– from tree to finished product

Bowls and other turnings start as trees. Trees and parts of trees are collected from anyone and anywhere.
It’s not unusual for someone to ask if a bowl can be made from a tree that has stood outside their home for a century or so.

It is marked as to date collected and type of wood and seasoned. This time varies as to species of wood and the size of the piece.

Wood blanks are mounted on the lathe and rough shaped.

Shaping a bowl consists of turning both the inside and outside of the blank.

It looks easy but keeping the bowl’s thickness uniform during the process takes some doing.

A lot of wood shavings are produced during he turning process. These are used in the wood stove to heat the shop, reused as fillers or recycled.

Once the bowl is shaped it is put away for more seasoning. It is covered with a wax coating which is later removed. The wax slows the moisture loss due to evaporation to help keep the wood from cracking as it shrinks during the drying process.

Bowls are returned to the seasoning shed for a year or longer. As required they are pulled out and receive their final shaping.

Once the bowl receives it’s finished shape it moves to the finishing room. Here it gets the finish of choice. This could be a food safe oil or varnish.

“And no. I don’t use this stuff on my head!”

It is a long journey from the woodlot to a finished heirloom bowl each step demanding both care and creativity. With proper care the bowls will provide both form and function for generations to come.