Our Handcrafted Process

 

All of Gedwoods handcrafted products come from local sustainable timber in the Speyside area. Trees which are windblown damage or need thinning to allow the light canopy to encourage natural regeneration. The tree is then cut into different log size sections depending on the handcrafted product:

 

Whisky Tumblers

From a log around 18" long and 10 - 12" diameter it is possible to make up to 24 tumblers. The log is cleft in half then half again to make 4 wedges. Using a carving axe and drawknife each wedge is then carved and shaped into a cylinder (enough to produce 5 to 6 tumblers from each cylinder) on a traditional device called a shavehorse. At this stage the cylinders of wood can be converted into the rustic design tumbler or it can be put on the foot treadle lathe and using various hand chisels and gouges shaped into either a smooth natural design, and using a wood shaving, burn marks are created via fire by friction to produce the 2/3 hooped design or the barrel design tumbler.

The next stage is to drill out the inside of each tumbler using a hand auger and then using a crook knife carve out the inside side walls of each tumbler to create the perfect drinking experience. After the carving process each tumbler is left to air dry slowly for a minimum of 3 months and then treated with walnut oil and then sealed with a food safe beeswax and ready for their first dram!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rustic Stools

A log length of around 20" is suitable to make the stool legs and around 10 - 14" diameter for the stool tops. Using a hand auger three holes (mortices) are drilled through the stool top ready for the stool leg assembly. The stool legs, available in ash and wild cherry, are cleft in a cleaving brake using a froe. Each leg is then carved and shaped with a carving axe and drawknife on a traditional device called a shavehorse. This makes stronger, lighter and more graceful legs than that produced by machines. Tenons are then formed on the legs using a tenon cutter (a bit like a giant pencil sharpener!). Once assembled the stool is lightly sanded and sealed with danish oil to leave a lovely silky lustre finish.

 

 

Rustic Log Display Stands

Smaller diameter logs of ash (4 to 5") are selected for making the log stands. Each log stand is created from one half of an ash log which is cleaved (split) into 2 halves in a cleaving brake and then carved and shaped with a drawknife on a traditional device called a shavehorse. Holes for the whisky bottle and tumblers to sit in are then drilled out and handles made from hazel wood inserted. Then finally holes are drilled for the beech legs. Finally the stand is sealed with danish oil to leave a lovely silky lustre finish

 

 

 

Ash Gates

Long before the days of sawmills this is how traditional rustic gates were made. Cleft ash timber is far stronger and durable than saw mill planked timber, not to mention more pleasing to the eye! To make these gates small diameter logs of ash are carefully selected for the various components for the gate and cleft (split) in a device called a cleaving brake producing two identical halves. These are now shaped with a carving axe and drawknife to make the horizontal bars, braces and posts of the gate. All mortices are hand drilled and tenons are shaped with a tenon cutter. The diagonal brace is attached to the gate using beech dowels. Made using no nails, glue or screws (perish the thought!).