Food and drink
Tea and coffee are available at breaks, both morning and afternoon with biscuits and cake provided to keep up energy levels. Please bring a packed lunch with you unless otherwise stated.
COURSES FROM COPPICE DESIGNS
Stick Making
Just a one day course so we will plunge straight in - gloves on and play around with freshly steamed hazel to experience bending and straightening firsthand.
Depending on stocks of hazel shanks we may create some hazel / chestnut /ash crooks (one piece) with a special forming jig, we will certainly prepare a thumb stick each, amongst other naturally formed handled sticks. All will be from my large stock of seasoned blanks, mainly hazel but also ash, chestnut, birch, dogwood etc not forgetting the infamous blackthorn which we will examine in detail the myths, uses and characteristics of this most ferocious thornwood, including how the earliest golf clubs were made and what is the difference between a shillelagh and a cudgel!
There is no time on a one day course to go further and make two piece sticks from different woods or horn antler etc but we will look at the different types, where to find them, how to cut them and examine a good easy alternative to a steam box for straightening.
Learn where and when to find your own sticks - including twisters - what causes the corkscrew effect on young stems and can we replicate it?
You will go home with several finished sticks to amaze your friends and family with.
Duration: 1 day
Dates 2012: TBC
Tutor: Andrew Basham
Price: £50
Materials: Approx. £5/stick
Location: Workshop, Goldstones Farm, Ashdon