Saturday 20 November 2010

Woodlanders Wagon


 Over the last couple of months I've been helping Martin build a Wagon which we can use when doing coppice and woodland work over in Leicestershire. It's a bit like a gypsy caravan, but built without a plan!  It has a happy sort of Heath Robinson feel to it, where we work out what needs doing as we go along... with just about enough forethought to hopefully save us from any major errors...so far, so good!

I think we are both loving this project to bits though, and it's becoming a wagon with great expectations. Looking forward to hours whittling by the stove after a day working in the wood.

I just hope it goes for a test drive sooner rather than later though as Martin has been taking some of the supporting strutts out in order to make space for the stove and bed. My eyebrows did raise a little!? "Are you sure about that I asked?". "It'll be like an aircraft, we'll put 4' panels of ply in the corners instead", said Martin.
Alder hoops square lashed to the frame to make the barrel shape.

Martin trimming the front and back walls to a curved shape.
The tongue and groove wood came from an old chicken shed. 

Canvas pulled back while the front and back is cut to shape.
Watch  this space for more pics soon...we are ready to cut windows in the front panel to match Martin's lovely half cut door with diamond shape in. Then fitting the canvas properly and fixing the bed and stove in place. Yee Haa!!!

6 comments:

  1. This is lovely! I love these projects, building things by eye and no plans.I have built a skin on frame canoe and a skin on frame kayak that way a few years ago. It's a very organic thing to do. I am looking forward to more pictures of it in use too!

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  2. Hi Liz,
    I bet you could do with that when you are off to the woods as I think it might be a tad chilly in your tent.
    Love the chairs
    Cheers
    Mark

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  3. Wow, what a waggon! It looks very impressive and I'm looking forward to seeing how it progresses. Hope you're still having lots of fun in the woods! :)

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  4. How will you keep the canvas from being ripped from its moorings whilst driving down the highway?

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  5. Hi. How is it going with the wagon?
    ATB
    Joel

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  6. It really does have a gypsy look to it. I like it.

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