Monthly build along?

  • Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.

copper_head

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 22, 2006
4,261
1
Hull
I made lots of kindling today, I'll have another go during the week.

Nice work everyone btw :)
 

John Fenna

Lifetime Member & Maker
Oct 7, 2006
23,133
2,871
66
Pembrokeshire
I thought I had better show the needles in action :)
This is the split one making a hairy natural twine 10 x ? net in the ruins of my garden



boy are nets hard to photograph!
 
with all respect and humility.

Many wood crafts would turn out a lot better for folks if they learned to orient the grain of the wood to fit the needs of the project.

First is to lay the grain flat against the thin stress points. For example: if you lay the grain of the wood flat across a netting needle, it will not crack or split on the thin areas.

Please understand that I am only trying to help those who might not understand this yet.
 

DaveBromley

Full Member
May 17, 2010
2,502
0
40
Manchester, England
yeah good point but there are also thin bits at either side and the prong inside would also be quite prone to snapping if the grain ran across the piece one would assume

Dave
 

Albus Culter

Maker
Jan 14, 2013
1,379
1
West Yorkshire
Are you saying the grain should be running horizontal to the needle?

If so, as Dave rightly says, the inner point would be very vulnerable. Along with the feet at the bottom and the main sides.

If I miss understand and you're saying the grain should be vertical in the needle, I think most people's are. Problem is the stress put on this as the opening is made or the tight curve is cut. The smaller the blade the easier this would go, but half the fun is in the trying and the learning.

with all respect and humility.

Many wood crafts would turn out a lot better for folks if they learned to orient the grain of the wood to fit the needs of the project.

First is to lay the grain flat against the thin stress points. For example: if you lay the grain of the wood flat across a netting needle, it will not crack or split on the thin areas.

Please understand that I am only trying to help those who might not understand this yet.
 
Yes I am saying that if the needle is laying flat, the grain should be running horizontal. This does not put any stress on the thin parts and in fact they are strong as if they grain was vertical. It does however keep the thin parts from cracking.

The edge grain should always be as long as possible and you need to remember that the thin parts of a piece if connected carry all the way through to the far side of a piece.

I will try and put a picture up later of one I made last week.
 
Last edited:

Albus Culter

Maker
Jan 14, 2013
1,379
1
West Yorkshire
Sorry. Slow on the uptake. If I understand, were talking about the grain running vertical through the needle, but not crossing the growth rings.
If that's it then, yeh totally agree. When I split my log in half. I chose the half were the growth rings were flatter and cut back to creat a board with as few growth rings running through the board.

And as above. No offence at all. Good to hear opinions. Just hard to put things across some times. I'm here waving my hands around demonstrating the direction of grain for clarity, but I guess you cannot see me hey ;)

I completely understand. I am not saying what people are doing is wrong or will not work, just trying to point out a tip that might help. I sincerely hope that I have not offended anyone.
 
1


I got it to work. You might notice that the grain on this needle is not perfectly flat. It was taken from the side of a 6" Ash fire log. The grain is going at about a 40 degree angle. There is about a 140 feet of braided and waxed line on the needle.
 
Last edited:

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE