Bodging

I'm well on my way to becoming a fully fledged bodger. I finished making my pole lathe today and assembled it for the first time. It's taken quite a long time to make although it's probably only about 3 days work. There's not been many weekends where the weather's been dry and I've not had other more pressing engagements.

I'm planning this year to get properly set up for bodging chairs. For those who don't know bodging is green woodworking using fresh felled wood (hence green), rather than seasoned timber. The pole lathe is a food treadle operated lathe where a string passes around the chair leg, or other component being turned, and is spun by pressing down with one foot on the treadle. In a traditional set up a long bendy wooden pole would pull the string back up setting the lathe ready for the next power stroke. In this version an elastic shock code or bungie cord provides the spring action. Useful as it keeps the lathe much more compact.

Anyway I'm very pleased with the lathe and hopefully find time to try it out tomorrow. What fun!