From the tree to the bowl takes many steps……..

Fell the Tree

It all begins with the tree - preferably a large, old one that is unfortunately at end of life due to dying from drought or disease, or being a risk itself (too close to the house or power lines or from being a fire hazard).

Cut the wood into blanks

Once the tree has been cut down safely, it is time to create the wood blanks (the raw shapes to be turned later). The wood is first sliced, preferably at least 6 inches thick or as large as possible. The pit (the center of the tree) is removed, due to its tendency to crack during the drying process.

Band-saw the blanks

Round wood blanks are easier to turn than square ones, so the next step is to use the band saw to achieve this rounded shape of the blanks.

Rough-turn the blanks

Rough turning the blanks into desired shapes will reduce the drying time significantly. However, if processing a larger tree, skipping this step saves time initially. Although the unturned, larger blanks will take much longer to dry, it does allow more flexibility later to decide on shape and purpose of the final bowl.

Boil the Madrone blanks

For Madrone wood only, it is essential to boil the wood - yes, we cook the wood on a stove for about half a day! Madrone wood is extremely moist (it has over 60 percent water content) and is almost impossible to dry without cracking, unless the wood tension is released by boiling the wood. This process is a “secret” between the few wood-turners who specialize on Madrone wood.

Seal and dry the blanks

After sealing the blanks with commercial or home-made wood sealer, they must be stacked in a suitable place to slowly dry.

Conditions have to be monitored: too dry air and/or warm temperatures will accelerate drying and cause cracking, too moist unventilated air will cause mold and discoloration.

Drying the wood can take from a few months to several years, depending upon the wood type and size.

Turn the processed blanks

Finally, the wood is ready to be turned into final shape. This can take many iterations, depending on the final goal. The wood will then be sealed and polished, but not before multiple rounds of sanding - starting often with a 150 grid sandpaper, then 220, 300, 400, and for Madrone, it likes to be finished with 600, 800 and sometimes 1200 grid for a perfect shiny finish.