sweet chestnut

Recently we bought a large quantity of sweet chestnut that had been locally felled with the idea of using it on a job.We have been recently commissioned to design and make four bespoke memorial benches this was the perfect job for the timber.I forgot how wonderful this timber is to work with, it has the same durability of green oak but its a bit softer to work with and lighter in appearance .The memorial seating is coming on very well and looking wonderful, I will post some images of the finished work in the next few days after we have completed hand carving the inscriptions.details of our work can be found here http://www.benchmemorials.co.uk/
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  • I'm so envious of you doing the job you do Chris – when I left school I didn't know what I wanted to do, in those days you could leave a job and get another the next day – I did steel foundries, a pork pie factory, lackey in a coffin factory, even an abatoir --- got put on a gov. training bench carpentry course and found I was good at it (making the joints) so tried to go for a cabinet making course... but when it came to it there was only one available – and it was all machine made dovetails and stuff in Liverpool – so I didn't go for it.... but I did have an ambition back then – to make a proper (with all the draws) drum table. You surely must also make some more delicate/intricate pieces alongside your benches Chris... do you have something you'd like to, but still haven't made yet?
  • hi pete
    thanks for your kind words mate, I also did lots of jobs ranging from fileting fish on the docks to a motorcycle courier in london, I was knocked of my bike and snapped my arm in half, after having lots of metal work put in and six moths rest, I went to the local collage and did a city and guilds in furniture making then i did a degree and a masters ,so having left school with no qualifications i now have as more letters after my name as i have in it LOL, never to late to train.
    I did used to make indoor work but its very hard to break into the contemporary furniture market,and I like the direct for of workmanship that i do, so now I hardly ever do any indoor work.
    my range of work can be seen here, www.chrisnanglefurniture.co.uk
    I am looking forward to making 7 3mt long solid carved seats for sunderland seafront each will have a different sea condition carved into the top as the seats ,should be on that in the next few months.
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