07/02/2026
Woodshop Journal – 7th February 2026
This week kicked off with our regular monthly visit from ex-pilot and all-round steady hand, Sqn Ldr. Phil, who continued work on the prototype oars for Stormbird.
Using drawknives and low-angle block planes, and expertly guided by Colin, Phil produced a very respectable and era-appropriate working oar.
It’s the kind of patient, focused craftsmanship that takes real discipline — and the results are speaking for themselves. We have six to make, and thanks to Phil’s hard work and collaboration, we’re absolutely back on the right track.
Interestingly, we seem to be “trending” on restoration at the moment — not by design, but simply by following the flow of interest and opportunity. And it’s proving hugely rewarding.
Jim finished the restoration of a simple but beautiful memory box that once belonged to his dad. It’s not just woodworking — it’s preserving an emotional connection between past and present. A superb job, sensitively done.
Ian, having completed a small oak occasional table, is now progressing with a set of matching antique chairs. They’re nearing the finishing and polishing stage before moving into our newly created Fine Finishing & Fenagling Shop for upholstery work.
Meanwhile Angie has been busy balancing a woodworking project for her husband, creating additions to our Vikinian Army and restoring a mid-century Cheval mirror, sourced from a local “junk shop”. A great example of turning forgotten pieces into something valued again.
We were also joined by Vicky, who has made brilliant progress developing her woodworking skills. Growing confidence and capability have allowed her to competently tackle interior modifications to her camper van — while fully integrating with the crew spirit and always lending a hand wherever needed. Her infectious sense of humour is a genuine morale boost every time she’s here.
Les continues his multi-skills development, currently working towards his Certificate in Woodturning while perfecting his pen-turning technique. Using a variety of exotic woods, his pens are superb quality and increasingly in demand — both from visitors to site and through our occasional pop-up shop.
One of the most exciting developments this week was the opportunity to restore a small Jon Boat — a flat-bottomed craft designed for calm lakes and slow-moving rivers.
The backstory will be shared in a full media piece, but the short version is this: the boat was built by Major George Norman (RAPTC), who competed in the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne as a Modern Pentathlete.
Our initial assessment suggested a light restoration… but a closer inspection revealed this is going to be a full-on Repair Shop job.
Plans have been drawn up, decisions have been made, and work is already underway. We’ve nominated Les as Project Lead, and we’ll be keeping a close watching brief as the restoration progresses.
As always, we’ll preserve as much of the original craft as possible. A sympathetic restoration won’t just protect George’s design and workmanship — it will return the boat to a usable condition for future generations to enjoy.
You may also notice we’ve moved “Bob the Viking” into a more prominent position, and at the same time we’ve begun decluttering the site in preparation for our upcoming Spring Offensive. This includes plans to build out the Forge and create a Picture Framing Parlour.
Not only will this give our participants even more creative space, but also has the potential to generate a small but sustainable income stream through framing work.
Finally — we are actively looking for two important additions to our team:
🔹 A skilled COOPER, to help us create artefacts for our Viking camp
🔹 An administrator for half to one day per week, to help us stay on top of the equally important organisational side of things.
As always, thank you to everyone who continues to support what we do — the progress being made here is real, and it’s happening because of good people working together.
Happy Days!!
