Rod Jones, Mt. Evelyn, Victoria

King of the Fishers
Redgum, glass and Huon pine
1100 x 400 x 950mm

Materials
Redgum fence posts for the table and carvings, slumped glass representing water and Huon pine a contrast for the captured fish.
Recycled fence posts have been a regular source of timber for me, and much of my work is designed around them. My hall tables are no exception, even though I do make some from salvaged timber. The curved legs in the design were made specifically to curve around the rail checkout in the posts. The dimensions of the timber and the carvings are determined by the size of a standard fence post. By careful selection, the posts used come from the one tree. In this case only two fence posts were needed to make this hall table.

Joinery
There are eight hand cut mortise and tenon joints in my hall table. Four are blind mortise and tenons, where the front and back panels join on to the legs. Another four through mortise and tenons join the end rails to the front and back panels. The mortise is tapered so that tapered wedges are glued and driven into cuts in the tenon. The exposed end of the tenon is then bevelled with a sharp chisel to make a feature of the join. The other two internal rails are dowelled into place with at least one dowel passing through the blind mortise and tenon join to ensure this join cannot pull apart.
The carvings were cut initially on the bandsaw, then carved with various attachments on an angle grinder.
The fish was carved using palm chisels, then attached in place with a 3mm stainless steel grub screw. The eyes are black perspex. If by chance the fish is damaged or broken (as it is rather fine), it can be removed with an allen key for repairs.

Glue
Wellbond Professional Wood Glue, an aliphatic resin. A special silicon adhesive is used to attach the carvings to the glass.

Finish
Rustins Danish oil, four coats to date.

Glass
The glass panel was made by Laslo Birro.

Concept
I occasionally see an azure kingfisher perched on a branch waiting to spy their next meal, when I am kayaking on the Yarra River near Melbourne. They appear to have a favourite section above a still clear section of water. They dive with lightening speed, streamlining their bodies and entering the river in a cloud of spray. The kingfisher is an accurate and clever fisherman and emerges from the water triumphantly carrying the fish in its beak back to its nest as its partner watches on.
I have attempted to capture this moment in time with the design and my carvings of the birds.

Photos: Rod Jones