Wood Turning - Art Or Science?

Wood turning is a craft using a lathe to make rounded wood objects and can be considered an art form, with technology playing a large part in the process. Wood turners therefore typically regard themselves as separate from mainstream wood working.

 

Wood turning differs from most other types of wood working because the wood is held firmly in a lathe and spun rapidly, whilst a special, stationary, hand held tool is used to cut and shape it. Many intricate shapes and designs can be made by turning wood in this way.

 

Wood Turning On A Mini Lathe

Watching an expert wood turner making an exquisite bowl, spindle, or goblet from a rough piece of wood can be inspiring.

Wood turning does requires skill but can be turned into a profession, or a satisfying hobby with the right attitude and effort.

If you're interested in wood turning as a hobby you can start with a mini lathe, which compared to a full size lathe is relatively inexpensive, portable and requires minimum space to operate.

Once you understand how to operate your lathe, how to use simple wood turning tools and understand   basic safety procedures, you'll be in a position to develop and improve your wood turning skills quickly.

The wood turning profiles that can be made from a single block of wood are almost endless but when all said and done, these profiles are usually formed from just a few common cuts, including fillets, coves, squares and v-grooves. 

 

Polmac (UK) Ltd Wood Turned Herb & Spice Boxes

Furthermore, you only need three basic wood turning tools to create these profiles. They include ...

• The roughing gouge which is used to form and shape the basic profile.

• The skew chisel which is sometimes used to create square grooves. It can also be used to plane and shape many other profiles.

• The parting tool which is used to separate a finished 'turning' from the remainder of the stock profile. The parting tool can also be used for cutting square shaped grooves in spindles.

Polmac (UK) Ltd uses skilled wood turners to create small round boxes with lift-off lids for containing fine herbs and spices. They're beautifully made, versatile and terrific value.

http://www.polmacuk.com

The Natural Beauty Of Wood Presentation Boxes!

Wood is a material that has been deeply embedded in the history, culture and life of humans worldwide. It was used to create fire, build shelters and make weapons, so it has satisfied the basic survival instincts of human beings, from the earliest times.

 

People have been fascinated by the colour, texture, tone, durability and flexibility of wood for thousands of years. It's one of the reasons it resonates so well in many traditional industries today, such as the Scottish whisky industry.

 

Polmac (UK) Ltd Wood Perfume Boxes

 

Wood is ideally suited to meet people's basic needs and desires. They want a calm, stress-free atmosphere in their lives. They also want to counter the constant 'white noise' they're subjected to, every day.

People today are savvy about the environment and how it impacts on their lives, so are searching for more sustainable, eco-friendly materials. When managed properly trees provide a rich wood resource that satisfies this need.

Polmac (UK) Ltd manufactures custom-made, wood boxes and sources it's wood supplies from sustainable and managed forests, near the beautiful, jagged Carpathian mountains in the south of Poland.

Every step of the manufacturing process draws on the expertise of our craftsmen, whether using the very best hand-crafting techniques, or technological innovations.

No other material today matches wood in versatility or beauty, so it is fantastic to see how creatively wood is used today, whether as a sleek modern design or a more traditional design.

Wood's true beauty emerges gradually over time and develops a subtle, yet rich, quality that gives it a true personality. This is why products associated with natural wood increase in perceived value and become instantly more attractive to potential customers. If people see real value in a product, they will always be willing to pay more for it.

This combination means that Polmac (UK) Ltd can create custom-made, wood presentation boxes and packaging of exceptional quality and beauty that your customers will find irresistible!

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Plywood v Solid Wood - The Pefect Combination!

Polmac (UK) Ltd uses a combination of solid, natural wood and plywood in the manufacture of it's customized, wood presentation boxes.

 

Plywood is essentially a wood product made from multiple layers of thin solid wood that are glued together to form a panel of a specified thickness. The layers are rotated so that the grain direction in one ply is at right angles relative to the adjacent layer. This increases the strength and dimensional stability of the plywood.

Plywood is most commonly manufactured in thicknesses of approximately 5mm to 19 mm. A standard sheet of plywood measures 1.2 m wide by 2.4 m long, although over sized plywood, can also be ordered.

