- Mould making for outdoor artifacts such as tables and chairs. The moulds can be custom made to order for a variety purposes. we have begun by producing moulds for outdoor furniture. The furniture itself is made from cement, sand and recycled crushed glass as the aggregate which gives a beautiful look once finished. We have also Begun making moulds for specialized walking stick handles made from different coloured resins.
- Rocking horses are carved by hand from reclaimed wood and are built from a number of different pieces which all lock together. The horses are usually painted a dappled grey but a variety of colours can be provided on request. They are then finished with top quality leather and brass.
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Woodturning workshops these consist of introducing people to types of wood and grain learning how to choose appropriate pieces of timber for the particular job. It is also a useful way of learning different types of finishes for the different effects required. To practice this craft we first make clients and staff fully aware of the health and safety issues involved in operating of the machinery. Generally pieces such as candle sticks, bowls and turned mushrooms would be made available for sale to the public through our
shop outlet on Great Western road.
The products are made from a variety of different woods, for example elm, pine and mahogany dependant on the type of wood available.
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Research and development takes many forms at the coach house. But the arches mainly concentrate on physical sides of this by making practical structures such as geometric shapes to help understand structure, form and strength in materials.
The renewable energy department under the stewardship of Antony Nicol the renewable energy manager is based in unit 10b click the link above for a more detailed description of the renewable energy department
Summary
The arches provide an environment where theory meets practice, for instance building geometric models of the c60 molecule, an icosahedron, as discussed earlier leads to an understanding of structure, form and strength but can also highlight the differences of bonds between each recycled materials at an atomic level which can help in the understanding of how plastic polymers and other materials are composed, which in turn deepens the understanding of the recycling process. Like all research facilities it may not demonstrate an immediate return towards fiscal sustainability but yet could hold the key to critical developments that may aid the trust on the road to becoming a sustainable operation.
Another key function of the arches is to give individuals the opportunity to Put into practice their own ideas. This can be critical to personal development, particularly for clients experiencing low self esteem. This process represents the very core of the trusts ethos and its ability to provide training and employment opportunities fro a diverse group of people.