Memories...

Memories - sometimes they're so amazing, you can relive an emotion, as if you've just experienced it.  Other times, it's really difficult to recapture those feelings. 

 I recently had the luck of getting one of the coolest commissions I've had in a long time  - one that I needed to do, just to have fun in the shop. See, even though people look at  woodworkers' lives and think it's all aromatic wood shavings and unicorns, it's more like sweat and sawdust. 

So breaking the monotony in the shop is a great thing!

A fellow called me recently, asking if I could take his used Christmas tree and turn it into something memorable, since it was his daughter's FIRST tree. We discussed a few options, and since he worked in a restaurant, I naturally thought of something related to cooking.  We eventually decided on a couple of french rolling pins - one for him, and one for his daughter. 

When he dropped the tree off, he explained that he'd de-limbed most of it, but I still had some (sappy) work to do on the bandsaw, to take off all of the branches.

 I was left with a few decent sized logs, 

and some extra chunks that he wanted made into small medallions, so that they could become tree ornaments in the future. 

One thing's for sure - I wouldn't say I'm a "wood turner" - I'll leave that to a different skill-set of woodworkers, but I do know my way around a lathe just a bit.  So I mounted the logs in my trusty Rockwell lathe, the oldest tool I have. 

And 

voilà!

I had two rolling pins in no time. But I had a leftover chunk of wood, and it seemed a shame to chop it up into more medallions. 

So I brainstormed a bit and we came up with another fun idea - a "billy club" to beat off future boyfriends when they come into the picture. OK, the daughter is only one year old, but planning for the future is smart, right?

The end grain of the billy club was amazing! Sure, it will probably crack or check over time, as it loses moisture. But it sure is gorgeous!  

Just think of all those old Christmas trees, sitting in landfills or mulch yards, waiting to be destroyed. And what could be done with them!