Harrods Wine Cases (Made from a combination of solid wood and plywood)

Plywood is made from softwoods and hardwoods and is available in a number of grades. For example, 'A' grade plywood is practically free from all defects, whereas 'X' grade plywood has plenty of knots, knotholes, cracks and other defects.

The choice of plywood grade would naturally depend upon the usage. Where specified, only the best 'A' grade plywood is used in Polmac wood presentation boxes.

In large presentation boxes, Polmac (UK) Ltd often uses a combination of plywood and solid wood. Plywood is used for lids and bases where the surface area is large, in order to prevent warping. The sides of large Polmac wood boxes are usually made from solid wood, unless otherwise specified, as they are usually shallow and are stiffened and restrained by the lid and base panels.

Solid wood planks are sawn from logs, then cured outdoors and / or kiln dried. The drying process reduces the moisture content of the wood and increases its strength and dimensional stability. However, even after kiln drying, large solid wood pieces can still experience some shrinkage in changing atmospheric conditions particularly humidity. Careful monitoring of the moisture content is therefore necessary.

Solid wood is also graded depending upon whether it's a softwood or a hardwood.

Plywood is used when a sheet material is required that is not susceptible to cracking, shrinking, or warping, or where curved surfaces are required, such as round hamper boxes or hat boxes. In these circumstances using birch ply is ideal!

Polmac (UK) Ltd uses natural wood, in the manufacture of it's wood presentation boxes not only for it's intrinsic strength and stiffness but also because of it's beauty and aesthetic quality. Where there is the possibility of movement, high grade plywood is used.

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Counter Top Display Units - What You Need To Know!

Counter top display units are a quick and effective way to display and promote point of sale (POS) products and to encourage impulse purchases by customers.

These kinds of display units are made from a variety of materials such as printed, corrugated board, acrylic, sheet metal, steel wire, vacuum formed plastic and of course wood.

Polmac, Custom-Made, Alderwood, Counter Top Display Unit

The material used is often determined by the length of time the display unit is used. Printed, corrugated board is suitable for short-term promotions because of its relatively low cost and durability. However, acrylic, metal and wood materials are better for longer term promotions because of their greater durability.

Getting products to catch the customer's eye has a huge impact on sales, so choosing the right style and finish is essential. This is particularly true in today's busy world, where customers are often forced to make quick purchasing decisions.

There are a number of factors that have to be considered when choosing the type of counter top display unit to use, in order to maximize sales. These include:

1/ Ensuring visually appealing displays because prospective customers are influenced by presentation.
2/ Ensuring counter top display units are suitable for the type of products that are being displayed.
3/ Ensuring the size and capacity of counter top display units are compatible with the products and the space available for the display.
4/ Investing in premium quality, display units, so you get full, long term value from them. This makes good, economic sense because it's your investment after all!

Polmac (UK) Ltd specialises in supplying custom made, wood counter top display units. They're beautifully made, versatile and terrific value which means they help boost sales!

http://www.polmacuk.com

Sustainable Forest Management - A Vital Function Of Life On Earth!

Many people take forests for granted but have you ever asked yourself what life would be like without them? The fact is that life as we know it today, whether we live in a metropolis like London, or in the Amazon rainforest, would be impossible without forests.

So, why is that? Well, forests absorb and store carbon dioxide and so help to keep it out of the atmosphere. It is thought that, carbon dioxide and other 'Greenhouse Gases' in the upper atmosphere, trap heat from the sun, causing excessive warming of the earth's surface and destructive climate change.

 A Healthy Forest Provides A Diverse Habitat For Plants & Animals

Forests also play a vital part in the transfer of water from the Earth to the atmosphere, which is known as the 'water cycle'. Trees suck up water from the ground and release it into the atmosphere as water vapour, which then falls as rain.

The trees in forests has many uses including fuel and lumber and can be turned into wood products such as wooden boxes. They also provide shelter and protection against harsh weather, prevent soil erosion and provide diverse habitats for many plants and animals. 

