Seven Heirlooms - You'll never guess……!

[AndyP]

Excellent Malc, will they come with a lifetime guarantee too?

 

[Woodbloke]

Can I suggest that you alter 'handcrafted' to 'hand built' or 'hand made'; whenever I hear or see the word 'crafted' it's just irksome and intensely irritating. The bottom two lines need the margins shrinking a little as well as the fourth line from the top. I'm also intrigued by 'the great seal'...will there be a big blob of hot red wax with 'Malc was 'ere' stamped into it...hope so! - Rob

 

[Planeiron]

Sounds hopeful that you'll get your cases issue sorted. Some companies will chance their arm with customers and it probably had a lot to do with the specific person you're dealing with, their knowledge and experience etc.

On another note, I'd like to also say how stunning the instruments are. I think instrument makers are a particularly skilled subspecialty in woodworking and your work is fantastic.

 

[Stuart]

They really do look stonkingly good Malc.

What a journey from start to finish. You should be rightfully proud of what you’ve achieved.

 

[Malc2098]

Sounds hopeful that you'll get your cases issue sorted. Some companies will chance their arm with customers and it probably had a lot to do with the specific person you're dealing with, their knowledge and experience etc.

On another note, I'd like to also say how stunning the instruments are. I think instrument makers are a particularly skilled subspecialty in woodworking and your work is fantastic.

Thank you, Dave.

 

[Malc2098]

Can I suggest that you alter 'handcrafted' to 'hand built' or 'hand made'; whenever I hear or see the word 'crafted' it's just irksome and intensely irritating. The bottom two lines need the margins shrinking a little as well as the fourth line from the top. I'm also intrigued by 'the great seal'...will there be a big blob of hot red wax with 'Malc was 'ere' stamped into it...hope so! - Rob

Thank you, Bob.

However, without wishing to get into an online discussion, my research suggests 'handcrafted' means an item is made by hand using tools, machinery, or pre-made components, while handmade means an item is built entirely by hand without machines.

I've shrunk the line and replaced some text that fell out somehow. Anything that isn't 'model type' etc is centralised on the page. I've also moved stuff to make a more economic use of space. And yes, there will be a great big blob! And the certificate will be of Premium Laid Cream paper, 100 GSM.

 

[Woodbloke]

Thank you, Bob.

However, without wishing to get into an online discussion, my research suggests 'handcrafted' means an item is made by hand using tools, machinery, or pre-made components, while handmade means an item is built entirely by hand without machines.

I've shrunk the line and replaced some text that fell out somehow. Anything that isn't 'model type' etc is centralised on the page. I've also moved stuff to make a more economic use of space. And yes, there will be a great big blob! And the certificate will be of Premium Laid Cream paper, 100 GSM.

View attachment 59213

The provenance paperwork now looks excellent, but I can see you've dragged David Pye's book 'The Nature and Art of Workmanship' off the bookshelf which is a fascinating read in which he explores topics such as 'handmade' and what that actually means. The example he gives is that there's only one thing on planet Earth that's truly 'hand made'...everything else has an element of machine/toolwork to a lesser or greater extent. Unless you've read the book or have done some Googlisationing, do you know what it is?? - Rob

 

[Malc2098]

The provenance paperwork now looks excellent, but I can see you've dragged David Pye's book 'The Nature and Art of Workmanship' off the bookshelf which is a fascinating read in which he explores topics such as 'handmade' and what that actually means. The example he gives is that there's only one thing on planet Earth that's truly 'hand made'...everything else has an element of machine/toolwork to a lesser or greater extent. Unless you've read the book or have done some Googlisationing, do you know what it is?? - Rob

No. I think that is an opportunity to start a new thread.

 

[Woodbloke]

No. I think that is an opportunity to start a new thread.

It's this; a coiled pot; no tools of any sort needed so it's entirely 100% 'handmade' - Rob

 

[AJB Temple]

Do you know, I feel rather proud of you Malc. Irrational I know. But you have become a proper luthier and you have great standards. Well done you. Top man.

 

[Mike G]

It's this; a coiled pot; no tools of any sort needed so it's entirely 100% 'handmade' - Rob


View attachment 59214

....so long as the clay was dug out of the ground without a spade.

 

[PAC1]

...also how would you fire it?

 

[Malc2098]

Do you know, I feel rather proud of you Malc. Irrational I know. But you have become a proper luthier and you have great standards. Well done you. Top man.

Thank you, @AJB Temple .

I retired from two different careers in 2016 after fifty years' work. I joined this wonderful forum because I found that it has proper sound information about building a workshop. I learned so much from many members here, you all know who you are. It enabled me to enjoy my love, ability and meagre skill at working with wood which started in 1961 at school and carried on for 7 years where I passed GCE A Level. I still remember the business that my woodwork master had utilising evening class stock and commissioning me to make stuff with it. And he smoked Ol Holborn and left his pouch where I knew I could roll one or tow for myself. And he payed me for the commissioned work.

I nearly went to Shoreditch College to learn how to teach woodwork, but stuff stopped me. I chose a different career instead. Then when I retired from that one, I took the knowledge, qualifications and experience gained to take on another, completely unrelated to wood.

I built this workshop, slowly inhabited it with tools and machines and eventually settled on making instruments which I have found immensely satisfying, yet am still not satisfied with the quality of the finished article. But I am getting better.

I hope you enjoy the WIPs. It helps me remember the processes by writing them up. And I hope that by posting them, I can encourage any of you to take luthiery up from scratch.

 

[Woodbloke]

....so long as the clay was dug out of the ground without a spade.

Exactly, you find a seam of clay near the surface and dig it out with your hands.

...also how would you fire it?

Leave the pot for a while in baking hot sun to 'cook'. Mud bricks are still made in exactly the same way - Rob

 

[Woodbloke]

I nearly went to Shoreditch College to learn how to teach woodwork, but stuff stopped me.

I was '78 Yr at 'Ditch and did an extra fourth year to obtain a B.Ed. Somewhere on that pic you can see my ugly mug The Principal, Peter Lacy (middle) is still with us and over 100. Many in that pic attended a 50th anniversary event last year at a pub in Egham - Rob