Table of contents

Ongoing projects

Here are some of our current projects. Some, like bird boxes and bug houses, are staple products, which we make and sell throughout the year. Others, like the garden benches being restored for the Hampshire Constabulary at Netley, and the library garden tables and fences, are one-off projects which we undertake at the customers' request:

• Bird boxes

• Bug houses

• Boot holders

• Woodland carved figures 

• Canoe stands

• Garden benches (police, Netley)

• Library garden tables and fences

• Pet (and other animal) planters

• Oven Gotchas

• Hedgehog houses

These are staple products which are very popular. Recently, Tony Kingston, our "Shedder of the Year", made a number for Bitterne Library's "Marvellous Makers" event. Only the bare outside was made by us; the children at the event were invited to complete them themselves with whatever they chose to fill them. It was reported as a very successful event. Here is our other Tony, Tony Morris, our treasurer, with one of the partially completed bug houses, and there are also materials on the desk that can be used to make up more:

The materials inside can be many and varied, as long as they are attractive to bugs. Cork and canes are very popular, as are pine cones, like these collected by Hugh, one of our longest-standing members. There is no need for materials to be expensive, or indeed to cost anything at all.

There were further events, starting in April 2025, where we provided more kit bug-houses, for children to complete at the event. 

Pet and animal planters

These have proved very popular, and Tony Kingston, our "Shedder of the Year" in 2024, has been turning them out to order. These are reindeer planters. You can get an idea of the design and the size:

Here is another view (with Den, our Projects Manager, in the background):

Tony does other animals. This is a front view of a dog planter. These have also proved very popular:

Oven gotchas

Another popular idea, these have been made in quite large numbers for many years (originally by Graham, now by recently-joined member Clifford). Their function is to get trays, etc, out of the oven without burning your hands. Here are two, awaiting finishing (the edges will be rounded off before they go out):

Benches for the Hampshire Constabulary, Netley

This is a project headed up by Michael Clowes (our health and safety representative), where we have been asked to restore some benches at the constabulary site. The work that has been done so far has been highly praised, but it is very weather-dependent: the work cannot be done in the rain.  Recently, however, the weather has been very dry, and good progress has been made.

Some other projects

Not all our projects are for sale in the community. Many of our members spend a long time, outside as well as at the club, on projects of their own. Nick, for example, has made some very beautiful, and (he says) very effective longbows. Here is one that is still in progress. It is good to see that our fighting traditions are being kept alive: 

These are probably the finished product. 

Nick has other skills. Here are some exquisitely-finished cutting boards:

Other members are also very skillful. Clive is a whittling expert, and here is one of his creations: