Scribbly notes from the shed

**springwater** · 22nd July 2009, 02:24 AM

With concern for the plight of the Red Tailed Black Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus banksii graptogyne.

Just some notes along the way from experiments with blackening wood.

The wood used was sourced from pallets made from an unknown Eucalyptus of two kinds I think, one straw yellow the other a red/brown.

A mix of spun steel from no name soap pads, rusty barbed wire, nails and white vinegar was left standing for a week to form the blackening mix. Used tea bags were collected.

Attachment 111512

2: Seeing if a mix of Linseed oil/turps stops the spread of the blackening mix. It did.
3: All samples are from wood that was tumbled in a cement mixer with stones, metal, sand and water so some tannin probably leached out. Nothing more was done to this bit.
4: Same as 2 but divided in two with the grain.
5: Blackening mix applied, semi dried then linseed/turps mix applied.
6: Blackening mix applied, no linseed/turps mix applied
7: Soaked in tea for 12 hours then blackening mix applied while still wet.
8: Same as 3
9: Dabs of linseed/turps mix then blackening mix applied.
10: Same as 2 and four but the pale coloured wood used instead.
11: An attempt at gradually blending the blackening mix and Linseed/turps mix.
12: Same as 6.

Some of the tea soaked pieces ready for blackening:
Attachment 111516

Below, a different theme but in a way related, wood from same source, same pattern used but soaked in bleach and salt for about a week and seen here drying on the rack, actually the rack is a cloths horse I proudly made until I found out that Eucalyptus shouldn't be used because you guessed it, the tannins stain the clothing

Anyway, I knew it would otherwise come in handy one day

Attachment 111513 Attachment 111514

A old wooden carving given to me by a dear friend and a look at a male Red Tailed Black Cockatoo, extinction pending

:

**SPIRIT** · 22nd July 2009, 10:44 PM

gee that look like a lot of work

**springwater** · 23rd July 2009, 01:05 AM

In our house making one thing usually starts a request for another so here we go again for the fourth tea tree nest

This one will be the first depicted in the night

Started with a piece that didn't quite fit in the first nest, liked the curly bit, too many holes and they don't line up with the wire but no worries, I'm happy with a good base to start building on.

Attachment 111645

Bottoms up showing the sophisticated method of construction

Attachment 111646

Too cold down the shed, things just lying around in various states, placed a few things in a linseed oil/turps/bitumen mix leaving to soak till their hearts content, closed the door with the thought of today's news that by years end we will be moving to place unknown.

So inside warm, picked up an unfinished driftwood bird and moved it around to find the right position on a thing I've been slowly doing.

Attachment 111647

Attachment 111648

Attachment 111649

A little here, a little there, nest needs work to bed it in properly etc etc

I'll try to record the nest build, not sure why really, just something to do

a challenge to make a nest in the night

**springwater** · 23rd July 2009, 01:28 AM

Originally Posted by SPIRIT

gee that look like a lot of work

I reckoning that work's the operative word here

it keeps me on the streets

Been missing your work SPIRIT, what've you been doing?

**tea lady** · 23rd July 2009, 07:26 PM

Looks great Springy.

Always wanted to get around to doing some tests with that "liquid Nightmare" stuff. I tried a bit on some burl veneer and it looked like black crushed velvet. I love old fashioned concoctions.

The salt soaked bits look interesting too.

**tea lady** · 23rd July 2009, 07:31 PM

Originally Posted by springwater

A little here, a little there, nest needs work to bed it in properly etc etc

love the swirly feel.

**springwater** · 23rd July 2009, 08:51 PM

Thanks Tea Lady, yeah old concoctions are appealing often cloaked in mystery and wisdom, I forgot "liquid nightmare", don't know why

great name

so I come up with "blackening mix", good aye, nup

Anyway I had the same urge as you to give it a go, certainly not hard to make and it just sits around getting more potent. One thing I haven't found out yet is how deep it will soak into the wood. I'd also like to experiment with cutting through it to reveal the true colour of the wood again. Good to know that oil stops its penetration so in effect there's an on/off switch if you know what I mean

Black seems to suit at the mo, must be careful though, might just nail all the pieces to the shed wall and throw a bucket full of nightmare at them

Back to the night nest, see ya

**springwater** · 23rd July 2009, 11:27 PM

Only three pieces added tonight, what with one thing and another. Two of our rascally dogs found my stash of collected Cuttlefish for mold making and chewed them up, must have had a salt deficiency

Storms due next week, so replenishment may be

Attachment 111727

**tea lady** · 24th July 2009, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by springwater

Only three pieces added tonight, what with one thing and another. Two of our rascally dogs found my stash of collected Cuttlefish for mold making and chewed them up, must have had a salt deficiency

Storms due next week, so replenishment may be

Attachment 111727

Prolly smelled great.

They might need lots to drink today! Maybe you should give them more bones to chew.

**SPIRIT** · 24th July 2009, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by springwater

I reckoning that work's the operative word here

it keeps me on the streets

Been missing your work SPIRIT, what've you been doing?

done a few not realy happy with them

**springwater** · 24th July 2009, 11:21 PM

Originally Posted by SPIRIT

done a few not realy happy with them

yeah, I know what you mean, you workn on other things?

You being a mechanic and all, if I wanted to make a small windmill thingy to turn a barrel do you think parts could be got, like the gear that transfers the vertical to the horizontal spin you know

**SPIRIT** · 25th July 2009, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by springwater

yeah, I know what you mean, you workn on other things?

You being a mechanic and all, if I wanted to make a small windmill thingy to turn a barrel do you think parts could be got, like the gear that transfers the vertical to the horizontal spin you know

was a machanic

the boat that we are working l had to find the same thing a old hand grinder

could work l pulled apart a 100mm one it turns 4to1 the shaft were a bit thin but 230mm could be better

hope that give you something to go on

**Frank&Earnest** · 25th July 2009, 06:00 PM

Originally Posted by springwater

... parts could be got, like the gear that transfers the vertical to the horizontal spin you know

Salvage the gears of an old Hills hoist. That should do the trick.

**springwater** · 25th July 2009, 11:56 PM

Originally Posted by SPIRIT

was a machanic

the boat that we are working l had to find the same thing a old hand grinder

could work l pulled apart a 100mm one it turns 4to1 the shaft were a bit thin but 230mm could be better

hope that give you something to go on

Originally Posted by Frank&Earnest

Salvage the gears of an old Hills hoist. That should do the trick.

Thanks SPIRIT I hadn't thought of the hand grinder. Thanks also Frank&E, bought back memories, our Hills hoist doubled as a carosel...until we got told off...again.

I was thinking more of making a small windmill within my means in that I don't own a welder and I don't no how to do it...yet

This, I think I could manage:
Attachment 111901
What do you think

?

**springwater** · 26th July 2009, 01:01 AM

A few more layers on the little night nest today. About three layers to go, wrap around some fine copper wire and into some tea for a soak.
Attachment 111902
Liquid nightmare time trials. Group one soaked two hours, group two four hours, group three 6 hours, didn't seem to make much difference to how black is black when wet but the dry out may reveal more

Attachment 111903
Lovely

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