Turned & Lathe Work
Hand-turned bowls, pedestals, and segmented vessels cut from solid walnut, cherry, or red oak. No two pieces are ever alike — the grain reveals itself as the piece takes form.
Lathe work is one of the most demanding and most rewarding skills in woodworking — and it’s something most custom wood shops don’t offer. A turned piece is born from a single solid block of wood, shaped entirely by hand and tool against a spinning blank. There’s no template, no mold, no assembly. The grain of the wood reveals itself as the piece takes form, and that unpredictability is part of what makes every turned piece genuinely one of a kind.
I turn bowls, pedestals, decorative vessels, and segmented forms in walnut, cherry, and red oak. No two turned pieces are ever identical — the grain, the weight, and the subtle variations in form are unique to that specific piece of wood, shaped on that specific day.
“The wood tells me what it wants to be. My job is to listen and not get in the way.”
The process is entirely by hand
From roughing the blank to final finishing, every turned piece requires continuous hands-on attention. There’s no “set it and let it run.” I’m at the lathe from start to finish, adjusting with every pass.
Cut from a single solid block
There’s no joinery, no glue, no lamination. Every turned piece comes from one solid piece of wood — absolute structural integrity. A walnut bowl I turn today will be as strong in 50 years.
The grain is unpredictable — in the best way
Until the turning begins, I can’t fully predict where the grain will run or what patterns will emerge. That’s not a flaw — it’s what makes each piece unrepeatable.
Segmented turning: the highest form
Segmented pieces are built from individually cut wood segments, glued into rings, stacked, and turned on the lathe. The alternating grain creates dramatic geometric patterns — no two pieces are ever alike.
- →Hand-turned walnut or cherry bowl — food-safe finish, small (6–8"), medium (10–12"), large (13–16")from $149
- →Closed segmented walnut & cherry bowl — 60–200+ hand-cut segments, striking ring patternfrom $169
- →Open segmented bowl — precision lattice gaps between segments, display only, dramatic visual impactfrom $285
- →Closed segmented vase — tall decorative form, walnut & cherry ring pattern, display onlyfrom $235
- →Open segmented vase — gallery-level lattice vase, the most demanding piece in the shopfrom $495
- →Decorative display pedestal — solid turned pedestal for sculpture, plants, or clocks, various heightsfrom $149
- →Custom turned piece — have a specific form in mind? Contact me. If it can be turned, I’ll build it.contact for quote
For functional bowls used with food
Hand wash only — never in a dishwasher. Dry immediately after washing. Re-oil every 3–6 months with food-safe mineral oil. Keep away from prolonged direct sunlight and heating vents.
For decorative display pieces
Dust with a soft dry cloth. Avoid placing in direct sunlight for extended periods. A light wipe with mineral oil once a year keeps the finish looking rich. No special treatment beyond basic care.