The bowl building process as described by Peter Sherman.
My process starts with a green log usually 16” to 24” in diameter and 24” long. All of my wood comes from the South Mississippi and Louisiana area.
I cut the log lengthwise 3 to 5 inches thick. I draw the bowl shape on the slab of wood and start hand chopping with an adze. I hand chop the inside and underside of the bowl until I achieve the desired shape.
I start drying the bowl by storing it in a plastic bag. Bowls typically take between two to four months to dry. Towards the end of the drying process I will use a paper bag to store the bowl in.
After the bowl is completely dry I start the finishing process. I use sandpaper and card scrapers to achieve the desired smoothness of the bowl.
The next process is to hand rub the bowl with mineral oil or danish oil. The final process is to sign and number the bottom of my bowl. It is very gratifying to be able reveal the beauty that lies beneath the bark of a tree.
