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dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45377
Location: yes
PostPosted: Fri Nov 27, 20 11:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

split hazel for trugs?

re the behind the toecap thing, that part of the foot has more resilience than toes but is still vulnerable.

the leather gaiter things( or the modern riot police version made of abs and kevlar) are the best way of protecting the top of a foot

ps think "armour" if expecting incoming

pps my huski chainsaw boots seem to cover all the weak points but they are nightmare heavy, like treacle on a flat surface but horror story on soft and squishy ones, rubber, metal and lots of kevlar works for armour but feels like the gravity of jupiter

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Fri Nov 27, 20 2:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I think I said in a long ago post, I have a pair of old ostler's leather gaiters, deposited with my family in the 1800's when they were coal merchants and bakers in south Shropshire; I have worn them on occasions but rarely. Now it is all wellies and boots from my past employ. Definitely the law of sod for you MR, with the contact point of anything falling; it is the same for me!
Regarding drying wooden pallets, I have a drying shed. It is one which half of fell down and the other half tried, but I jacked it up and it was elevated to drying shed status as the roof was in tact. I am wearing wellies for now as it is very muddy and wet. They are with steel toecaps, but not as good as proper boots. Next time I need wellie boots I will do a survey and get what I think will see me through the rest of my needs. I used to get stuck in the mud as a child 'till a farmer said, "Tread in the wet parts as they are solid at the bottom so the water can't get away and stop you getting stuck", the voice of an adopted "Uncle Dick". where we used to go picking cowslips in the spring-all ploughed in now.
Starting to get low on nets for kindling. I need to talk to my customer as he buys them.
I was thinking it would be next week before I could get back into the library, but we are open as usual from now on, just observe the rules of distance, so I could, memory permitting, see you all tomorrow.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Sat Nov 28, 20 8:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

We have what we call a log store, which is a sort of miracle of water pipe and scaffold poles in the shape of a polytunnel with a clear plastic over, but we still can't get stuff really dry as we are above cloud level sometimes. The other side of the hill is a real cloud forest in fact.

I have got quite good at not dropping things on my feet, by a quick backstep, but of course there is always the odd log etc. I find on the whole that the leather or whatever the boot is made of usually keeps the worst off.

I don't make trugs of split hazel Dpack, although the handle and top of a trug is often made of split hazel. The sort I make are called frame baskets and have split hazel 'ribs.' top and handle and even more finely split hazel as weavers. This sort of thing https://www.framebaskets.co.uk/hazel-basketry-tradition-in-north-wales

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Sat Nov 28, 20 10:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I have just tried to have a look at the woven baskets on the net and there is one from my local village-Llanrhaeadr, not that they are common round here any more. I have had a row with my female friend so that is off before it has really got going, at least I wasn't smitten. Actually there are a lot of changes going on right now with swimming allowed but only one per lane, when it used to be a free for all. It used to be Tues, Wed, Fri and Sat, but now reduced to Wed and Fri. And the oldies have half the pool and the stars have half, but the bow waves from one lad in the star side are enormous and are reflected in the oldies side. He gets from one end to the other in 6 strokes. It takes me about 14! And today's last gripe is that my neighbour is watching football on the tv when he should be watching England play Wales at rugby so that I can go and gloat or eat humble pie!
I have to look for another new pack of kindling nets, I hope the last company are still going, MR, the ones you put me in touch with-that's a year or so ago now. Not much else to say since yesterday except that I can't find my hot water bottles, so will be spending more money on the way back home to keep the feet warm at night!
It appears that the library will be open as before-something back to normality then!

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Sun Nov 29, 20 9:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

The company you got the nets from are still trading as far as I know. I think I saw an advert from them recently. I bought 2000 last time, so still have some, although I think I may need to buy some more in a little while. Will have to check how many I have as it might be better to get an order in sooner rather than later.

I have been collecting more suitable rods for the basketry, but haven't made any for some time. They are the sort of thing that sell at shows occasionally, but there is so much work in them that they are rather expensive, so someone with enough money has to really want one to buy it.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45377
Location: yes
PostPosted: Sun Nov 29, 20 11:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

when i did the chookmobile farm gate goes to the pub thing i discovered the best thing for transporting ten dozen eggs in boxes was a woven little red riding hood basket
it even had her hood as a cover and i did have a large black wolf to complete the look

light, strong and a decent shock absorber(i fell off the bike with a full load and all were unbroken unlike me). with a shoulder strap as well as the handle very easy to move around

i can see why they are expensive but a good one will last ages, and they can be repaired with "twigs" and or string

not bad for shopping or a lRR delivery or picnic

we use crate shaped willow ones as our primary kitchen storage and have a few others with assorted contents or uses

i do remember a wide split hazel trug my grannie used for collecting eggs or fruit n veg, shaped like a turtle shell with a handle, strong and light and nearly as old as she was

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Mon Nov 30, 20 8:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

A good basket kept dry will last for years. Our heavy duty willow log basket has been in use now for over 40 years. We don't carry it in full of logs any more, but it is still intact and gets moved every year containing a few logs when it is replaced in its corner with the Christmas tree. I have a Sussex trug that is also over 30 years old and a fine willow basket, provenance unknown that is probably older than I am. Also, as you say Dpack, they can be repaired. Your hazel basket that fell off your bike would probably have bent rather better than you being very flexible.

