This month, I have not been as active in the shop due to many other things going on.  I have managed to complete a few pieces with a handful more to apply a final touch to the finish.

This Spalted Live Oak Natural Edge Bowl has been my crowning achievement this month so far.  The grain was so soft in some areas I didn’t know if I would be able to complete it without it exploding on the lathe.  A technique I decided to try out paid off, using layers of shellac to bind the fibers together.

This bowl came with some interesting surprises, the video below is hollowing out the inside and reveals the surprise near the end.  I never know what is going to be inside these pieces of wood.

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Spalted Live Oak Natural Edge Bowl - February 2015

This Spalted Live Oak Natural Edge Bowl measures 9 ¼" in diameter, 5" from table top to highest point on rim, and weighs around 1 ½ lbs. I had no idea this piece of wood had this much character before mounting it on the lathe, it looked like many of the other blanks I have lying around. The happy surprise came when I formed the inside and discovered the beautiful grain within.
Available Qty: 1

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January was busy, I managed to rough-out over 50 bowls.  They are now curing and will be finish turned when the moisture content is appropriate.  This could take several months, but I am planning to build a drying kiln when I have the parts all gathered up.

I did finish a few pieces, either from wood that was already dry, or I cured them in the microwave before finishing them.  Here are a few of the pieces I completed:

Black Locust Bowl, turned from a hollow dead locust tree that my dad cut in the North Carolina mountains.  The hollow of this tree was filled with large black carpenter ants, they flew out at my while turning it.  Some of my family and friends may remember my dad being trapped under a tree for over 8 hours last spring, this is the type of tree that pinned him and one of the trees he was attempting to remove while logging.

Black Locust Natural Edge Bowl - January 2015

This Black Locust Natural Edge Bowl is the first piece I have ever turned from Black Locust. It has a very unique feel, even though there is a large hollow space filled with carpenter ant tunnels, it is still quite heavy. My daughter described the finish as "Silky" and said she liked rubbing it on her face because it felt good. I guess that is a good thing? It weighs in at a little over 3 lbs.
Available Qty: 1

Cherry goblets cured in the microwave, then finish turned.  These are coated with Salad Bowl Finish which is food safe (not recommended for alcoholic beverages).

Oak bowl turned from lumber that has been air drying in the top of my dads barn for around 20 years.   Food Safe Salad Bowl Finish

Red Oak Salad Bowl - January 2015

This Red Oak Salad Bowl measures 7 ½" in diameter, 1 ¾" from table top to rim (sitting on foot, not depth of bowl center). The bowl was coated with Salad Bowl Finish, a non-toxic hard finish.
Available Qty: 1

Another Oak bowl turned from the same board as the above bowl.  This bowl is the first ever of this shape I have turned, depending on response I will be turning more.  Future bowls like this will not have the “Center Bowl” included unless specifically ordered that way.  Food Safe Salad Bowl Finish

Another new item I had not made prior to these two, these are kids “Spinning Tops” and they are addictive to play with.  These are also Oak from the same board as the above two bowls, and finished with Non-Toxic Mineral Oil.

In a previous post, I shared a video of one of the tops being tested out.  Here is a link to that post

In the last post, I mentioned a big announcement coming with this one.  Well, the plan hasn’t come together yet, so you are going to have to wait a little longer.