Richard S Lane Rural English Craftsman & Woods Runner

17/11/2025

A little job to take down a small dead fruit tree, with all the high reach work carried out using my homemade Pole Saw, which I made from the tubes of an old defunct children's swing.
The property owners, who are friends of many years standing, agreed with my suggestion that the tree stump should be left as an example of natures sculptural grace.

10/11/2025

03/05/2025

Well I'm wondering, if and when there are no more stumps to pull, do you think I could get a job at a dental surgery pulling teeth....😉

14/04/2025

Just this evening I received a message telling me that the lady for whom a friend had asked me to make the little nail cross, died this afternoon.
As I said in my earlier post, I do not follow any of the Abrahamic religions, but, I do have deep spiritual awareness, so I do hope that the dear soul into who's hand our friend gifted the little cross that I made from horse shoe nails, I do so sincerely hope that during her final days and hours, in holding on to it, it might have, even in some small way, contributed to some reassurance, comfort and peace.

10/04/2025

A little job renewing the lead core in three steam engine firebox Fusible Plugs.
However not having a suitable size ladle for melting and pouring the lead, rather than surfing the internet to find and buy one on line, being a Blacksmith descended from a long line of Blacksmiths on both sides of my family, and with it being quite a simple task to make one, light the fire, and, get on and make one.

01/04/2025

Now personally I neither adhere to nor follow any religion, but I am what might be said to be spiritual, and since no one knows truly what are the origins of the Universe, it's current extent, destiny and the idea of infinity, I feel that we have to accept that ultimately both anything and everything is possible.
So, looking at things from that perspective who are we any of us to say that we and those things we feel or choose to have faith in are right and others are wrong.
The photograph shows a little cross made from three horse shoe nails, I made them for many many years and used to sell them at shows and exhibitions. This one however was for a close and long standing friend of ours who was one of the women bearers who carried my wife's casket at her funeral. She contacted me a few days go asking if I could make something for her to give to one of her old school friends who is struck down with cancer and will in a few days time be taken into a local hospice to live out the last days of her life's journey.
She wanted something that her friend could hold in her hand, so after discussing various options, as both she and her friend are followers of Christianity, she decided on a little nail cross.
No charge.

27/03/2025

Rams Head fire irons. Over the years I've made quite a number of them, and one of which a dear and valued friend of mine, a master craftsman wood worker, took with him when he returned home to Sweden some years ago and which now hangs next to his wood stove in his home nestled among the woods near the shores of a lake several hundred miles north of Stockholm, amidst the wild natural beauty of Sweden.
The one one the right of the photograph was bought by a lady many years ago.
When she became to frail to carry on living independently and moved into a care home she requested that it be returned to me.
So now, with the one on the left which I kept for Ann and myself to tend our own fire, when time comes and I'm no more, should they so desire there will be one for each of our grandchildren to tend their fires.

" In the absence of hand-made things, our culture is lost. Just as connecting with our food brings greater meaning to our lives, so connecting with the people who make everyday items brings meaning to the things we use in day to day life.
When items are made by hand, they have their own soul, teachings and memories to share with us. Tradition creates lineage, and that lineage connects us to the birth of time and the creation of the universe.
It's not humans by themselves who create culture. Culture is born out of our relationship with the earth and each other. If you want to save your culture, turn to the earth and begin anew."
Collin Beggs carpenter, timber framer, Idaho/USA.

17/03/2025

A job to remove four small trees which had been planted in an unsuitable situation on a narrow strip between a tarmacadam surfaced drive and what had been a high brick wall.
With the passage of time the inevitable had occurred with the roots spreading out under the drive breaking up the surface, and at the same time spreading under the footings of the wall causing significant damage resulting in major cracking which caused it to lean heavily to the point of being in danger of collapse and requiring to be reduced in height.
With a new wall and footings needing to be built, the trees complete with roots needed to be extracted to facilitate this. Roots extending under the drive needed to be cut so as not to cause disturbance as the stumps were winched out.
A tough little job, or is it more the case now being perilously close to seventy three, it just seemed so. Either way I have no choice....I have to keep going in order to keep a roof over my head and hang on to what I have so as to be able to leave what I have to my daughter and her family after I'm gone, and not to be spent keeping me alive living on some reservation for the old and disabled.

02/03/2025

Re-posted after minor alterations.

16/02/2025

Another little log cleaving job. Undoubtedly for many too strenuous a task to embark upon without the accompaniment of a purpose made diesel engine powered hydraulic splitter.
Yet so often cleaving it by hand is just as quick, if not quicker, than using an hydraulic splitter. Yes admittedly there are those occasions when a length of timber can be a "challenge."
However, these situations can often be reduced by reading the grain of the timber from it's overall shape, and then applying the cross cuts strategically, something at which my maternal grandfather was shall we just say very experienced and leave it at that. 😉