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I found a couple of pictures that I took of Baker's tannery. The first is the liquor pit, where the oak bark is soaked to release the tannin, and the second picture is the tan-house, where there are about 72 tanning pits.

The oak bark is ground up by a water-wheel, powered by the adjacent river, and when it's not grinding oak bark, the water-wheel operates a series of shafts that agitate the content of the tanning pits.

There is archaeological evidence that tanning has been carried on at the site since Roman times!

Bakers2.jpg

Bakers1.jpg

post-7199-1224291465_thumb.jpg

post-7199-1224291500_thumb.jpg

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I found a couple of pictures that I took of Baker's tannery. The first is the liquor pit, where the oak bark is soaked to release the tannin, and the second picture is the tan-house, where there are about 72 tanning pits.

The oak bark is ground up by a water-wheel, powered by the adjacent river, and when it's not grinding oak bark, the water-wheel operates a series of shafts that agitate the content of the tanning pits.

There is archaeological evidence that tanning has been carried on at the site since Roman times!

What a lovely work environment. I wonder how often Workplace and Safety visit!!!! I'd like to see a shot of their lunchroom.

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Ray - Is the Weaver video a DVD, or is it lurking somewhere as a download on the Internet?

I sent them an email and they sent me a DVD - and jolly good it is too! Haven't seen it as a download -it is about 2.5 hours long.

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I sent them an email and they sent me a DVD - and jolly good it is too! Haven't seen it as a download -it is about 2.5 hours long.

It's interesting but not riveting!

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It's interesting but not riveting!

It is fascinating if you haven't seen the stuff before - I can't say I want to watch it again any time soon though so perhaps tonyc1 has a point... In its defence it WAS free!

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It is fascinating if you haven't seen the stuff before - I can't say I want to watch it again any time soon though so perhaps tonyc1 has a point... In its defence it WAS free!

Yeah Ray, it was free!

Tony

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I have dealt happily with JTB for more than thirty years but their mail order service seems to have gone downhill lately. Just had a delivery that was short of a whole load of buckles and a bottle of finish had burst inside the package and spoilt the leather - they always put bottles inside the parcels of leather - I complained but, living so far away, can't get them to do anything about it. No refund, no replacement and no damn buckles even though I have paid for them. Just a word from the wise...

Sorry if it looks weird replying to my own posts, but I need to set the record straight as J T Batchelor has finally sent me a complete pack of replacement leather, another liter of Bag Kote to replace the one that leaked and I even got the missing buckles!

Okay, I had to make a string of grumpy phone calls to get it but I want to be fair here - they did come up with the goods in the end. I just wish they would get it right at the outset. If it happens to you then please complain - a lot!

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What a lovely work environment. I wonder how often Workplace and Safety visit!!!! I'd like to see a shot of their lunchroom.

I don't suppose Health and Safety existed when they started out. There's probably the well-tanned remains of a few missing tanners at the bottom of some of those pits! :o

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Guys,

Sorry for the delay, away in NYC for a couple of weeks on business.

Got home to find some samples of oak-tanned leather from Bakers...

Beautiful.

I asked for an undyed Russet, London, Chestnut and Black. The leather is very nice indeed.

I'll try out my oil finishes on them and report.

Cheers,

Karl

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I'll be very interested to know what you think of it, Karl.

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