Crafts / Craftsmen / craftswomen (craftspeople, I suppose)

I spend my work life in a small workshop making lovely things like these.
I previously studied guitar making at uni, then spent 5 years as a woodsman/dry stone waller/green oak framer but mostly working as a tree surgeon.
Now trying my hand at a spot of frame building but toying with the idea of making a guitar again soon.

@Zebs - hugely impressed, love the craftsmanship in a lot of Architype's buildings. did you work with the chap who went on to build Stock Orchard St aka the "straw bale house" just north of kings cross for Sarah Wigglesworth?

I build sets like this one

This one if fairly simple as the brief is to make it look good without distracting people from the show.

When I have spare time I tend to make more interesting stuff which is much more fun.

At home I tend to play with metal rather than wood.

^ Do you do any lathe work?

Metal that is.

Not yet. a friend bought a lathe a few weeks ago but we're yet to do anything with it.

Mostly welding, grinding and beating stuff with big hammers.

My Dad's been making bits & bobs on his for a few years now. Very handy when I need something custom made. Last thing was a headset press.

I generally need to give him about a months notice though :-)

One thing I still need to finish is a crank spider for a set of Cook Bros cranks. Routering the shape takes ages and is rather messy due to the cutting fluid used.

Metalworking is quite easy without expensive tools, you just have to know what can take what.

I'm pretty sure that most of the things my Dad has made so far are more tools to be used with the lathe.

Table and chairs I made for another designer. I'm all about the metal me.

without expensive tools

This can thankfully be applied to many different crafts. I've seen some beautiful woodcarving made with nothing more than a pocketknife. I guess it's all too easy to get obsessed with the tools, rather than the craft.

Rather like bikes instead of riding.

Or possessions, blah blah, living.. something deep.

^^ That looks great!

@Zebs - hugely impressed, love the craftsmanship in a lot of Architype's buildings. did you work with the chap who went on to build Stock Orchard St aka the "straw bale house" just north of kings cross for Sarah Wigglesworth?
Not sure it was a while ago but I was asked if I would work on that house it was being project managed by an associate but as I remember the time table did not work.
I thought you might be interested because of the conversation at SE's about stressed timber skins a conversation I would be happy to continue.

wasn't I just wittering about being able to carry triangles of plywood up the stairs?
but yes, another time, another beers.

Agreed. Never enough clamps.

^ Repped.

Anybody made anything recently?

I'm knitting some slipper socks but they look awful although very warm - won't share. Also my wife gave birth yesterday does that count?

does that count?

Congratulations! That's a seriously involved project that you've started there :-)

I've been mirroring a fibreglass chimp this week.
Pics tomorrow assuming I finish it.

Sounds interesting, if a little surreal. Look forward to seeing it.

Making some cool stuff in work for a change. Nice to be using my brain for a change. I'll post a pic when it's gone

Cheers. Could do with a little inspiration at the moment.

I cut my first open mortise and tenon joint t'other day. Far from being a craftsman, I know, but I'm well chuffed!

^ Pics please. With try-square held alongside to judge accuracy ;-)

I was initially going to document my progress and take photos in class (I bring a camera with me pretty much everywhere anyway) but I always get completely absorbed in all the sawing and chiseling and forget. I do take the joints home with me afterwards though so I'll take a photo. Alongside an engineers square. :)