I have another besom head to make up today as I find I am one medium head short for the orders we have at the moment. Not sure what else I have to do, but it could involve brash again, as husband and son have at least 3 trees to extract and some more to fell.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45377
Location: yes
PostPosted: Mon Nov 30, 20 1:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

twig and strip baskets are ace for shock absorption, they last very well with a little tlc

far more resilient to shock and "weathering" than plastic

it is hard to find twigs in the archaeology record but instinct suggests that we have had them for a very long time, they work

ps my best fishing kit is a creel of wicker, i got it second hand for a fiver, dangles on a strap, holds lunch and has a handle hole in the lid that is a perfect size for accepting trout if i am up to my waist in water or sitting on it on a stream bank

the creel and the LRRH basket on straps might look odd but both are very practical

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Tue Dec 01, 20 7:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I think the earliest archaeological records are in pottery. Whether the baskets were lined with clay or were used to support the clay until it was fired seems to be a moot point, but either way it is basketry or a sort.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Thu Dec 03, 20 10:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Peace now reins with the lady I met at swimming, and we are talking well, something to do with we were the only 2 in the pool on Wednesday I guess. All over a glass dish which I couldn't remember where I put it after I had emptied it of a very nice stew. I think I said in the past we lived in the same road when children, but with a couple of miles gap! Hopefully the stews will return on a regular basis. My ability to cook is limited to a micro wave, from which, usually, "things" turn out-sort of-ok!
Inevitably it is raining this am. I will be going back after dropping the kindling in the shop, to more chopping. My wood stocks are well down as my main source of timber is where I used to work. I have been asked to return to go and get what they have anytime, but it is not kept in the dry there since I went, so I have to keep it in my drying shed for a few weeks. I don't remember if I told you of my escape and so got a drying shed! One winter a snow slide off a barn roof falling onto half of my woodstore shed and demolished that half! The other "sound" end fell out so a friend came and we shored the roof up and removed the offending end and out of that came the drying shed with a straight through wind-perfect.
I am in the process of trying to order nets through the bag supplier's web site, but I find that difficult as I am not well computerised. I still have 40 empties in stock and a few full nets at the ready but not enough for a month's supply. I found their web site a bit difficult to sort. I am hoping they will be in touch with me to say they have checked their records and we had so and so. I got onto the web site and an order form, which "snookered" me! 'Fraid I am of the old school and past it with computers. Back to pen and ink.

gz



Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 8577
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland
PostPosted: Thu Dec 03, 20 10:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Some forms are difficult even when one has been sufficiently pooterised, gregotyn!
MR, how is Cassandra? Busy with Spring I hope 🙂

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45377
Location: yes
PostPosted: Thu Dec 03, 20 6:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

i need to put a "dispatch note" in a parcel, quill might be the scribing tool to use

pooters are ace as slaves and horrible as masters

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Fri Dec 04, 20 8:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

You might be able to order by phoning them Gregotyn. Look on the 'Contact us' bit on the web site and see if there is a phone number. If it is the size of nets you can't remember, measure an empty one in centimetres and that will give you the size. If they haven't got that size you can order the nearest one to it. Have a bank card ready as they may want to confirm and take payment there and then if you order by phone.

Gz, I have seen Cassandra on FB a few times, but nothing to say that she is doing anything in particular at the moment, so perhaps having a bit of a rest at the moment.

I agree with you about computers Dpack. I always make sure that as far as possible I have a paper copy as back up. I don't trust them an inch.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Fri Dec 04, 20 3:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I only set up the net ordering, the shop who buys my kindling also buy the nets, saving my capital going out, even though I would charge extra for the bags if I did the dealing. I am primarily chopping to pay my electricity bill rather than making a profit, and to give pensioners cheap sticks. I chop wood for the enjoyment, not for monetary gain; I worked for money in a paid job and as you know I have only just retired. I doubt if the price I charge for the nets covers the transport and the electricity, but correspondingly a lot of little old ladies round here are not on fantastic pensions and so the kindling is cheap enough for them to afford. I am not sure, but one old dear, a WW1 widow who died earlier this year had a pension of £9 a week at one stage-well since I have been up here. My mother's widow's pension for me as a child was £4 a week to keep me in school uniform, fed and clean etc., and run my Hornby Dublo 3 rail electric train set! We were lucky as someone told us about a charity and we got money to buy clothes and uniform for school.

Not a lot going on at home due to the weather and so stick chopping rules, though I walk my ground most days with a friend of many years and his dog. They followed me up to this area about 10 years after I came. I am glad I bought the 4 bedroom holding when I did-5 acres, £109,000-which I thought at the time was extortion.

Still can't find my "hotties", so I have invested in 2 new ones, and will need another soon, it is getting colder at night, I'm getting fatter and so too is my surface area to radiate the heat outwards! Strange that I am putting on weight, because I am doing much more physical work than when I was working. Humping and heaving timber round the place, and up and down stairs a few times to "find it".

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Sat Dec 05, 20 8:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Glad you managed to set things up for the net order. I think I will have to order some more soon. Must count the number I have, as I have orders for another 50 log nets and another customer going at 20 a week at the moment. Also good news you don't have to pay for them.

All the besoms I sent out last week have arrived, and the recipients are happy with them, so that is one less worry. Our main thing now is to get all our log orders, log net orders, charcoal etc. out before Christmas, so we can have some time off.

I would get the doctor to check on your weight issue next time you go in Gregotyn. Probably nothing, but sometimes things like thyroid get a bit tired. That is, as long as you haven't been eating extra cream cakes.

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