Latest project

Just started on a coffee table and console table based on musical notes for a new client. Just forged out the penny end scrolls ready to form the curves.. photos to follow.

Latest designs for a balcony project in Hexam

Just thought I would post some pictures of three designs I have just finished for a client in Hexam. They will be used in a balcony rail above the main entrance to his house.

Greystoke garden gate

With the new latch forged and rivetted in the gate is looking a lot more complete. The surface has now been given a good coat of Zinc rich paint to keep the rust away whilst we fill in the holes in the top rail.

Greystoke garden gate

All the paint has now been burnt off and the whole gate given a thoroughly good going over with a wire brush. There is only one small hole on the top rail that needs filling, then we can begin to pour paint into all the gaps around the uprights.

Greystoke garden gate

This is a close up detail of the scrolls now that they are cleaned up. The quality of both the scrolls and the firewelds are fantastic. Today we will be making the latch handle that was missing, i will post pictures of the making of that later.

Greystoke garden gate

Having used scroll wrenches to carefully bend the bars back into line the gate is looking a lot better now. We will use a small blow torch next to carefully remove the stubborn paint then look at filling the holes in the top rail with a resin.

Greystoke garden gate

We first used a wire brush on a grinder to remove the worst of the rust and loose paint. Normally a mild shot blast would be used to completely remove paint and rust.
You can start to see the really delicate forgework of scrolls and the neatness of the firewelds.
Once the whole of the gate has been cleaned off we can start to straighten up all the bent parts and assess what needs to be remade.

Greystoke garden gate

This gate was found in a skip a number of years ago, it has since been in residence at Greystoke cycle cafe in Cumbria. Whilst i was up there doing a course last week we were wandering around the garden (with Annie, the Owner) and we came across this delightful little gate. It has some lovely little details such as the fire welded scrolls along the mid rail, a latch (minus the pull handle which runs through the arch and the top rail.) All the tenons are nice and tight in their frames and apart from some bent rails is in fantastic condition for its age. So, needless to say it came back in the van with us and we will attempt to restore it to its former glory!

Oak panelled gate

This is the gate in its new home with some very delighted clients

This is the latest project for a client in Darlington. The framework is of traditional constuction with the oak planks attached with hand made bolts. I still have locks to fit as well as shaping the planks at the top of the gate. The design motif follows through the rest of the project.

These are the fly press jigs that were made to produce a rounded hinge strap to allow a traditionally made gate to pivot.

new year new designs

Spending my day off today by coming up with some designs for a large double gate and some railings to match. The only feedback i have received from the client regarding design ideas is that they like trees!! so quite a broad spectrum to be starting with. Will try and nail down some initial ideas and then consolidate in a design booklet for them. will post some images of the designs when i sort out the scanner!

busy couple of days

Have had a busy couple of days doing some redesigning of my website. Just trying to get it looking a bit fresher and more up to date adding things like my blog, flickr and twitter accounts to it. Also been adding some more images to the flickr account so feel free to check it out on the blog link. Also have some designs to do for some gates and railings for a local client near Darlington so will scan some images in when they are done.