Carving 5 vases from 1 Applewood log. No lathe.

Описание: Today I’m carving a batch of five mini vases from rescued Winnipeg applewood — using the exact workflow I rely on for fast, clean, one-of-one results. This is a real-time look at how I take storm-fallen or salvaged logs and turn them into small, sculptural vessels that feel as good as they look. No lathe. No templates. Just the grain, the tools, and the plan changing as I carve.

If you’re into Arbortech carving, Manpa tools, shaping discs, or you just love watching wood become something unexpected, this is for you.

THE PROCESS

Cross-cutting the blanks
First step: cut the log into as many 8" sections as possible, making sure every slice is perfectly perpendicular to the grain. A clean cross-cut makes everything downstream smoother — shaping, hollowing, and finishing.

Rough shaping with the Arbortech Turboplane
The Turboplane is my go-to for roughing out vase forms. It’s fast when you need it to be, and precise enough to make subtle adjustments on the fly. At this point I’m only hunting for gesture and personality: some rounded, some faceted, some with a twist. The grain decides more than I do — and sometimes it forces a new direction, like flattening a base so the piece stands perfectly.

Hollowing with the Manpa Crack Cutter
This thing is a beast. It works like a drill, but with far more control because it gouges instead of boring straight downward. I use an extension bit so I know exactly when I’m deep enough. Wet wood plus aggressive hollowing equals steam everywhere. Always a good sign.

Refining with the Kutzall Shaping Dish
I use the rough Kutzall disc because speed matters — especially when I know I’ll be sanding right after. This disc is the same size as my sander, which guarantees: if I can cut it, I can sand it perfectly. That matters for bowls and big sculptures, but it’s perfect for these twisted mini vases too.

Sanding: 80 → 220
80 grit to erase tool marks and tighten the lines.
220 grit to make the surface feel irresistible.
People buy with their hands as much as their eyes — these need to feel incredible.

Finishing with Clapham’s Beeswax & Mineral Oil (Discount code SEAN10 on their site)
My favourite food-safe finish. No colour added, just a warm, natural glow that makes the applewood grain come alive.

These 5 mini vases will sell for $25–$30 each at my next art show — simple, tactile, character-filled pieces that never last long on my table.

ABOUT THE ARTIST
All my wood is salvaged from Winnipeg trees — storm-fallen, wind-damaged, or destined for the burn pile. No tree dies for my art. The wood speaks; I just follow.

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