There's Gold In There.

Last week I finally found a wood source. I'd love to tell you all about it, but as any turner knows, places to get wood aren't as easy to come by as you might think. Especially in a city where no one really plants trees that'll grow over 20' any more.

The place I stumbled upon has piles of off-cuts and the fella who owns the lot said I could take whatever I wanted -- as long as it was from the scrap pile. So, armed with a chainsaw and a tape measure, I began climbing all over the piles, dragging out things I thought might have an interesting grain hiding inside.

I'm not absolutely sure, but I think this is a piece of elm. It was a thin piece with lots of new growth, and a big burl sticking out of the bark.

Some cracks I glued to keep them from spreading, some I left alone.

Mostly, as I got into it, I thought the coloring was incredible. (Just think, this was in the trash heap.)

From the top, it's beautifully split in two.

From the bottom, it takes on a whole different look. This bowl's 11' by 3.5" deep, and finished with tung oil.

I was thinking I'd give this one away for a wedding present, so I chose this button for the bottom. Who knows, maybe it'll be the start of my Wedding Bowls Collection.

And if you look carefully, you can see the lip is beginning to heave after only two days. Now, we wait and see how far this things moves. Will it crack? Will it split where it's heaving. Dunno. Time will tell.