The gag order has been lifted!

Okay, I must apologize. Being new to the blogging community, I didn't know that my settings restricted comments. That is just uncalled for! Anyway, now anyone can comment. And as long as you meet my neanderthal standards, I'll leave it up! :-)

I've been searching around for burls today. One that I like very much is camphor burl. The photo says it all. Gilmer Wood Company says the wood is stable and easy to work. I think I need to find out, don't you?

One concern is the moisture content of the wood. They list it as green to partially air dried. That adds a level of complication...

Oh yeah, and you have to buy $100, minimum, at a time. I'm thinking they do this Internet thing reluctantly, how about you?

I turned some red palm and b&w ebony today. The red palm splintered and the b&wE streaked with sanding. At least they were predictable. I worked around those problems, and now I have a couple of cute little shaving brush handles for 22mm knots. When I finish the CA wars, I'll post a picture.

CA wars? You say? Well, we all know that CA has a mind of its own. It responds differently to every wood I think. With a little patience though, it makes a great finish.

Speaking of CA, if you are looking for a good deal, this is one place to look. The guy running this outfit is named Gordon. If you decide to buy here, get used to Gordon spamming you. He can't help it. I've asked him to take me off his list four times. My request sticks for a couple of months, then he spams me again.

Hey, why should he listen to me? I'm the customer after all! Anyway, if you can live with a potential "new best friend for life", check it out. I'm already infected so I guess I'll buy again. Do you think I should?

Night, night...

Happy Easter!

This will be short tonight, but I wanted to share some brush pics. First, a customer designed sweetheart on the left and a brush based on one of my designs on the right. I like them both, but isn't it interesting how the one on the left makes you focus on the profile and the one on the right makes you focus on the grain? One of the joys of woodworking is the wood characteristics. The ability to work the wood is one, and the grain is another. It's a tough choice, but with burl, I have to go with the grain.

Speaking of burl, I have the chunk on the right on it's way. It's very turbulent looking don't you think? I'm looking forward to working with it.

Buying wood via the Internet is not an easy thing to do. As I've said, I've been treated right by the Exotic Wood Group. Their wood is reasonably dry, and it has met my needs. That's where I bought this hunk of Brownian Motion. I can't wait to cut into that baby!

Buying on ebay has been a bit more hit-or-miss. I have picked up some beautiful pieces, but some have been very green.

Actually, I am a big fan of green wood. It turns beautifully. The problem is that it has a mind of its own after you are done. So, to make it work, you have to turn it, then let it rest and dry, and then finish it. Or, go for the rustic "I turned it, then it shaped itself" look. Personally, I like both outcomes, but some don't. You better know your customer before you choose your path!

Good night my friends. May all your (and my) tools be sharp in the morning!

A turn for the better!

Now that's a nice chunk of wood! I made this shaving brush (the photo shows several different angles) this week from thuya burl. The wood is well-cured, so I am hoping that the turnings don't change in shape too much. The wood is not soft, but definitely not hard either. It loads up sandpaper quickly, so it pays to cut the shape you want with your turning tools.

It sure is beautiful isn't it? I almost didn't send it to the customer -- but then I would just have to make another one. If I really need one for myself, I'll just have to make it!

Let the Blogging Begin!

Wow! I'm really happy to be here. If you are reading this, you are reading my stream of conscience at this moment. This blog will be about handcrafted woodworking. As a furniture maker (mostly windsor chairmaker), wood turner, and wood enthusiest, my vision is to create an intersting place to learn about the craft. I don't have all the answers, or all the ideas, but I have some. And I'm looking for the rest! So, let's get started.

Today I worked with thuya burl for the first time. I bought the blank at the Exotic Wood Group, which has treated me well in the past. The nice thing about their website is that they provide pictures of many of the actual wood blanks they have available. That way you at least have some idea what you are getting.

The chunk of burl I received turned out to be pretty sound. It has a few checks, but I think I will be able to work around many of them. It has very nicely figured grain, which is the point right?! I cut a slab off of the chunk (technical, I know) and turned a shave-brush handle out of it for a customer. I have to say, it turned out beautifully!

Anyway, enough bragging. Thuya burl works very nicely. It cuts smoothly for a burl, and finishes well. When I was sanding the brush handle, the sandpaper did load up quickly. That is okay with me, since all I really care about is that I get the finish I want. An extra 20 cents worth of sandpaper is worth it. This stock has some voids, but so far they are easily filled with the finish and a bit of sawdust.

I am using CA for the finish. I will complete the process tomorrow and polish it up. When I get done, I wll post a picture for all to see.

So, this is just the beginning. Stay with me and lets see how things develop!