I’m a big fan of painted woodenware and have been experimenting for a while now with different recipes of homemade paint. The egg based tempera I used on my spindleback chair was lovely but takes several weeks to dry properly so I’ve been researching making milk paint. This is a soft paint that covers well and ages beautifully as the paint wears and develops a patina. Milk paint was traditionally made by souring the milk to separate out the curds which make the base for the paint however I’ve been looking for a simpler alternative which is easy to make up in small quantities. In the US powdered milk paint is available in various colours which are simply mixed up with water and this is what I want for my own work. I can then make up a dry batch with the colour I want and then mix up just the quantity needed knowing it will be the same shade each time.
The recipe I’ve been using is based on powdered milk paint which you buy in the supermarket along with bicarbonate of soda from the baking aisle. Lime is sometimes used but I prefer bicarbonate of soda as it’s safer, easy to buy in small quantities and some pigments are not compatible with lime. You can also use borax which is available in chemists and makes a good alternative to the bicarb.
Here’s my recipe:
- 4 parts milk powder
- 1 part bicarbonate of soda
- 1 part pigment
- 6 parts cold water
Simply mix the powders together then add the water and stir well. Leave the paint to sit for 1 hour then stir again and paint. Milk paint dries quickly so don’t hang around once you’ve started using it and be careful not go back over areas as you can wipe the paint back off making a mess. Despite it being touch dry in 15mins of so, if you’re painting on extra coats make sure you let the paint dry fully, ideally overnight, as again the paint will come off if it’s not properly cured. I’ve been using earth pigments as I like the colours and using natural pigments seems to fit better with milk paint though artist’s pigments will work and have some really vibrant colours which are appealing.
The sample in the photo is a piece of dry ash painted using red ochre pigment. You can see the difference between a single layer and two coats of paint. In the top corner I’ve painted over the red with black, a traditional combination for windsor chairs.
There’s still plenty more to learn about working with milk paints so if you’ve suggestions or advice, share them in the comments.
This photo shows why I was so keen to get turning beads with the skew chisel under my belt. After years of making post and rung chairs I’ve finally set my sights on making some windsor chairs so I’m investing time into building skills and sourcing tools for the work.
Well, no more of that, I’ve decided to go into 2013 with with me and the skew as working partners so I spent an evening watching whatever videos I could find online into just how people manage to turn over smooth beads without digging in. I’ve not posted any links because, honestly, there wasn’t really one video that had it all. In lots the camera seemed so far away or at such an angle that you couldn’t see the action or there was a perfect bird’s-eye view of the spinning timber but no idea what the person holding it was doing. Watch enough of them though and, assuming everyone’s doing it the same, you can piece together enough of a theory to take to the lathe; it worked for me.
This was highlighted for me last week when I gave two sessions on setting-up the scythe for people buying them for Christmas presents. Heather & Annie came together wanting to also learn about mowing brambles and we spent some time outside while Pip just wanted to know how to fit all the parts together and is now eagerly awaiting the spring.
Sometimes, you just want to take the piece of wood and beat the hell out of it. Thankfully, the other week when Phil, Frank and I did just that it was for good reason and not just to release some built-up frustration.
It’s always easier to actually get on and try these ideas if there’s two of you so I mentioned it to my mate Phil Bradley who’s a basketmaker. He was immediately excited by the possibilities and the video links I sent so we met up on a damp day earlier this month for what we refer to as a ‘play day’ but should probably come under ‘continuing professional development’ or something.
Shrink pots are a simple project; a greenwood log is hollowed out and the inside smoothed using gouges before a shallow groove is cut on the inside at one end. A base is cut from a dry board which fits loosely inside the pot and is captured in the groove as the pot dries. I then shape the outside or leave it with a bark finish and fit lids once the pot has found it’s final shape. They look great for tea and coffee in the kitchen and have loads of uses around the rest of the house too.
