Back Scratcher

ByBruce Sharp January 20, 2020August 30, 2021

Here are the parts of our back scratcher.

As with most of our work, fixing is achieved by belting 6mm dowels into 5.5mm holes.

The handle is well suited to batch production but the body of the scratchy bit took a while. Each had to be individually marked out. It was the least efficient part of this project. BUT, because my friends get such a kick out of whacking bits of dowel, it was worth the effort.

Here is the finished object. Each of my friends embellished the work in their own style. This one has string, others got pieces of ribbon and graphics with a pyro pen.

Creative efforts | Disability work | Woodwork

Jewellery Box

ByBruce Sharp August 4, 2015August 21, 2021

For Whom Do We Make? The stuff we make involves many interested parties. There are: the makers, staff who help, managers of the centre, recipients of the objects, et al. Given the positive power of enthusiasm, it is good to spread that good feeling as widely as possible. When the makers make more than they need,…

Toys | Woodwork

Simple machines

ByBruce Sharp February 13, 2016August 21, 2021

Simple Machines Blogging takes time and my recent past has involved a sick wife and a new grandchild. Suburban life is rich with texture. It can make blogging take a back seat. Following is a report of a nice afternoon in my shed with my son! My disabled friends haven’t been ignored, the next blog…

Disability work | Woodwork

Sanding Wood is Fun!

ByBruce Sharp August 27, 2017August 23, 2021

I Broke a Promise… …but I also made a discovery. When I began doing wood projects among my disabled friends I made some promises to myself. The promises were a personal, but unwritten, statement of policy. I promise to: do work that is engaging because the thing we make is interesting, never to do all…

Disability work | Toys | Woodwork

Spinning Top

ByBruce Sharp July 27, 2015August 21, 2021

The act of making is its own end! My friends may comprehend nothing of the object they have created, but are always richer for having been engaged in the act of making it. With little prior experience of working in disability services, I had no means of judging the progress of a lesson. More experienced people than…

Creative efforts | Disability work | Toys | Woodwork

Sensory Wall

ByBruce Sharp August 29, 2017August 23, 2021

There is a quiet room where the more stressed of my friends find gentleness. Fixed to the wall is a plywood panel that enables us to stick stuff where ever we feel. The stuff is really a collection of toys that have something sensory about them. It may be a movement or a gentle noise….

furniture | Recycling | Woodwork

Pallet Wood

ByBruce Sharp August 22, 2021August 27, 2021

Pallet wood has challenges.If patina tells a story, this is a saga of neglect.The milling process was rushed, the drying stage left twists and warps, and nails fixed the stigma of an abusive past with rusty stains.With such baggage, construction needed to compensate by accepting skewed realities. All timber in this table was rescued from dumping…

One Comment

Brian H says:

July 27, 2020 at 6:35 pm

Love the creative thinking behind your work, Bruce. Everything from the recycling to the design of work that can be enjoyed by your friends. Thanks for sharing.

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