Tree to Gallery
Most of the wood I use is from trees that have been blown down in storms and left to rot. Since I live in the Appalachian Mountains, I have a wide verity of wood to choose from. My favorites are maple, cherry, black walnut, and rhododendron root burls. I also turn sycamore, beech, apple, pear, sweet gum, rhododendron, oak, and hickory to name a few. I am always looking for unusual and interesting parts of a tree, such as burls, which are growths on trees and are my favorite part of the tree. They contain spectacular grain patterns. Another wood I look for is ambrosia maple. The ambrosia beetle boring into a maple tree creates a unique pattern. The beetle carries a bacterium as it bores through the tree causing a dark stain streaking along the grain. Spalting is caused by a mold, which often produces beautiful black lines through the wood.
Other materials I use include end grain sealer (for sealing fresh logs to keep them from splitting), glue, sanding sealer, sandpaper, and finishes including lacquer, shellac, tung oil, and wax.
Other materials I use include end grain sealer (for sealing fresh logs to keep them from splitting), glue, sanding sealer, sandpaper, and finishes including lacquer, shellac, tung oil, and wax.