Inside the Boleyn 2013

 March 2013

I wasn't sorry to see the end of 2012.  The losses of two of my oldest and closest friends affected my life profoundly for some time.  One of the telling symptoms was the complete loss of any interest in my beloved workshop which remained locked up and silent for several months.  This website too seemed superficial and was deemed unworthy of any attention.  But after a long and dark period the ending of which coincided with the lengthening of the daylight hours, I decided to check both the site guestbook and email account.  I was predicting with traditional Old School Pessimism that both would be empty.  I was wrong on both counts.  There were enquiries waiting to be answered, proud owners wishing to share their machines with the Boleyn Workshop and the inevitable junk mail.  My interest was once again kick started into life  and finally normal service may resume. Changing computers has not been such a good idea as all of my stock photos are on the old tower which is now refusing to start and not allowing me to transfer them on to the laptop.  If only Coronet made computers...it may well weigh 1/2 a ton and be maroon in colour but at least it would bloody work!

I must visit Derek and see how the Minorette is looking and also inspect his new machine.  He collected the on/off switch and the mortising jig last year so it will be good to catch up and update the web page with some new photos.

May 2013

So that burst of enthusiasm was only temporary...but towards the end of this month I had enquiry through the website from a chap which ended up with him buying the Minor Ten in One.  This freed up some space in the workshop and allowed me to set up the Majorette on the bench ready to start work on.  It also kick started me into phoning Derek as one of the attachments listed with the Minor was still attached to the Minorette in his workshop.  To be honest I had forgotten all about it but am off to collect it and catch up with an old woodworking mate on Saturday.  There have also been many enquiries for manuals and about spares from people who have come across the Boleyn Workshop while trawling the internet for information on Coronet Machinery.

As predicted the Minor Ten in One has been sold and now resides in North Wales.  The next project is going to be the Majorette and is already set up on the bench in the workshop. I have decided to do another nut and bolt restoration and hoping to get some of the original paint analysed and made up for respraying.  Once again I will be taking photos of every stage and posting them on their own page along with accompanying text.

August 2013

The Walker Turner floor drill has been sold and moved to Cornwall where it will be soon be joined by the Walker Turner jigsaw.  This has created some much needed space on the workshop floor.  It has been a busy few months for Coronet Minor manual sales with manuals being sent off to South Africa again as well as the UK.  Two of these enquiries ended in more entries for Readers Machines and Ashley from "Coronet Heaven" acquired a new machine which will be posted up soon.

August 3rd

I have arranged a loan deal on the Minorette so this morning I delivered it to a local destination for refurbishment and use. See here Coronet Minorette

August 10th

Sat in the workshop trying to make some sense of life, failed miserably.  It's no good moping though, must just get on with it.

August 22nd

Some donations of tools and haberdashery items have arrived to cheer me up.  A friends Grandad had been clearing out his workshop and had a bunch of tools that he no longer needed.  Some woodworking tools including a wooden smoothing plane looking like it had hardly been used and some sharp saws.  He did not want to take them to the tip and had been alerted to the work of Workaid and TFSR so kindly donated them.  Thankyou Tom's Grandad.


September 2013

The WT jigsaw has now been collected making some space on the workbench.  The stove has been dragged out and repaired (see Apollo no1 stove) so hopefully the Boleyn will now be a smoke free zone apart from when I spark up a crafty fag.  The Majorette is clearly visible for the first time in two years and I have started getting prepared to make a start on a full nut and bolt restoration.  In other words I have looked at it, gone off to make a cup of tea and not returned.  It is next on the list though and a pic by pic account will be put up as it happens.  But don't hold your breath. The Minorette has had some use in carrying out some toy making projects which have gone down well with the recipients.  I also note that it is in very good condition and is not in urgent need of restoration.  Another project will be to get some more photos up on the site.

 September 5th

I was contacted by someone requesting help in identifying some machinery left in a neighbours shed by her deceased husband.  Well it turns out he was a man of impeccable taste as one machine turns out to be a Coronet International Woodworker no less.  I was duly sent some photos which have been put up on its own page.

November 2013

It was out with the Minor and back in with the Minorette as I brought it back to the Boleyn after visiting Mr Derek.  He has acquired an Axminster adjustable speed lathe which suits his needs perfectly.   Sometimes you just need a machine that stops and goes and is adjustable with the minimum of fuss.  He has produced some great little bowls with hand tied fishing lures set in a clear resin.   Have a look below to check out his work.

Some nice work there Derek, well done and thanks for sending in the pics.

