Frequently Asked Questions
1. Where do you get your wood?
Much of the domestic wood is gathered by Barry directly as described above. We have an agreement with some local city arborists to take the city trees that are removed so they don’t end up in the city dump. Wood that has many imperfections (knots and voids) is normally unusuble for furniture and other woodworking. Woodturning enables us to incorporate these “defects” into the work in a way that makes each piece unique.
2. How do you get the pieces so smooth and shiny?
We sand most of our pieces from lower grits through a fine grit, 800 or higher. We oil some of our pieces: these are the ones with a satin sheen. Those items with a higher sheen are often wax buffed using a series of three buffing wheels coated in different buffing materials.
3. Can the pieces be used? Can I put things in the bowl or vase?
You cannot put water in any wood item, however, most of the items we sell can be used. The waxed bowls can be used as fruit bowls, and the oiled bowls can be used as salad bowls (as long as there are no voids (holes) in them. The oil we use is a walnut oil, so people with nut allergies should not use them for food.
4. How should I care for the piece once I get it home? Will the wood change over time?
As with any wood item in your home, no regular care is needed other than dusting or polishing. To maintain the shine on waxed items, additional wax can be applied if desired. We use Black Bison wax, but any untinted paste wax will do - just apply a light coat with a clean cloth and buff it off by hand. For the oiled items, a light coating of walnut oil may be required to keep the wood from drying out. All wood is sensitive to light, heat, and humidity, but if you keep the piece in your home, heat and humidity should not be a problem. We have pieces in our home that were made 15 years ago and are just as beautiful now as the day they were made. It is always best to keep wood items out of direct sunlight, as it can modify the coloring of the wood.
