Deep Natural Edge Bowl #222

Piece #222 – Spalted Maple – 8″ dia x 8″ – SOLD

I did a presentation for the Maryville, TN Arts and Crafts Guild in March. It was a big success. I had several people give me seasoned wood that they had in their yard. The material for this bowl came from Rose Marie in Maryville, TN.

In the design stage this piece had a small hidden foot that made it look like it was floating. However, after reverse chucking it to turn the bottom with the foot, it decided to jump off my lathe. Fortunately it did not hit me but it destroyed the bottom of the piece.

At the time I was a little ticked off so I decided to set it aside and come back to it. A week later I put it back on the lathe rounded it out again and finished the bottom flat, as there was not enough wood left on the bottom for the small base.







Natural Rim Deep Bowl #221

Piece #221 – Black Walnut – 6.5″ dia x 6″ – SOLD

This small, natural rim, walnut bowl was made from a huge walnut tree that once stood in Dean Enos’s front yard – until nature took it down. Dean and Joyce Enos live in Greenback, TN. I met them at the Foothills Mall Arts and Crafts show this spring.

Dean told me he had a pile of walnut limbs he had been saving in his barn for about four years. “This wood is really seasoned well and ready to turn.” he said. Man was he right. It is a dream to turn. I took four pieces from Dean. So far I have made three pieces from Dean’s walnut tree.

This bowl had an application of tung oil applied an let dry for about a week. Then I put on two coats of Behlen’s Rock Hard Table Varnish – sanding between coats with 320 grit paper. When that had dried about a week or so I buffed it real well with my Beal Buffing System.

Hackberry Open Form with Bark #218

Hackberry Open Form with Bark #218

Piece #218 – Hackberry – 9″ dia x 6″ – SOLD

We had a really bad storm come through Knoxville on April 27, 2011. A lot of trees were destroyed. This piece comes from a huge Hackberry tree that blew down at 8623 Nubbin Ridge Road. I picked up enough Hackberry for about eight nice size works.

This open form came from a nice size crotch. I turned it green to about 3/4″ wall thickness and then microwaved it about 20 times for 3 minutes letting it cool completely between. I turned it down to its finished size and brown bagged it for a week.218sml

Out of the bag I sanded it from 80 grit through 320 grit. Next I put on a coat of  Zinsser 00304 Clear Shellac Finish & Sealer and let it dry about a week. I then put on a very thin coat of Minwax Water Based Stain (Early American), let it soak for about 5 minutes and wiped it off. I let this dry for about a week then put on 3 more coats of the shellac.

Free Shape Bowl #214

Free Shape Bowl #214

Piece #214 – Tropical Almond – 10″ dia x 3″ – Sold

This natural edge and shape bowl is made from tropical almond.214sml

Tropical almond is a large deciduous stately tree, originally from India, growing up to 90 feet tall with horizontal whorls of branches offering clusters of foot long; obviate leaves that turn pink-red to red – yellow before falling. It has large (2 – 3 inches) nutty fruits that taste very much like commercially grown almonds.kauai_1988_131k

This bowl was finished with 5 coats of clear shellac.

Sold this piece on June 4th at Lenoir City Arts and Crafts Festival.

Wormy Oak Bowl #103

Piece #103 – Wormy Oak – 10.5″ dia x 4″ – SOLD

This oak bowl is made from an Oak tree that was removed because of a worm infestation. Evidence is seen in the bottom of this piece. I also left part of the bark visible on the outside of this bowl. It all works together to make this a very interesting conversation piece. It would look great on your coffee table up at the cabin.

Pet Cremation Urn #205

Pet Cremation Urn #205

Piece #205 – Guanacaste and Maple – 5″ dia x 13″ – SOLD

This beautiful Urn is made from the Guanacaste Tree. I made it so that half is the heart wood (dark) and half is the sap wood (light). This wood is really rare. I don’t think I have ever seen anything else made from this wood. It could be because it is pretty caustic. It really aggravates my allergies; makes me cough. I have to wear a face mask, open all the doors and make sure my dust collection system collects every particle. Nasty stuff.

Look at the tiny worm holes in the sap wood. However, there are none in the heart wood.worms205

205topThe top is spalted maple.







Cherry Bowl #203

Piece #203 – Cherry – 7″ dia x 5″ – Sold

This cherry bowl has a natural undercut rim. I was coming home from Walmart and noticed that someone had cut down a tree in their yard and the wood was piled up beside the road. I stopped and threw a couple of the biggest pieces in the back of my truck. This was a great find. I love cherry. This bowl is a real specimen piece.