This ends up being a 2fer gloat is because several weeks back, just after buying my HF lathe, the Winston-Salem CL had a post for some free cypress so I got a pickup load, but didn't post it because my skills were close to zero... in other words, if I could not put it to good use then what good would a gloat do.
Well my skills at this point have improved a little, but are still not all that great, but the truck load of maple I picked up today really needs a gloat.
This was another CL find in W-S.
The family that posted the maple loved their tree, but after a power company crew cut it back severely and ruined the tree they decided to take it down. They have a two year old daughter, so I'll try to make a child's bowl for her and give them something to remember the tree by.
This first pic is of the maple with a little of the cypress in the far right background.
This one is just the maple.
These big chunks are a mix of both maple and the cypress. (there are two even larger pieces of cypress up by my shop)
And, speaking of skills... I don't think these turnings are good enough to warrant a topic of their own but I'll post them here so that you can see that some progress is being made.
The small tray and the salt box were turned from a board that I picked up at the W-S Habitat store. It was well seasoned, rough sawn, and about 1x12x48. It was mostly clear, but did have a large knot and a bend one one end. As you can see in the pic it has a rich chocolate color... my finish was mineral oil and bees wax, so the color you see is close to natural. I think the wood may be walnut???
The other tray (trivet?) was turned from a 1x12 pine board. The mallet was just a whimsical trial at turning plywood, it worked out OK but I have no great desire to do that again anytime soon. :08:
Thanks for looking... Ken
