Category Archives: finding wood

Uprooted Ladle

A walk through the woods often makes me stop in my tracks. It may be something as simple as an interesting lichen on a rock or a deer bed. Other times it’s a phenomenal thing like this huge maple uprooted by the … Continue reading

Posted in finding wood, green woodworking, layout, spoons, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 12 Comments

Bird in the Crotch

A couple years ago, I experimented for the first time with carving a bird from the crotch of a tree. I carved a little bird and it worked out, even though the grain was a bear to deal with and there … Continue reading

Posted in bird bowls, cherry, finding wood, green woodworking, holding, sketch, trees, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

Barefoot Shrink Pot

And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet. Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet (1923) Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been fascinated by the magical surface of a tree when the bark peels off cleanly in … Continue reading

Posted in finding wood, Lettering, photography, quotes and excerpts, shrink box, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 16 Comments

Windblown Bowl Heading East

I love to watch tree branches dance in a breeze. If the wind really gets up, even the heavier limbs rock and sway. What a ride it must be; one that can shape the limbs themselves over time. This bowl … Continue reading

Posted in bowls, cherry, events, finding wood, holding, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 21 Comments

“Beddar Wood” is Basswood

As soon as I opened the pack of shims, I recognized the particular scent. I took a closer look at the package and noted that the manufacturer celebrated this wood as superior to the spruce, pine, cedar, or plastic used … Continue reading

Posted in finding wood, tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Working Small in Apple Wood

A couple weeks ago, a friend brought me a length of clear apple tree trunk, about 6 or 7 inches in diameter. Apple is relatively hard and dense, even when it’s green. Then it tends to move a lot as … Continue reading

Posted in bowls, drying, finding wood, green woodworking, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Riving a Cherry Crook

Some cherry branches with nice crooks fell during some recent windstorms. I snapped a few photos while splitting them into spoon blanks to show how I typically go about it. They can be split with an axe or wedge, but … Continue reading

Posted in cherry, finding wood, spoons, tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

Windfalls and Wheelbarrows

High winds blew over a lot of trees in our area in two separate episodes recently. The tall maple in the photo stood strong in round one but was toppled in the second. Fortunately, it missed the shed — just. … Continue reading

Posted in bird bowls, finding wood, nature, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 15 Comments

Bowl from a Plank: Part 2

Back to the “bowl from a plank” that I started in this post a couple weeks ago. After preparing the blank and laying out the hollow and rim, I began to hollow the bowl. Remember, this plank was completely dry. … Continue reading

Posted in bowls, finding wood, Lettering, Uncategorized, walnut | Tagged , , , , | 17 Comments

Bowl from a Plank

Sourcing, storing, and/or processing green logs can be a challenge for some people based on location and other circumstances. There are ways around it. I’ve written a few posts that feature bowls carved from dry wood, or other creatively-sourced blanks. … Continue reading

Posted in bowls, finding wood, layout, patterns, Uncategorized, walnut | Tagged , , | 15 Comments