Leather Boots

I've been wanting to make some boots for a while now. I used a moccasin toe design.

I assembled one boot with the raw leather to make sure all the proportions were all right, then disassembled it in order to condition all the pieces with wax.

I then punched and set brass eyelets for laces and glued on a rubber sole cut from a welcome mat

 Finished product after a few weeks breaking in

Loom

I'm getting into weaving, but don't want to buy a loom. so...

It's a smallish table loom, about 12 inches wide with a "gear" and pin system for adjusting tension.

The heddle is made from Popsicle sticks and is not the greatest. Eventually I want to buy a professionally made heddle, some things are best left to the experts.
 

Slings and Arrows

I've been working on more primitive weaponry, I made one leather rock sling

I can sling golf-ball sized rocks about 100 yards

I've also been making more arrows for my bows. A friend and coworker shot a turkey last month and gave me the wings to use for fletchings.

The shafts are cedar, leftovers from making paddles.

the arrow heads are dull broad heads cut from stock steel

Modern Kayak Paddle

I've been trying to use up the cedar I have left over from making greenland style paddles. I came up with this design from modern kayak paddles

I added asymmetrical maple tips to bind the laminated blades together and add tip durability 

Of course I used birds-eye maple

Trevor has been knitting (Vermont edition)

 pair of small fair isle mittens

Alpaca and wool socks

'cello 2 part 4

The 'cello is done! Mostly that is. The body is done and strung, and it plays. All that remains is the electronics. Here's the finished product

The "body" is a set rotating pieces that allow you to grasp the instrument with the legs like a standard cello.
the folding mechanism was a tedious and frustrating thing to make, but the results are worth it. 

hopefully if the electronics go smoothly I could have it fully done in a few weeks.

'cello 2 part 3

It's been a long time since I've posted but trying to get back in the grove. Most of my time in the shop has been working on the 'cello, smoothing the body and doing all the measuring and drilling for the strings and tuners as well as making the bridge.

Here is the neck in a rough state

This is the present condition. Fingerboard and nut are glued on. Tuners are in place, and the body is shellacked.

The bridge is a modified traditional design made to accommodate five strings. I split it out of a straight grained firewood billet.

 Tuners with cut-outs for better alignment on tail-stock

I drilled and placed brass threaded inserts in the back for the faux body to attach