Hollow Forms Turnings which are hollowed out through holes much smaller than their maximum diameter are called hollow forms. Special tools are required to remove the wood from inside these turnings. They are more difficult to make than bowls, but the results are well worth the effort. All the wood used for my hollow forms comes from trees that were already dead and would otherwise have naturally returned to the earth. Some of the wood shows distinctive patterns called "spalting" that occur as molds and fungus consume the dead wood. When this decay is stopped in a timely fashion, it gives the wood beautiful color and lines not found in "healthy" wood. For hollow forms, I use woods native to or naturally occuring in the North Texas area such as Ash, Walnut, Pecan, Cedar, Chinaberry, Sugarberry and Oak.   This piece was turned from wood salvaged from the Circle O Lodge and Tree Farm. It is on exhibit at FW Community Arts Center in Fort Worth, TX from December 5 - December 29, 2014. Basket Walnut 7.5 X 7.5 X 8.5 $525.00   This piece was turned from wood salvaged from the Circle O Lodge and Tree Farm. Deep Vessel Walnut 7.5 X 7.5 X 11.5 $355.00   This piece was turned from wood salvaged from the Circle O Lodge and Tree Farm. Bottle Walnut 7 X 7 X 9 $425.00 This piece is made from Spalted Ash. The ash tree blew down at my hunting and fishing club. I cut several log sections and left them to spalt naturally on the ground. Wood this heavily spalted is very difficult to turn due to tearout in the end grain regions. This piece is turned to a wall thickness of roughly 1/8" and finished with acrylic lacquer. Hollow Form Spalted Ash 9.5 X 9.5 X 8 $795.00   This piece is made from Spalted Ash. The ash tree blew down at my hunting and fishing club. I cut several log sections and left them to spalt naturally on the ground. Wood this heavily spalted is very difficult to turn due to tearout in the end grain regions. This piece is turned to a wall thickness of roughly 1/8" and finished with acrylic lacquer. Hollow Form Spalted Ash 8.5 X 8.5 X 8 $695.00   This piece was turned from a section of Bradford Pear rescued from a firewood pile. This is the only hollow form I have turned through a natural entry hole formed by the hollow space between the branches. This piece was oiled and sanded numerous times to achieve a lustrous finish. It is also one of the few pieces I have named. "Origin" Bradford Pear 10.5 X 10.5 X 12.5 $1000.00 SOLD The wood for this piece was given to me by Michael Olinger. It was recovered from his tree farm and lodge in Marceline, MO after having laid on the ground for 10-15 years. The outside of the log, the bark and sapwood, was completely decomposed but inside, the heartwood was perfect. This piece has a lustrous glow compliments of several applications of danish oil and copious sanding. Hollow Form Walnut 7 X 7.5 X 7.5 $395.00   Another nice piece of walnut from the Circle O WTP Tree Farm and Lodge in Marceline, MO. The entry hole is a little over 1/2 inch in diameter. Wall thickness is 1/8 inch or less. It weighs nothing. Hollow Form Walnut 3 X 4.5 X 4.5 $105.00 SOLD   This box elder wood was collected at the Circle O WTP Tree Farm and Lodge in Marceline, MO. The entry hole is a little over 1/2 inch in diameter. The blood red areas are typical of box elder and the characteristic coloring give this piece a dramatic touch when combined with the natural holes. Hollow Form Box Elder 6.75 X 6.25 X 6 $225.00 SOLD This hollow form had a bark inclusion running through just about the entire blank. Turning it was a bit nerve-wracking since it was unclear whether it would hold together. It did. The wall thickness is roughly 1/8" - 3/16". The sugarberry wood was light and plain when I cut it, but spalted while stored prior to turning. Hollow Form Spalted Sugarberry 10.5 X 10.5 X 3.5 $295.00 SOLD   This piece was tricky to turn because the hollowed area in the shoulder is actually higher than the entrance hole. It gives the piece a subtle heart shape when viewed from the side. Hollow Form Spalted Sugarberry 9.5 X 9.5 X 3 $195.00 SOLD   This piece was rough-turned to the fluted shape and left to season before hollowing. That was a mistake. Hollowing seasoned ash is not easy. From this piece, I learned that you hollow when the wood is wet and soft, not when it is dry and hard. This piece has a natural edge, meaning that the entrance hole edge is left unrefined, natural, rustic. Hollow Form Spalted Ash 5.5 X 5.5 X 6 SOLD Hollow Form Spalted Ash 4 X 4 X 3.75 NFS   Hollow Form Red Cedar 3 X 3 X 4 SOLD   Hollow Form Spalted Ash 2 X 2 X 2.5 $35.00 SOLD My first hollow form. The dark areas were not visible when I first began turning the blank. During every project, hidden chracteristics of the wood are revealed. This piece has a natural edge, meaning that the entrance hole edge is left unrefined, natural, rustic. Hollow Form Spalted Ash 1.75 X 1.75 X 2 NFS   Another nice piece of walnut from the Circle O WTP Tree Farm and Lodge in Marceline, MO. The entry hole is less than 1/2 inch in diameter. Notice that the top is almost flat with a slight negative curve in the shoulder area giving it a subtle heart shape. Clearing the shavings from inside this turning took more time than the actual turning itself. I would turn for 30 seconds, then stop and pull shavings out with a hook for 5 minutes. Turn for 30 seconds, pull shavings, repeat, repeat, repeat. Hollow Form Walnut 3 X 4.5 X 4.5 $95.00 SOLD   Another nice piece of walnut from the Circle O WTP Tree Farm and Lodge in Marceline, MO. Hollow Form Walnut 6.25 X 6.25 X 6 $155.00 SOLD