Turning Local Hardwoods Into Heckathorn Yarn Bowls

Fresh hardwoods are not always available here, and while Florida live oak is plentiful, premium hardwoods like cherry, pecan, cedar and camphor to name a few are a rare find. Recently, Bob found a reliable source for prime cherry hardwood; a particular favorite for its minimal warping, stunning tones and a very hard durable finish that resists dents and dings.

Turning fresh hardwood into yarn bowls is a lengthy process spanning several months. Each bowl starts after fresh log is cut into blanks. Each log is stripped of bark and trimmed with a chainsaw into a cylindrical shape.  Next the blank is mounted on the lathe for a rough turning, shaping and hollowing. After roughing out, each bowl is set aside for a drying period of one to four months time depending on weather conditions (humidity, barometric pressure and temperature). 

Rough turned yarn bowls, drying over time.

The drying period is the most critical stage for  fresh turned wood. A stretch of dry, cool weather for example can cause the bowls to warp and crack. Some hardwoods (like cherry) are less prone to warping and cracking, other hardwoods gently warp, while many crack considerably, or warp and crack. Nature determines the condition of the bowl when it’s dry enough; as interesting wood patterns and challenges emerge. The choicest bowls are finished first. 

Most wood turners reject cracked and warped bowls; discarding them to focus on more pristine specimens. Bob sets these nature challenged bowls aside until his supply of hardwood gets low, and he has the necessary hours to rescue these gifts from nature. This is when the real magic begins –with restoration techniques that result in his most artful offerings. 

Natural cracking during the drying process. These bowls are extreme examples of how a combination of certain weather conditions can crack and warp bowls. Bob has several techniques to prevent drastic warping as shown here. But when nature takes it course, the wood can have a mind of its own!

The larger cracks are filled with our proprietary inlay; in custom colors mixed to complement the bowl. Fine cracks are filled to match the wood tones. Bob’s process follows the ancient Japanese philosophy “Wabi-Sabi”, embracing the flawed or imperfect; highlighting the cracks and repairs to honor the life of an object rather than allowing its service to end at the time of its damage or breakage. Performing "Kintsugi" (the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery) on hardwood yarn bowls results in some stunning effects! For details and photos of this work in process, check out “Wood Wabi-Sabi Trending Home Decor 2018.”