Friday, February 03, 2012

Pewter and laburnum


All the pewter at my home is now in danger of meeting the melting pot. At about £35 per kilo I'll probably wait until boot sales start up this spring to replenish supplies. (Anyone have any lying around that is of no use?)

I found it handy to prepare the pewter elements in advance to fitting on the green timber. The ring on the end grain bowl was fit with a tongue and groove joint and epoxy. The foot ring inserts are a handy way to decorate and clean up the foot.

Bowls are finished with oil and wax.

Laburnum and pewter end grain bowl
5 1/2" x 4 1/2"

Laburnum cross grain bowl
8 1/2 " x 3 1/2"

Foot ring and insert detail
Wikipedia entry on laburnum
All parts of the plant are poisonous, and can be lethal if consumed in excess. Symptoms of laburnum poisoning may include intense sleepiness, vomiting, convulsive movements, coma, slight frothing at the mouth and unequally dilated pupils. In some cases, diarrhea is very severe, and at times the convulsions are markedlytetanic. The main toxin in the plant is cytisine, a nicotinic receptor agonist. It is used as a food plant by the larvaeof some Lepidoptera species, including the buff-tip.

1 comment:

Drusy said...

Beautiful, but CAREFUL you don't make yourself sick between toxic wood and lead!