The Shilling Forge

Locally sourced sustainable wood slices, with a contrasting shiny copper insert. Available in a variety of sizes. Now available from Blue Magpie

Here

Glassy gloss or flat Matte?

Been experimenting with a few different types of epoxy resin, to find the ideal crystal clear finish..

Freshly poured in the sunshine.

Test pieces after curing for 24 hours.

The finished article, passes quality control. Glassy & clear.

Copper & silver coins treated for unusual favours.

Simple, solid, functional.

Pleasing to the eye & tactile too..

Inspired by Danish design, these bold & beautiful door stops need never be repositioned or replaced. The simple & effective shape means they will keep your door static, regardless of the angle & look great at the same time.

Made from reclaimed hardwoods, including: Oak, Walnut, Mahogany & composite combinations. Built to last & finished with natural wax & a super grippy bottom.

Timeless & classic.

Form & function combined.

Hand turned on the lathe & finished to 1500 grit, ensuring a silky smooth touch. Each piece is unique, showing individual character through the grain & form. Some tall, some shallow, domed or pyramid, convex or concave. Choose the style & shape to suit your individual purpose. Custom/batch work available upon request.

These Stops are now available at the Blue Magpie Studio.

If you’d like to see more of our woodwork ideas, take a look here

Pre-decimal Florin, (2 Shillings) cleaned up & ready for drilling.

Brief is: Remove the centre piece of the Rose pattern. Fold the remaining material into a cone, and then a ring shape.

Leaving the remaining symbols of the United Kingdom (Thistle, Leek, Shamrock) & date on the outside, with the details of the Monarch inscription retained on the inside.

Seems the tricky bit is getting it dead centre.

After some ‘trial & error’ with varying bits & adjustments on the lathe..

Stage one complete.

The Tudor Rose inserts could be put to good use somewhere else perhaps?

For more coin related work, take a look at the metal section here,

Commission to clean, drill, powder coat black & reveal detail on an 1883 original US ‘Morgan’ Silver Dollar.

At 90% solid silver, this piece weighs in at 26.73g. An impressive & striking coin.

The backstory goes the coin was won in a Las Vegas casino slot machine on a tour of the USA. So holds sentimental, as well as actual value & was required to give as a gift to celebrate a decade passing since the trip.

The commission was to highlight the reverse side, in a solid black powder coat, then to reveal the detailed Eagle design, leaving the obverse & edges in a cleaned & flatted/brushed condition. To apply a clear Gloss powder coat protective coating the entire piece & suspend from a key ring blank.

The position for drilling was agreed after discussion, to be directly into the ‘O’ leaving a balance to the piece. American coins are unusual in they ‘flip’ from top to bottom, so this left the portrait of Anna Willess Williams (as Liberty) at an angle, with the puncture hole appearing just after the 1883 date.

Customer opted for a bronze colour ‘lobster claw’ style fob & split ring, as opposed to the standard silver, to match the impressive size & weight of the coin & to offset & compliment the silver & black.

For off the shelf UK & World coin key rings, have a browse over in the Metalwork section of the site.

Custom orders are always welcome & most coin types & dates can be sourced directly from our contacts, or if you prefer a custom job, using your own coins, drop us an email to discuss your requirements. A selection of fobs, split rings & chains are available for further personalisation & customisation. theshillingforge@gmx.com

Been experimenting with wooden rings in the workshop this week.

After several failed attempts & breakages, seems the way forward is to layer up a selection of woods, cross grain, to maintain strength. This also adds interest & character, with almost limitless combinations.

Here are the prototypes, showing a variety of designs in a combination of French Oak & Black Walnut.

Still a bit rough & unfinished, should look good after a fine sanding & application of lacquer..

The varied grain in the Oak sits well with the solid darkness of the Walnut.

These will be available in a variety of styles & sizes.

Looking forward to experimenting with some unusual new designs. Have some Yew ready to go, the colour variance is stunning & should compliment.

Will get some shots up, once the prototypes have been finely worked & finished.

Any suggestions or requests welcome regarding a personal choice of woods or finishes, or if you would like rings made from your own stock, feel free to get in touch & let us know your requirements. theshillingforge@gmx.com

For more examples of the woodwork pieces available, please take at the ‘Going against the Grain’ section.