Galerie - Het Noeste Leven

Only a few more days and only a few tickets left f

Only a few more days and only a few tickets left for Draaifeest 2025, the pole lathe event in The Netherlands. To get your tickets, follow the link in my bio. See you next weekend!

Last week I had a demo at the wood fair of @molend

Last week I had a demo at the wood fair of @molendester in Utrecht (The Netherlands). A nice day with various woodworkers. Joost Kramer from Houtdraaierij Kramer was one of the other people showing his craft. A name I had come across many times before, but I had not yet met the man himself. A very pleasant introduction and I hope we will run into each other more often! A successful day at a beautiful location. If you ever go to Utrecht, I can recommend you to go and see this beautiful sawmill. Photos by André Jan (www.andre-jan.nl), cropped by me.

Lots of bowl ready to be tested with boiling water

Lots of bowl ready to be tested with boiling water. Working to create a stock for upcoming events.

On our way back from The Northern Bowl, where Piet

On our way back from The Northern Bowl, where Pieterjan (@houtbewaarder ) and I worked as volunteers to have a look behind the scenes at an event that mainly revolves around the pole lathe, but where some other crafts are also practiced, and to see some teachers and turner friends from the UK again and to meet new craftspeople, we passed Sheffield. And of course we couldn't just drive past without a visit to @robinwoodcraft from @woodtools . What a fantastic day we had there. Not only did we get to see the entire workshop of Wood Tools and the old grinding shop of Brian Alcock. We were able to talk for almost an entire day about all the ins and outs of turning on the pole lathe. Learned a lot from all the insights that Robin has gained in all his years as a woodturner and in his research into its history. Thanks for the wonderful day Robin!

Last week Pieterjan (@houtbewaarder ) and I visite

Last week Pieterjan (@houtbewaarder ) and I visited Peter Wood of @greenwooddays as part of our Master Apprentice Program. In addition to a nice talk, we had plenty of time to practice with the skew chisel to improve our spindle turning skills. A beautiful day and again learned a lot and gained inspiration.

In just over a month Draaifeest will be happening

In just over a month Draaifeest will be happening again. The number of available tickets is already decreasing considerably, so get yours while they still last! From Friday evening to Sunday afternoon, it is all pole lathe. Workshops, demos and friendly competitions. And of course lots of fun around the campfire and delicious food. For more information, visit https://www.hetnoesteleven.nl/draaifeest-2025/ (see link in bio)

In just over two weeks we (Pieterjan @houtbewaarde

In just over two weeks we (Pieterjan @houtbewaarder and I) will visit Robin Wood from @robinwoodcraft . He is one of the people who brought pole lathe turning back after this craft had disappeared for years in western countries. To get in the mood I have made a copy of a bowl from his book 'The Wooden Bowl'. In any case I am curious to hear his story. In the photos you can see the bowl and the steps from log to end product.

This is my waste. Beautiful waste.

This is my waste. Beautiful waste.

This is my replica of a viking drinking bowl from

This is my replica of a viking drinking bowl from Oseberg. One of the things with making replicas is that I always use wood that is a little bigger than the optimal size for the bowl or cup that I'm making. That's because one cannot 'cheat' by adjusting the shape a little when a tiny mistake is made while axing, inserting the mandrel or during the turning. In such case the entire bowl is going to have to be a little smaller. It also involves a lot of measuring before and during turning and comparing with the drawings or photo's that are available, as well as with information about the measurements of the original. All in all it takes much longer to make a replica with the same shape and dimensions as the original than just a bowl or cup that is inspired by a find and has roughly the same looks. I therefore usually only do the latter, but sometimes I try to be as exact as possible, but usually only upon request. It is very good voor pushing ones skills though. The original can be seen on the second photo. And then some photos of the process of making this bowl. #viking #vikingage #woodenbowl #replica #polelathe

The tools that are being used on the pole lathe ar

The tools that are being used on the pole lathe are not readily available (at least not here in the Netherlands). That is why I forge them myself, for my own use and for sale. Although I already have quite a few of the standard hook tools, because I also use them for the workshops, I sometimes want to turn something that cannot or hardly be done with the standard tools. That is why I regularly make something new for myself. For me it is still a wonderfully looking craft, not only the forging itself, but also, as here, the rough grinding after forging. After this, the steel is normalised, hardened and tempered to give it the right properties and finally ground by hand and oiled. #woodworking #forging #grindingsteel #craft

