7th effort - Koa bowl

David - you guys are just plain spoiled out there! What a nice looking bowl!

I know....this wood is so pretty. I try to avoid using it since it is used so often here that it is almost cliche', but this log section was given to me and looked to have such nice figure that I had to try it. I also have a fair stock of smaller logs of it right now from tree trimming going on around us. Nothing big, but good for a newbie to thrash away at. Someone recently gave me a hunk of Mango that I am anxious to play with as well.

What do you pay for the blanks out there. It costs a fortune to get it on the east coast. Only a few suppliers.

Chettrik,

I almost hate to say this, but mostly we work just like you folks on the mainland. We run around our neighborhoods, chainsaw in truck, and pounce on our neighbors any time we see a tree being trimmed or felled. In other words, usually the wood is free.

This particular piece came from the Woodcraft Store on the island of Oahu. I've gotten to know the owner and staff pretty well over the years and we swap baked goods and talk story (hawaiian slang for gab) whenever I am working on that island or they visit here. The owner gave me this hunk to play with on one visit. I think it was gathering dust on the shelves. Looked like the price on it was about $35, though it was faded and hard to read.

I am lucky in that I live on the Big Island, and we have lots of intact forest with Koa growing here. And I happen to live at 4,000 feet so I am smack in the middle of its growth zone. Makes it pretty easy to find pieces when you want. There are tree farms where the folks doing production turning get their higher end wood, and of course they pay for that, but otherwise most of us get it the same way you folks get your local woods.

Now.....if I were to try and find a piece of figured Holly or maple or oak or some other wood you folks take for granted I would easily pay what you pay for Koa, so I guess it balances out.

Holler at me if you ever get a chance to visit the Big Island!!

Dave