matt@customsawdust
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customsawdust.co.uk
matt@customsawdust
@customsawdust.co.uk
210 followers 550 following 690 posts
Unique furniture designed and handmade in Cheltenham, UK
Shameless self promotion and liker of pet pics
https://customsawdustco.etsy.com
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customsawdust.co.uk
something like this? the dimensions aren't quite right, looks a bit too desk-like at mo, probably needs to be ~10cm lower

the little side shelves are primarily there to prevent racking rather than bulking out the steel frame, but not sure of them either
CAD model of a coffee table design
December 14, 2025 at 6:54 AM
customsawdust.co.uk
this afternoon allowed some time for #welding guard rails to the angle iron shelf supports

will clean up tomorrow & prepare the steel to join them together 🧵/8
Part of the steel frame of an oak & steel spice rack being welded on a welding table. In the background are stacks of completed parts. Using e6013 2.5mm electrodes on a Parweld XTS MMA welder.
December 13, 2025 at 7:50 PM
customsawdust.co.uk
we provide this little arsehole bowls of fresh water and a little drinking fountain

naturally none of these are as delicious as puddles or, as of this #caturday morning, the reservoir under the Christmas tree
An incredibly grainy low light photo of a tabby cat under a Christmas tree
December 13, 2025 at 1:15 PM
customsawdust.co.uk
next up, cut those rails to length then bend them to a sort of stretched "C" shape 🧵/7
A red metal bender on a workbench in the process of bending some flat steel bar. Surrounding it are piles of completed bent bars, and a few straight bars yet to be processed.
December 12, 2025 at 5:17 PM
customsawdust.co.uk
I also #handmade steel & oak toilet roll holders, which would be an... inventive... way to say "i love you" at Christmas

between £25 & £35 including free UK shipping and also on #etsy at customsawdustco.etsy.com
A white steel toilet roll holder incorporating a small oak shelf. A black steel toilet roll holder attached to a wall. A roll of toilet paper hangs from it.
December 12, 2025 at 9:41 AM
customsawdust.co.uk
🎄LAST WEEK - Order by Friday 19th to get your beloved a spice rack before Christmas 🎄

#handmade steel & oak spice racks are the ideal gift for anyone in your life who eats food

Between £25 & £69, all with free UK shipping, on #etsy at customsawdustco.etsy.com
A silver/grey steel and oak spice shelf attached to a kitchen wall. It is filled with herbs & spices, oils, and vinegar. A coffee mug, coffee beans, and a moka espresso pot are beneath on the kitchen counter. A white steel and oak three tier spice rack on a kitchen counter. It has a unique design with the middle shelf cantilevered out to the left. It is filled with herbs and spices, balsamic vinegar and oil.
December 12, 2025 at 9:32 AM
customsawdust.co.uk
very brief update, starting to make guard rails - gather ~7.5m of flat bar and, as before, grind off the mill scale & surface rust 🧵/6
A bundle of flat steel bars on a workbench. They are covered in mill scale and surface rust. A bundle of clean, shiny, flat steel bar on a workbench. An angle grinder is in the background.
December 11, 2025 at 2:32 PM
customsawdust.co.uk
having ground everything clean, cut to final lengths before drilling and countersinking holes for mounting oak shelves to the steel frame, and to allow mounting the steel frame to a wall 🧵/4
Three stacks of angle iron in three different lengths on a workbench. The angle iron is clean and shiny with countersunk holes drilled at various points. A box of drill bits lies amongst clutter in the background.
December 9, 2025 at 12:05 PM
customsawdust.co.uk
next, grind off mill scale while complaining about how much i hate this task

incidentally, if you see furniture described as "raw steel" it means they've skipped this step. Mill scale has a certain aesthetic but flakes easily, carrying any lacquer with it, and left unprotected can rust quickly 🧵/3
A length of angle iron in the process of being ground clean. One half has a dull silver sheen, the other half is still dark with mill scale and oil. In the background, a Bosch N377 angle grinder cleaning disc, the best I've found for cleaning mill scale and surface rust.
December 9, 2025 at 11:34 AM
customsawdust.co.uk
first step, gather 5 metres of angle iron (this will make an initial batch of six models) 🧵/2
Several lengths of angle iron on a work bench.
December 9, 2025 at 10:56 AM
customsawdust.co.uk
Build thread for a new spice rack design

This will be an asymmetric steel & oak 3-tier with capacity for ~17 jars and be suitable for wall mount or countertop

It won't be ready in time for 🎄 but customsawdustco.etsy.com has plenty of alternatives if you're short of gift ideas 🧵/1
CAD model of a three tier spice rack. It has a grey steel frame incorporating guard rails around wooden shelves. The shelves are of unequal size, the bottom shelf is widest, the middle shelf narrowest, the top shelf inbetween.
December 9, 2025 at 10:49 AM
customsawdust.co.uk
1) Where's that smoke coming from?
2) Why is my tummy warm?
3) Am I on fire?