On request, two oak benches were made for the gard

On request, two oak benches were made for the garden, to sit by the pond and watch what is happening in and around it. #woodworking #bench

Not only did I recently get to teach a bowl turnin

Not only did I recently get to teach a bowl turning workshop at the @prehistorischdorp , but I also had a group of enthusiastic participants who came to make a pot by hand from a fresh willow branch. A so-called shrink pot. The weather was great, the people happy and the results beautiful! #shrinkpot #workshop #crafts

Cups, fresh from the lathe. Four times cherry wood

Cups, fresh from the lathe. Four times cherry wood and one sycamore. They still need to be oiled and the wood promises a lot. The colours often come out a lot better after oiling. I'm curious! Turned on the foot-powered pole lathe. #craft #woodturning #handmade

The @prehistorischdorp in Eindhoven, The Netherla

The @prehistorischdorp in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, has a considerable number of employees and especially volunteers who do office work, construction and maintenance and living history. Not only do they learn a lot from each other, but a workshop weekend is organised every now and then to spread and/or deepen the knowledge and experience with all kinds of crafts. Last weekend, all sorts of things could be learned again. I had honour to teach a number of them the art of turning on the pole lathe, or at least to introduce them to it. The enthusiasm was there and I would not be surprised if a few of them will also pick up this craft to first practice and then demonstrate to the public. #livinghistory #reenactment #craft #medieval #workshop

Alder bowls. Fairly simple but elegant shapes, and

Alder bowls. Fairly simple but elegant shapes, and certainly fun to make. I've started making some stock for the upcoming event season. Turned on the foot-powered pole lathe. #polelathe #craft #woodworking

I often post pictures on which my pole lathe(s) ca

I often post pictures on which my pole lathe(s) can be seen. the rest of my workspace not so much however. So, here's part of it. With the shave horse at the very front of the picture. A handy tool to clamp wood and then, in long strokes, make shavings with the drawknife (a long knife with a handle on both sides). I use that for legs for benches, for example, and also to make mandrels. Behind the shave horse is my chopping block on legs for an ergonomic working height. To the left of that another bench with holdfast (and axe). I use the holdfast for example to clamp a block of wood to drill a hole in it, into which the mandrel can be hammered, around which the rope of my lathe is then placed. At the back right you see a sawhorse, and next to it the chainsaw. Because yes, I use that too. Almost everything is done by hand, because that gives me more satisfaction and I also like the end result better. However, I use a chainsaw to shorten logs into blocks that I then chop and turn into bowls. I don't really like sawing, and the chainsaw doesn't get in the way of the creative process or affect the end result, so I find it a very pleasant tool to use. #workshop #workspace #craft #greenwoodworking #woodworking

Last autumn @baptist_arnhem , the shop for woodwor

Last autumn @baptist_arnhem , the shop for woodworkers in the Netherlands, contacted me for an article in their magazine Noest. And now the new version of the biannual magazine has been released. I must admit that I'm quite proud that I have been featured by them and am also very happy with the nice article and the wonderful photos. Do you want to see and read them too? You can find the entire article at https://baptist.nl/pagina/martijn-van-gerwen. It is in Dutch but there's a function on the website to automatically translate the article. Photo: Baptist

If any of you has seen the latest reel by @houtbew

If any of you has seen the latest reel by @houtbewaarder on our @wipdraaibank page, you might have read that he has invited @geoffhannis and me to drink a cup of wine the next time we'll meet, saying that he knows that we all have goblets. Well, what Pieterjan already knew at that moment, but what I had not shown here yet, is that I've made a goblet with captive rings as well. So, Geoff and Pieterjan, let's have a drink next April in Durham from our fancy goblets! And in case anyone wonders if these rings have any use? No, they do not. And yes, they are pretty much in the way when trying to hold on to your cup. But... they were fun to make and were a nice little extra challenge. Will I make them again? I don't know. Maybe if someone really fancies them. #polelathe #endgrain #captiverings

Over the last few weeks I've spend several days wi

Over the last few weeks I've spend several days with Pieterjan @houtbewaarder for our @wipdraaibank project. We, or actually mainly he, have made lots of lovely stuff. And even though I am registered as master and Pieterjan is the apprentice, we've both learned a lot and were inspired to get better in what we do. More photos will follow soon. #polelathe #meesterleerlingtraject

4 pole lathe turned walnut bowls. #polelathe #woo

4 pole lathe turned walnut bowls. #polelathe #woodturning #walnut

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