event, Artifacts of a Life.

– Alric the Younger

Posted on by Dan Young

The bucket takes shape.

I am calling the woodworking portion of this project complete as the staved vessel takes form. This one won’t be holding liquid it seems. I have much more to practice. The next step is the metalwork. Plenty of time.

I wonder what the Anglo-Saxon’s might have used for temporary hoops in place of my well fitting, and adjustable pipe clamps. Sure, the cooper in business to make storage barrels probably had a set of metal hoops just for the purpose, but I am unsure if the person who made these small grave goods had such a luxury.

Perhaps the copper alloy bands were made first and then the staves trimmed to fit within this known shape. Certainly a test for the next bucket.

~ Alric

Posted on by Dan Young

A Simple Start.

While it looks to be just a piece of scrap wood, this simple bit of pine is actually a proof of concept. Measuring in at about 1.5 x 8 in, it helped show me that some of my process is solid while others need some work.

One item that worked well includes the cleaning and sharpening of an antique wood plane. The jointer is about 22 inches in length and while it still needs a bit of help, but for now it will do what is needed.

I also found a piece of common 2×4 with very straight grain running along the length. Using a splitting knife, I was able to rive a fairly even thickness after an initial piece was split from the face.

With the jointer mounted in my bench-vise blade up, I was able to then shave the sides on an angle with ease. I will have to research if the rings should be inside or outside.

What I need now is a way to hold this piece so I can take a draw knife to it and shape the wide edges. While I will build a shave horse someday, this piece is small, so a bench mounted version is being built. I also want to make a small jig set to 30°, so that I can measure the edges after I shave them on the plane.

Lastly, I need to sharpen my curved draw knife so it will take a cleaner slice. I am pretty sure a plastic spoon might do a better job at the moment. All kidding aside, I now wonder if my spoon knife might work well to make the hollow on the belly since it is so small.

See you in the shop.
– Alric

Posted on by Dan Young

Stay on target

Like many, my SCA journey has been a bit quiet for the past couple years. I have tried to work on many projects but I can never seem to keep up. Work has taken some twists and turns, and at the end of the long days, the couch, TV, or a nap feel needed before the start of the next cycle.

Three in the mustard, two in the ketchup.

Over the pandemic, I moved away from archery and into thrown weapons. The weekly(ish) practice is much closer and more attainable. Overall, I am improving and this weekend I threw an incredible 21 with knives at short range. I did focus on a couple of new techniques that helped me hit true but in the end I know luck was on my side. We will see if these skill stick onto the next practice.

Now I need to shift some focus. The arts and science event, St Eligius is approaching and I would like to enter with a project I have had in mind. If I can plug away a little each day I should be in ok shape. Much of the initial research is done on both history and technique and now it is time to put it to practice. I have longed to make Craft as a Daily Practice [see Mortise and Tennon Podcast, Episode 29] and now is that time to get going.

This morning I was able to clean off my workbench and began to restore a wooden jointer I bought from an antique shop over the summer. While I don’t have the time for a complete restoration, if I can get the blade sharp and belly clean, that will go along way to helping with the plan.

I will try to use this blog to help me finish this project on time and to the best of my skill so stay tuned. In the meantime, let me know in the comments how you ‘Stay on Target’ and keep up with your projects.

~ Alric the Younger

Posted on by Dan Young

Token Tuesday – The Endewearde Hunt – AS LVII

The Endewearde Hunt, Newburgh, ME. October 7-9.

Axes, Knives and Spears were thrown alongside new friends. The archery woods walk with Baronness Deirdre brought great joy despite the numerous broken and lost arrows. Ástríðr, I, and several others were promoted to Underforester within the East Kingdom Royal Forester Guild. The weekend event truly rejuvinated me in a way I did not plan or expect.

~ Alric the Younger

Posted on by Dan Young

Roadblocks

Over the past year my focus on art shifted away to digital work. I found it easy to be able to sit on the couch with the laptop and create at the end of a long day. I dove deep into the 3d world and explored new avenues I never thought possible. I would add that at both of my jobs things never slowed down.

With that said though, the urge to create with my hands is stronger than ever. I have a few projects that I need to start, and a few that I need to finish, and it is time to get past some mental roadblocks that I did not even know where there.

The first of these will be simple to overcome. My workbench is a mess and needs a good cleaning. As physical as this task is, my mind procrastinates as I first need an area to work. Don’t get me wrong, the whole area could use a makeover, but I need to start small otherwise the task will be too large. I will get a couple of things to help organize some of the bits and bobs as I go and take it one step at a time.

I guess it is time to clean it eh?

Another roadblock that I didn’t even realize was standing in the way is the fear of not having the right tool for the job. Fear is a strong word and probably not quite the right one in this case, but lets roll with it for the moment. I didn’t know this was as paralyzing to me as it is. Lets take a more extreme example for a moment. I want to make something that requires cylindrical parts that you would normally turn on a lathe. I don’t have a lathe (but those that know me, know it is no secret that I want to make one.) I could simply just buy a dowel I suppose, or does the item have to actually be round? Can it be square? Can I just chamfer the edges and go octagonal… or ‘rustic’. Yes, yes I can.

Lastly, I want everything to be perfect and my stuff is junk.

We need to not be afraid to fail, but when we do so we must fail forward. We can not learn otherwise. I have heard a couple of others recently equate this to a toddler learning to walk. “When a Toddler is learning to toddle”, (Mortise and Tennon Podcast, ep3 (iirc)) and they take their first couple of steps, and then fall flat on their face. We cheer them and encourage them. We don’t tell them that they suck and two hole steps is nothing. I need to remember that that dovetail joint you could fly a 747 through, isn’t all that bad. Let’s try to make it Cessna sized on the next one.

I do not truly believe my stuff is junk. I do want my stuff to be perfect, realize it is not, and these things take time. I don’t truly know if these thoughts have gotten in my way. I am guessing that on some level, they probably have.