#metalwork safety procedure
A cotton weave work jacket with a big hole burnt in it, behind is a slightly charred black t-shirt, and behind that a slightly toasty me.
December 8, 2025 at 12:31 PM
customsawdust.co.uk
this was when I realised my performance review would not include a Christmas bonus
The face of an extremely grumpy tabby cat who is furious at the diabolical service around here
December 6, 2025 at 9:52 AM
customsawdust.co.uk
in hindsight, a toasty warm top venting computer case not my best idea
A tabby cat looks lustfully at the forbidden warms emanating from a blue computer case. His ears tilted back toward the human who told him he's not allowed up there. A somewhat smug tabby cat warms his bum on a computer case top vent and casts a defiant glance at the human who just told him "no"
December 4, 2025 at 10:32 AM
customsawdust.co.uk
oh John, that'd be lovely

I make steel & oak furniture - predominantly a lot of spice racks - welded by hand in a leaky Cheltenham greenhouse. Lots of different models, some for the countertop, some wall mount

can only ship to UK at present, customsawdustco.etsy.com
Two slim shelves on a kitchen wall. Made from a black steel frame which incorporates a guard rail and a solid oak shelf, they hold herbs, spices, sauces, oils, and vinegar. Beneath, on the counter, are coffee beans, a coffee mug, and a moka espresso pot. A bright red three tier steel spice rack on a kitchen counter. It has an asymmetric design, with the bottom shelf wider than the top. It holds twelve herb and spice jars. A moka espresso pot, house plant, and coffee mug are adjacent on the counter.
December 4, 2025 at 7:37 AM
customsawdust.co.uk
cat hasn't moved from warms in about a month
A tabby cat sits in front of a fire. Please don't judge the dodgy plastering round the fireplace surround, it's next year's job, promise.
December 2, 2025 at 10:52 PM
customsawdust.co.uk
customers looking for availability of these spice shelves, i know the 50cm black ones keep going out of stock. Welding up another 6 this morning, trip to the sawmill this afternoon, should be ready next week

(other colours/sizes still in stock)

customsawdustco.etsy.com/uk/listing/4...
Two slim spice shelves attached to a kitchen wall. They have a black steel frame incorporating a guard rail, and solid oak shelves. The top shelf is 32cm wide and holds 7 herb & spice bottles, the bottom shelf is 50cm wide, holding 8 herb & spice bottles, plus larger sauce, oil, and vinegar bottles.
December 2, 2025 at 8:40 AM
customsawdust.co.uk
to toot my own trumpet just a little: thanks to an uptick in sales, and some really nice reviews, i got an #etsy "Star Seller" badge today

customsawdustco.etsy.com
Cropped screenshot from Etsy's backend shop manager dashboard: "Congrats, you earned the Star Seller badge for December". Also highlights mini badges for "Speedy replies", "Smooth dispatch", and "Rave reviews"
December 1, 2025 at 3:21 PM
customsawdust.co.uk
should have done this long ago but finally ditched bubble wrap in favour of hive wrap/paper/cardboard based packaging.

These shelves soon on their way to Kent

(*will continue to try to re-use packaging that comes into the house, including plastic based)
Two narrow shelves on a workbench. They are wrapped in honeycomb paper / hive wrap, a dispenser roll is in the background.
December 1, 2025 at 12:12 PM
customsawdust.co.uk
final sale post I promise: this small #handmade solid oak & steel spice rack, nominally holding 12 herb & spice jars joins the 25% off end-of-line sale and now just £41.25 (inc UK shipping)

sale ends 2nd December, dare say makes a good present

customsawdustco.etsy.com/uk/listing/1...
An empty black metal spice rack with 2 oak shelves. An empty white metal spice rack with 2 oak shelves. A coffee mug and house plant are to the right.
November 28, 2025 at 2:25 PM
customsawdust.co.uk
something other than spice racks, there's been this brilliant new invention called "toilet paper". it's really great & i recommend you all try it. You'll need somewhere to store it so I welded this simple toilet roll holder - £18.75 inc UK shipping

customsawdustco.etsy.com/uk/listing/4...
A roll of toilet paper hangs from a black steel toilet roll holder. Two steel toilet roll holders, one white, one black, rest on a white surface. A fitting kit consisting of black screws and red wall plugs, and a roll of toilet paper are adjacent.
November 27, 2025 at 1:47 PM
customsawdust.co.uk
*rummaging* what else is on sale? oooh, these oak & steel models are so nice they're currently my pinned post, and on sale for £44.25 (including UK shipping) till 2nd December

customsawdustco.etsy.com/uk/listing/1...
A black steel and oak three tier spice rack on a kitchen counter. It has an asymmetric design with the bottom shelf wider than the top. It is filled with 12 herb & spice bottles. A white steel and oak three tier spice rack on a kitchen counter. It has an asymmetric design with the bottom shelf wider than the top. It is filled with 12 herb & spice bottles.
November 27, 2025 at 8:45 AM
customsawdust.co.uk
the face of a cat who's just been told it's not dinner time yet
A tabby cat glares imperiously from an elevated soft white padded bed. Undisguised fury emanating from every whisker, it is still not dinner time.
November 26, 2025 at 1:57 PM
customsawdust.co.uk
continuing the pushy promo posts: this #handmade #artdeco style tiny solid oak spice rack. In hindsight too small so on sale at £26.25 - a perfect gift for the unadventurous cook in your life or just to keep your 6 most useful spices on the counter

customsawdustco.etsy.com/uk/listing/1...
A small oak and stainless steel spice rack on a counter. With heavy roundovers and fluting it nods toward the Art Deco style. It is empty. A small oak and stainless steel spice rack on a counter. With heavy roundovers and fluting it nods toward the Art Deco style. It holds six herb and spice bottles.
November 26, 2025 at 10:22 AM
customsawdust.co.uk
added an extra fence to the stock parallel guide but a pretty basic setup. Apologies if I'm stating the obvious but travelling in the right direction is pretty much the only golden router advice I can offer
Routers in a toolbox
November 25, 2025 at 8:25 PM