So the Minorette is back in the Boleyn for the duration while I arrange its fixing up and selling.  There is some space for it now that the Walker Turner floor drill has been sold and gone to a woodworking machine enthusiast called Ben in Cornwall.  That sale funded the purchase of a Walker Turner 700 series bench drill off of ebay which I had assumed was a 900 series but was delighted to find out it was not.  It's the first one I've seen come up on ebay and won it unopposed probably due to its condition.  As I write it is sat on the worktop dripping in WD40 looking far worse than the *bay photos.

Also in November I had an enquiry from Mario in Malta who desperately needed a new planer shaft for the planer attachment for his Coronet Minor.  His machine had apparently stood for ten years with a damaged shaft.  Finding a spare in the workshop was the easy bit.  Next were the logistics of getting it out to Malta when it weighed over five and a half pounds  (approx 2.5kg in new money).  In their own inimitable style the Royal Mail priced themselves out of it by seemingly wanting to charter the Red Arrows to escort it over the Mediterranean to Mario's workshop.  Their estimate was over twice the cost of the shaft and I reluctantly reported back to Mario that it was looking to be prohibitively expensive.   Undeterred he took to the internet and found a low cost shipping to Malta firm in Essex and passed the details on to me.  Their quote plus the Parcel Force quote to deliver it to their Essex depot worked out approx one third cheaper than the Royal Mail and with my discount for a fellow Coronet machine owner, the deal was struck.  I would give the transport firm a plug now but the Joey Essex soundalike I spoke to on the phone was so uninterested when I called that I have decided not to.  I'm sure they're gutted.   The Boleyn what? they probably thought.  Anyhow thanks to the interweb thing that is paypal, funds were soon in my account and I sent the shaft on the first stage of its journey and then it was up to the Joey Essex soundalike to ensure it went on to Malta.  Credit to Joey I had email updates from every stage of its voyage including delays, dockings and landings and eventually a delighted email from Mario saying it had arrived.  It had dropped in to place, had been calibrated and was ready for work.


Technically I have sold a basic Coronet Major consisting of the lathe, saw table and planer to a buyer from Blackpool.  I say technically as we still have to arrange a halfway point between there and Dorset to meet and hand over. 


Damn long push to Blackpool.  Only kidding, we're meeting halfway in a service station just south of Brum.  And looking at the state of the wheelbarrow wheel it's a good job I'm taking the car.   Although the Major is a bulky machine when set up it breaks down into compact components that are easy to handle (if you're Iron Man) and will fit into most small cars.   The longest piece being the bed bar which is approx 48 inches.  Enquiries I often get are about collection and transport of a newly acquired or sought after machine so this picture should give a good idea of what is achievable.(March)  The Coronet Major for cash exchange took place as planned after a slight delay due to me being in the wrong place at the right time.  Yes, and all my fault.   I had carefully planned the exchange that would take place at Strensham Services on the M5 southbound.  I arrived early and was enjoying a decent coffee and Boost bar when the call came that they were five minutes away.  "I'm right outside the entrance by the coffee sign, I'll look out for you!"  I replied excitedly.  Fifteen minutes later and Mario was on the phone.  "I'm at the entrance Pete but I can't see you."  He sounded worried.  Uh oh...the realization hit me that I was actually on the northbound side of the M5.  Mario and his mate were in the right place at the right time unlike me.  It was a four mile dash up the M5 to the next junction and roundabout and another four miles back down the other side before we met up.   Mario and his mate were enjoying a cup of tea and I would have loved to join them but thanks to my error I was now in a hurry to get back to Dorset to pick my daughter up from school.  However I was assured that this Coronet machine was going to a good home and by the seaside to boot.  Result.


December 2013

The Apollo stove page generated an email from another owner who rightly thought he was probably the only one.  Like me he was restoring it and was grateful for the tip about the the fire cement block repair compound.   There must have been thousands produced in their day and I wonder how many more there are out there.

This month I found information listing my website as being worth $473.00 or £288.86p.  How do they work that out?  Well who cares anyway.   The WT700 has been stripped and the motor given to a friend to examine.   Apart from some seriously rusted up bearings it looks like a runner.   Some manuals have been sold to Coronet owners in the ROI and England, someone in particular will be getting a pleasant Christmas gift.   I am missing the 1930s sofa already but it seems to be surviving in a childs bedroom so far which must surely be less daunting than a Luftwaffe air raid.  However I have nowhere to sit down but as I am only open to email enquiries now until Jan 2nd I have some time to sort that out.   Merry Christmas everyone. 

Make a free website with Yola