Glass makers paddles..

Just a quick one..

Every now and then, I get to walk around the centre in search of someone or something..

This one day there was a guy hiring the blowing studio..doing some great pieces with Ian Bamforth assisting him...after introductions, Graeme Hawes told me he had a lump of Cherry in his shed that he wanted to be made into paddles for flattening the bottom of items as they were being blown. His was uneven and had a hole in it !!  So he used another part of the paddle..

A few weeks later Graeme dropped off the log, no splits or shakes, just hard, very hard, much harder than some of the American Cherry I have, and this piece was from low down in the trunk..

This is normally where you find the paddles

In a bucket of water..

Here, Vic Bamforth is using a paddle to flatten the base of a vessel..

each Glass worker has the tool made to suit them or the timber they get..then it's part of their tool kit.

I had left cutting out the paddles until my bandsaw blade was on it's way out, the size of my blades are small really...16" Bandsaw blades are only around 140" long so they don't get re-sharpened, they get thrown away.!

 ..Now, the only problem with using other peoples timber is that it may have nails or staples somewhere inside..and it did. So the bandsaw blade was ruined, and I just carried on until the log was cut into four paddles..you can see 2nd piece from the right were the last two cuts..

And yes, I did use a metal detector beforehand..but nothing

Anyhow, paddles, made to the glass makers pattern, corners knocked off

Ready for Graeme to prepare for use..

Probably 60 years worth of work in these paddles..

I'll see what process Graeme goes through to condition these tools, and put it on here.

All the best

Jamie

16th March 2015

Just thought I'd add that these paddles were done for Graeme, not for cash but barter; an exchange of services or goods.. I liked Graemes glass work, so he was going to bring a piece in for me..

Hey I'm still here Graeme.. haha.. A valuable lesson learned. Hey it's only been 14 months.

Cheers

Jamie