Today, I am mostly............

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Thu May 21, 15 6:01 pm

Making Spars for the Cottage Re-thatch.

In essence, these are Hazel staves that have been split into 4 "quarters" and to about three feet long.

These are then soaked in a tank overnight, and then an idiot in a straw hat has to cut each end to a sharp point.

These are then twisted in the middle so it looks like a big hairpin.
It is now a "Spar".

This is then used to "pin" the "Yelm" in place on the cleaned up elevations of the cottage.

You then make 9,999 other "Spars"; which is nice..............

Mossy68 · Post by **Mossy68** » Thu May 21, 15 6:22 pm

You don't look very happy in your work Pete .........or is that concentration ?

What's the tool you are using called ?

autofetish · Post by **autofetish** » Thu May 21, 15 6:23 pm

Looking good fella

jerry · Post by **jerry** » Thu May 21, 15 6:24 pm

Must say you look thrilled Pete

Trigger_Andy · Post by **Trigger_Andy** » Thu May 21, 15 6:32 pm

I think its called a knife Mossy.

Looks to me like a double handles Skinning knife thats snapped?

terryr · Post by **terryr** » Thu May 21, 15 7:29 pm

At least you got a roof,,now you see it now you dont

shovelheadrob · Post by **shovelheadrob** » Thu May 21, 15 9:18 pm

What are you whittling about?

Stu · Post by **Stu** » Thu May 21, 15 9:19 pm

Looks like a broken draw knife to me. Could be wrong.

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Thu May 21, 15 9:38 pm

It was a Rape bailing knife that I took an Angle Grinder to........

Know the feeling Terry - that was me last year. Chin up; it does not last for ever - mind you it does put cars on the back burner for a while................

Mossy68 · Post by **Mossy68** » Thu May 21, 15 10:04 pm

Pete wrote:It was a Rape bailing knife that I took an Angle Grinder to........

Wondered if it was a thatching thing ..........
I will be picking your brains on this subject over a pint some time Pete

Trigger_Andy · Post by **Trigger_Andy** » Thu May 21, 15 11:10 pm

We use these off-shore all the time, must go through about 10-20 a trip. Never realised they cost so much. Soon as they're a bit blunt in the trash they go.

charger01 · Post by **charger01** » Thu May 21, 15 11:12 pm

Should have said Pete... Just binned 10,000 of them.

Stu · Post by **Stu** » Thu May 21, 15 11:27 pm

Yep. That's what I meant by a draw knife, Andy. An old fashioned one has straight through handles though and is just a curved blade.

Stu · Post by **Stu** » Thu May 21, 15 11:29 pm