Sustainable forest management preserves forest resources to meet the needs of future generations. Therefore, in sustainable forest management there is always a balance between the demands of the forest's natural resources and the vitality of the forest.

Planting a new sapling for every tree that is felled is the simplest way a forest can be sustained. Proper forest management however, takes into account a variety of diverse factors.

Selective logging, where only certain trees are felled, thus preserving the balance of the forest, is another sustainable forest management method. However, selective logging is time consuming and more expensive than clearing trees but it does preserve the forest's assets more effectively.

Selective Logging

Another example of sustainable forest management is allowing young trees time to mature. Young trees may have an intrinsic value, but this will inevitably increase as the tree matures.

Tree planting can increase the size of the forest and provide protected habitats for a wide variety of plant and animal species. 

It can be seen that forests provide a vital function in helping life on earth survive and prosper. It is therefore imperative that they are protected through sustainable forest management methods.

Polmac (UK) Ltd obtains wood and wood based products, used to manufacture it's customized, wood presentation boxes, display boxes and gift boxes from managed and sustainable forests, in order to  protect the environment for future generations.

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The Mighty Oak - The Essence Of England!

Oak is the common name for many acorn producing trees and the species is divided into two basic varieties - red and white oak. Throughout the world there are more than 600 varieties and they grow in the Northern Hemisphere in China, Japan, Europe and North America, except in Alaska.

Mature English Oak Tree

Historically, oaks have been revered by many civilizations, including the ancient Greeks and Romans. In Britain oak has a long association and is buried deep in the national psyche.

The Druids for instance thought that oak had medicinal and mystical properties and for centuries, an oak sprig was inscribed on English coins. It is thought that King Arthur's famous round table was made from a slice of one ancient oak tree. Oak was also used to build the ships that defeated the Spanish Armada and the French fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar.

Oak trees have an average age of between 200 and 400 years. However, there are oaks that are more than 800 years old and these were often used for important meetings and ceremonies. They were also used as property boundary markers because the wood is so tough, it endures for generations.

Oak Presentation Box With Metal Clasp

There are many famous old Oak trees in England, including the major Oak in Sherwood Forest. Oak has many uses and today it is best known in the furniture and building industries. 

Polmac (UK) Ltd uses oak to manufacture customized, wood presentation boxes, where specified. Oak is a very hard, dense and tough material and therefore specialist woodworking skills are needed to ensure the highest quality oak wood boxes are produced, every time. 

Oak also has a warm and rich colour, with a striking grain character, which means that the extra effort needed to produce the finest oak wooden boxes is well worth it.

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Electro-Plating Ironmongery For Wood Display Boxes - How The Magic Works!

In fairy tales, wizards use alchemy to turn ordinary objects into gold and silver. Alchemy is of course a fantasy but using specialized, modern day, electro-plating techniques is perhaps the next best thing. 

By coating a base metal with a more appealing (and expensive) metal we can quickly and easily transform the appearance of the base metal into something special and magical. 

Polmac (UK) Ltd uses ironmongery (caches, hinges, stays etc), with a brass, or nickel plated finish on our customized, wooden display boxes. This enhances the appearance of the ironmongery and wood boxes, by providing a highly polished finish that looks much like gold and silver.

Brass or nickel plated finishes are also long-lasting, economical and provide excellent rust and wear resistance. Other more specialized, metal plated finishes, such as bronze and copper can also be provided if specified, although these tend to be more expensive.

Polmac Electro-Plated Ironmongery

Metal finishes by their nature have a tendency to oxidize and will tarnish over time but using a proprietary metal cleaner when required, will soon bring back that original shine and sparkle.

In electroplating, two 'electrodes' are placed in a special solution called an 'electrolyte'. The electrodes are then connected in a circuit to a power supply, such as a battery and an electric current is passed through the electrolyte.

When the electricity is switched on, it flows through the circuit and some of the metal atoms are released through the electrolyte. These are then deposited as a thin layer onto one of the electrodes, which then becomes 'electroplated'.

The longer this electro-plating process continues, the more metal is deposited on the electrode. Adhering to strict quality standards ensures that the right thickness of metal is deposited on the ironmongery, every time.

http://www.polmacuk.com