Accident & Emergency

A strange title I fear for the rejuvenation of this long neglected blog, but all will shortly be revealed.  I quite often have a natter with my mate Andy Pickard, shown on the left sans Tilley hat for which he was on the short end of of some considerable verbal abuse.  Being a true Yorkshireman, it would be easier for Andy to get the proverbial blood out of a stone than part with any cash!

I diverge though.  We both share an interest in not only woodwork (he's a bit of a half decent wood spinner) but also in Japan and those who've delved into these meanderings in the past may recollect a few entries from 2012, in which I detailed at some length my initial thoughts on the country.  Andy read the Blokeblog when I first published it and immensely sad though it is, subsequently as well though the following years; even more to his detriment, he re-read the whole lot a few days ago! 

The outcome was that he suggested that it would be a 'good thing' if I were to start it again and such was the pressure that he used to twist my arm that I ended up in A&E (ER to those in distant climes across the 'big wet') so I'm struggling away typing with just one hand.  Those who've had the misfortune to read this sorry missive in the past will realise that I have a tendancy to slightly exaggerate😅

To cut a long story sideways though, I've decided to re-vamp the Blokeblog, with a view to producing a weekly instalment giving some insights as to what's been happening in the 'shop, or not as the case may be as those past distant readers will realise that the cock-up fairy is a frequent visitor.  Even though I try my utmost, she comes a calling when I'm not expecting her and the blog in many instances has been about ways to mitigate or repair her unwarranted intrusions. 

Much has been produced (reasonably well) in the last few years and it can be viewed on my FB 'Wilton Woodwork' page, which I use as an online photographic record. The same can be said of my current Instagram account, which is Rob Stoakley (woodbloke 52) and I usually make an entry every week or so, which is then automatically shared with Facebook.

I was initially a little sceptical about re-starting the blog, as it's nearly a decade since it was last published.  Things have moved apace in the online world though, with the preponderance of Utoobers (some of whom are excellent, the caveat being 'some'), Vloggers (whatever they are) also including TV woodworking programmes which for the most part are truly abysmal as well as a multitude of different social media platforms. A blog then, might seem a bit 'old hat', but if you feel otherwise, I'd be very grateful for a measure of reassurance in the comments.

So, you may ask...what's currently happening in the 'shop? Last November, we had the chance to see 'up close and personal' in Japan an exquisite cabinet by Suda Kenji, not dissimilar to the one in the British Museum: 

To say that his work fabulous is somewhat of an understatement. I was able to visually examine one of his pieces and my nose was less than 100mm from it; it was not exhibited (as were all the other items on show) behind any glass!  Seeing this little cabinet was like an itch that needed to be scratched; the four quarter sawn pine, veneered panels shown below in Bog Oak:

 ...form the basis of the cabinet, but dear reader, if you want to find out more you'll have to keep tuned for the next exiting instalment!