Utilitarian Objects

Mortars & Pestles Clamps Wrenches/Tooling The Stitching Pony The Crucible

We humans have been smashing things for a very long time. At some point in prehistory, in our effort to do whatever we do even better, we figured out how to smash things in a slightly more controlled and contained way. Enter the mortar and pestle. The oldest mortar and pestle we’ve found is dated to about 35,000 BC. The Stone Age. As a point of reference, we were smashing things with a mortar and pestle approximately 31,500 years before we invented the wheel.

Now fast-forward almost 35,000 years to more recent past when I was a smaller human and was tasked with the job of smashing, with mortar and pestle, the mahlepi for the vasilopita. What that means is that I had to pulverize these little cherry seeds (from within the cherry pit). This seed dust became an ingredient in my mother’s vasilopita, a traditional New Year’s bread. I didn’t know it at the time, but the heavy brass mortar and pestle I struggled to use (see the photo below) belonged to my maternal great grandmother. I also didn’t know, until last year, that we had the one made of wood (in the other photo below), which belonged to my paternal great grandmother.

In the even more recent past, a few months ago, I was trying to crush some nuts (because I spoil the wild birds that hang out on my windowsill, but was trying to keep the little ones from flying off with nuts the size of their heads). My method was absurdly inefficient. Nuts were flying, and my ratio of smashing attempts to successfully crushed nuts was woeful. I thought it would be much easier with some sort of flat ended pestle, so I decided to take a break from all of the moving and repairing of machinery I was bogged down in to make one. It turned out quite nicely (the red and black one further below) and needed a mortar. And so here we are…

This is the second mortar and pestle set made from steel and a single block of Claro Walnut, a western species similar to, but denser and more figured than, the more common Eastern Black Walnut. The design is a bit of a blend of Japanese minimalism and Eastern European brutalism, both of which have always been inspirations for my art.

After making a couple very clean sets, I felt that they were too clean, and there needed to be some naturally imperfect elements in them. I chose a block of wood that had splits, veins of bark, and other flaws in it. Once I bored out the center, it was so unstable that I had to put clamps all around it to keep it from splitting completely and falling apart under force while I worked it. You can see some of these flaws in the photos below. The next step may be to introduce flaws into the steel, as well.

clamps

I’ve wanted newer, better clamps for a while now, and the big C clamps get in the way of everything. The kant-twist type clamps are amazing but cost prohibitive, so I figured I could probably just make them. I started prototyping with some left over 7 gauge (3/16”) steel plate in the shop. The thick plate seemed like overkill, but then overbuilding a clamp isn’t the worst idea.

The rounded clamp with the protruding side bolts (above right) was the first prototype. Due to the significant weight and the extra thick, flat edges, it sits solidly on almost any side, making it easy to position material in the jaws with one hand while turning the handle and closing the jaws with the other. The second version has sharper corners for even more balance and stability, and countersunk screws so the faces sit flat when it’s on its side. And it’s a little more Darth Vader, which is always better. They can be broken down so any part can be fixed or replaced. Also, if I need soft jaws or jaws with a different profile for some fancy clamping, they can be swapped out in a flash.

The next version will have a few significant changes that will make it even stronger and easier to use, and should streamline the fabrication.

I’ve since learned that when someone asks you to make them a stitching pony, what they mean is, please screw some 2x4s together and stick a rubber band around it. Left to my own devices, this is what happened instead.

With the idea of cheap 2 x 4s out the window from the start, the decision making came down to balancing, in no particular order, strength, functionality, comfort of use, and, of course, aesthetics. The recipient has a deep love of oak, brass, old tools, and old furniture, so that was the starting point. 

The oak has lark’s tongue chamfers both for comfort of handling, and so the edges of the base don’t cut into the thighs if it’s being used in the sit and straddle style. It’s heavy enough with all the hardwood and steel that it’s not necessary to straddle it for stability, though. The oak’s been darkened with an old world ammonia fuming, and finished with a true Danish oil. 

The locking handle (below right) is shellacked Brazilian rosewood with a brass cam and a blackened steel shaft. On the other side, the tensioning handle is blackened steel with a brass “dome” set between it and the wood (bottom left). This keeps the pressure from the handle centered regardless the angle of the tension rod, and it keeps the handle from binding on the wood. 

It’s about 17-18” tall and 6-1/2” wide. All parts (except for the wood screws) were milled, machined, and finished in the shop.

I designed and made this crucible for someone who found herself engaging in the ancient task of pouring wax seals. She needed to melt enough wax to pour a number of them efficiently (and repeatedly) in one sitting. The bowl is spun, sanded, brushed (outside) and polished (inside) copper. It measures approximately 4-1/2” in diameter. The base is 1/4” thick, blackened steel. (Seen here without the fancy and aesthetically pleasing beeswax candle heat source.)

For some broader examples of my work, click the link below.