After a stressful week in work I could have done with a rest, but an order from the shop for urgently needed stock, meant that there was to be no rest.
They wanted to try a new line - 'Desk-pots'. A great way of using up offcuts and fun to make. This was a batch of 8 samples just to see how they went.
![](http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a238/lessymonds/2014%2001/DSCF5253Medium_zps7a91e35d.jpg)
...next came an alder burr bowl with loads of natural features. I had a bit of trouble with this because the wax got stuck into all the little nooks and crannies, so I flash-flamed it with a blow-torch, which melted the wax build-ups and now it looks just fine!
![](http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a238/lessymonds/2014%2001/DSCF5259Medium_zps2969bfa9.jpg)
...this one's a 10" diam x 2" deep bowl in rippled, spalted olive-ash. The wood was exceptionally hard and really tested me.
![](http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a238/lessymonds/2014%2001/DSCF5263Medium_zps58e1f0f1.jpg)
...this was tricky (for me) and I had to glue much of the bark as I went along, but it's all quite solid now. It's alder burr (again) 12" diameter, the back being 6" high, whilst the front is only 2" high and I really struggled to stop the rim of the bowl flexing, given that it was so fragmented. It'll be a while before I try anything like that again.
![](http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a238/lessymonds/2014%2001/DSCF5267Medium_zps46a05178.jpg)
...this bit of pippy yew was a delight to work and took such a fine finish.
![](http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a238/lessymonds/2014%2001/DSCF5277Medium_zpsc2211bcb.jpg)
...a lovely piece of brown oak resulted in this 12" platter...
![](http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a238/lessymonds/2014%2001/DSCF5283Medium_zps68347af6.jpg)
...whilst this humble little piece of oak made a small, but none-the-less useful bowl..
![](http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a238/lessymonds/2014%2001/DSCF5290Medium_zps438d5c4c.jpg)
...now this was a treat, a fine piece of spalted elm that was a dream to work. It cut easily and sanded well, taking a good finish. It's made a 12" diam x 2" deep bowl...
![](http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a238/lessymonds/2014%2001/DSCF5293Medium_zps4ace4719.jpg)
and finally...a sizeable lump of alder (not burr, this time) resulted in a 12" diam x 4" deep bowl. The wood was quite soft to cut and tricky to get a finish on.
![](http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a238/lessymonds/2014%2001/DSCF5295Medium_zps1bd04567.jpg)
There was also a few other bits and pieces, but tonight I shall open a bottle and take a rest, knowing that I'll have earned a nice little packet and I've used all locally-sourced timber.
![Smiley :)](http://www.awgb.co.uk/awgbforum/Smileys/classic/smiley.gif)
Les