“It’s just wood.”
My brother and I acquired property in Cherokee, NC on the Cherokee Indian Reservation in 1995. After numerous meetings with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, we were able to build a hotel and 31 cabins on the Oconaluftee River in Cherokee.
I spent 12 years operating these properties, and it was during that time that I developed a passion for woodturning. I became good friends with a Cherokee native who was an avid woodturner, and I spent many hours in his shop learning everything I could. It wasn’t long before I purchased an old lathe from him and began turning on my own.
After 12 years, we sold the properties, and I returned home to South Georgia, working full-time in my businesses—often 60 hours a week. During those years, I rarely had time for turning, and when I did make it into my shop, it was usually to build a piece of furniture or cabinetry for someone.
In June of 2023, I fully retired and finally had the time to return to my wood shop. I developed a strong friendship with a world-class woodturner who lives in my town, and he began mentoring me, rekindling the passion I had put aside for so long. Over the last two years, I’ve updated most of my equipment and now spend every free minute in my shop turning something new.
From time to time, people reach out asking if I can create something meaningful from a piece of wood that’s special to them. When the wood is workable, the answer is almost always yes. One example is a woman whose father planted a pear tree when she was a child. Last year, a hurricane blew it down, and I was able to turn a bowl from that tree so she would always have a piece of it—and of him, as he is now deceased. The fulfillment that brings me is indescribable.
I hope you’ll take time to look at my work, and please feel free to reach out at the bottom of the page with any questions.
The Process
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I never cut a tree down just for the wood. Almost all of my material comes from trees that nature has taken down—storms, hurricanes, strong winds, or disease. I’m always on the lookout for a fallen tree or a log in a field that I might be able to use, and I often get phone calls from people letting me know a tree has fallen on their property.
Several times a year, I travel back to North Carolina to collect species of wood that aren’t indigenous to my area.
Most of my pieces begin with green (wet) wood. I cut a section of log about two inches longer than its diameter, lay it on its side, and split it in half. Then I take it into my shop and cut the largest possible circle from one half on the band saw before mounting it on the lathe and beginning the turning process.
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Each piece is unique. As I turn, I follow the woodgrain, the colors, and the natural flow of the wood, letting my hands and eyes guide the final shape. I rough-turn these green pieces to about one inch thick, shaping the bowl until it feels right.
After that, I remove the bowl from the lathe and seal it completely with wood sealer to slow the drying process and prevent cracking. The next day, I place it in a paper bag, label the wood type and date, and set it on a shelf to dry. Depending on the species, drying can take anywhere from three to eight months. Once the moisture level reaches at least 12%, I return it to the lathe for final shaping and finishing.
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If it’s a functional piece, such as a salad bowl, I finish it with Mahoney’s heat-treated walnut oil—non-allergenic and completely food-safe. Walnut oil penetrates deep into the grain, creating a satin finish that won’t evaporate like many mineral-oil products.
If the piece is intended as a centerpiece or display piece, I typically finish it with a clear lacquer in gloss, semi-gloss, or satin to bring out its natural beauty.
Once the piece is fully dried and finished, I give it a final inspection and sign it.
This is a very time-consuming process, but I believe in creating heirlooms that last for generations. Just as God created each of us unique, each piece I make is one-of-a-kind as well.
GOD DON’T MAKE NO JUNK — AND I DON’T EITHER!
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