What's brown and sticky?

Yes, that old chestnut. The answer of course is "A Stick". You have every right to groan; indeed I applaud your good taste in so doing. So against my better judgement I've kinda started on the sticks in a small way. Not to say the arm is all done and dusted, 'cos it isn't, but I thought a little chopping and changing between the two tasks might make things less looming. Dusted was an unintended pun, btw... The picture on the right was my attempt to get a shave pony-user's point of view, but holding a camera underneath you chin isn't the greatest method of getting focused shots it seems. Yes, I was surprised too...

The more staged picture variety was a little easier, and the one on the left there links to the latest page of the chair album where you can see the endless steps required just to get a 3/4" stick from square to roundish. I've done, er, four. Ha hum. And they're not even close to finished size of course, not until I know exactly what bit I'll be using to bore the holes... But it's damn good fun though, plus you get to sit down the whole time which I hardly ever do usually in the w'shop. A router mat makes a handy non-slip cushion on an otherwise rather slippery stool seat, fwiw. Is there no end to its uses? Anyway, whoever it was who said something like "a spokeshave without a shaving horse/pony is like a something without a something" was right on the nose.

I know what you're thinking. One day my photographic memory for quotations will let me down...