A glass for the past

**fletty** · 1st May 2016, 08:56 PM

Long story told short....
A friend of mine had recently 'discovered' that he had an ancestor who died in WW1. Unbeknown to all, he had tried to enlist in country NSW when too young, was rejected but then turned up the next day ..... under a new name. This ruse got him into the Army, got him killed but also lost the link to his family.
Fast forward 100 years, one of the most moving, colourful and meaningful centenary tributes for WW1 was the community manufacture of 888,246 ceramic red poppies, which were then 'planted' around the Tower of London to represent the number of British dead.

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The poppies were later offered for sale and my mate's daughter bought one for their refound ancestor.
Shortly after this, the details of the ancestor and the poppy were handed to me during a 'heavy' lunch to "create a sensitive display" and what form this was to take was completely up to me. A couple of apparently unrelated events led me to a concept that had me wondering which forum to use for a WIP. My choices were at least 'Nothing at all ......' and the ANZAC thread, 'Box Making' and 'Lead-lighting'?
After buying my new bandsaw, my first resaw practice was a previously ignored billet of camphor laurel. The grain inside was not only spectacular but also suggested the landscape of a muddy WW1 battlefield.

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The choice of forum was now 'Box Making'.

For those who have followed my new shed thread, you would know that my NEW DC is much better than the old and so I can now work with my mini-stash of rosewood that had previously bought on asthma attacks. So, l was up to a rosewood and camphor laurel box!
I also had not yet used my Hegner finger jointer in anger....

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so that set the joinery, and progress was swift...

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It it is a traditional box, finger jointed corners, internal braces, face frames and floating face panels from the camphor laurel which was cut to make the most of the 'landscape'.

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Then things got got a bit bizarre! I have received a leadlighting commission and I haven't done any for about 20 years .... so I thought here's a chance to practice?
The box was cut into 3 sections and work started ......

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My eyes aren't as good as they used to be .... but my patience has improved!
I found all of my old leadlight tools .... and borrowed a few more.... and enjoyed the process.

CAUTION: ARTISTIC CONTENT
The return of Claw Hama to the forum and his fabulous art and sculpture portfolio reminded me of that side of my psyche so, here is the concept behind the leadlight panel. I believe that the Gothic arch is a symbol of civilisation. Some narrow this to representing religion via cathedrals but the Gothic arch was also used on Universities, Community buildings, pubs, post offices and so, to me, it has the much wider symbolism of CIVILISATION. TWICE in the 20th Century, we lost sight of civilisation and so my panel contains a Gothic arch but, as the arch reaches down into the WW1 trenches, barbed wire and graves, the arch disintegrates. The red poppy shows the way for the arch to reach to the skies once again.

The 'box' is nearly finished but here's one last pic to show the direction I'm going...

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.... but no more until after the handover, probably at another 'heavy' lunch?

fletty

**NCArcher** · 1st May 2016, 10:35 PM

Looking forward to seeing this one finished. Great concept Fletty.
You're not going to start wearing a beret are you?

The lead lighting looks fantastic.

**fletty** · 1st May 2016, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by NCArcher

You're not going to start wearing a beret are you?

Geez NC', I can't even get used to NOT shaving every day!

Fletty

**NCArcher** · 1st May 2016, 10:56 PM

You've been NOT shaving that mo for a long time.(Actually with that mo, rather than a beret, a leather flying cap, goggles and a white scarf wouldn't look out of place

)
How was the Hegner?
I'll have to get a demo next time I'm there.

**fletty** · 1st May 2016, 11:14 PM

Originally Posted by NCArcher

You've been NOT shaving that mo for a long time.(Actually with that mo, rather than a beret, a leather flying cap, goggles and a white scarf wouldn't look out of place

)
How was the Hegner?
I'll have to get a demo next time I'm there.

I'll find the pics of me and my Biggles gear tomorrow and post! At a wild works Christmas party MANY years ago, the MD and GM held me down and shaved half of my mo off. To spite them, I didn't shave the remaining half off and waited for the damaged half to recover. So, one half is 45 years old and the other half only 42.
The Hegner is a very underrated jig. It cuts (I think?) 4, 6, 8 and 10mm (yes METRIC

) finger joints. Set up and adjustment are quick, easy and intuitive. If I was to have to gear up to do a run of boxes I would certainly be plugging for finger joints off the Hegner. The only 'problem' is that it is so easy that I feel guilty?

fletty

**wheelinround** · 1st May 2016, 11:25 PM

As always a great story to go with it all and why not it adds to the provenance of it all.In years to come the future generations will admire it all.

Now hang on whats this 20yrs since you last got the lead out I recall a few projects shown here on the forum and I haven't been a member that long.

**fletty** · 1st May 2016, 11:34 PM

Originally Posted by wheelinround

Now hang on whats this 20yrs since you last got the lead out I recall a few projects shown here on the forum and I haven't been a member that long.

Ah, young Wheelin, that's your very good memory but a bad memory for me? When we were rebuilding after the termite attack, there was an unusually clear view of the leadlit doors I had made many years earlier. I also managed to sneak them into the background of a couple of the orcadian chair pics

**wheelinround** · 1st May 2016, 11:57 PM

Originally Posted by fletty

Ah, young Wheelin, that's your very good memory but a bad memory for me? When we were rebuilding after the termite attack, there was an unusually clear view of the leadlit doors I had made many years earlier. I also managed to sneak them into the background of a couple of the orcadian chair pics

What about the entry in a show Campbeltown or Camden when Savage ex-forum member also entered.

Oh you mean this door

**Chris Parks** · 3rd May 2016, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by fletty

Geez NC', I can't even get used to NOT shaving every day!

Fletty

I worked on that really hard and have succeeded by going cold turkey. I shaved every day for fifty years when working and promised myself I would give it up apart from about once a week when it gets itchy.

**fletty** · 3rd May 2016, 05:55 PM

The owner, who still has no idea of what I have made, sent through some rough drafts of the text and a single picture of the ancestors hut, so I have been able to mock up the text page and add an AIF badge as well, just for the hand over.
The RPDD ( red poppy display device) is now mechanically finished but I have to pull it all apart again to clean the glass and apply more coats of WOP. I am pretty pleased with the design....

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..... and a little surprised that the mirror in the third section also works very well in artificial light...

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Im hoping to hand it over this weekend and I hope they like it, "complete design freedom" can be a double edged sword!

fletty

**Ruddy** · 3rd May 2016, 06:37 PM

Love it Fletty.....A really great idea and so well presented.

**rwbuild** · 3rd May 2016, 07:57 PM

I've seen a lot of excellent items on the forum but I have to say this is definitely one of the best yet, its a real credit to your imagination and skills.

x100

**crowie** · 3rd May 2016, 07:58 PM

Alan, that is simply beautiful sir though simple isn't the correct term for such a magnificent piece of woodwork art/sculpture.....cheers, Peter

**Sawdust Maker** · 3rd May 2016, 08:03 PM

brilliant work that

**Glenn.Visca** · 3rd May 2016, 08:04 PM

Really nice .. Quite touching.

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