Michael A. Sooley,
Woodturner |
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WELCOME to Mike's Bowls!
It has been a while since I updated my website. Summer has passed and we are into the Fall months with the Winter rains starting up. It looks like we, again, had no major fires in our area. I hope I haven't spoken too soon! I am still producing a copious number of pizza cutters for New West Knifeworks. As they distribute them to their five stores they seem to sell them faster than I am willing to make them. Since all of my production goes to them now, you can buy pizza cutters from NWKW rather than from my website. Please go visit them if you are in the area: (https://www.newwestknifeworks.com/). Their knives are amazing! Despite my increased pizza cutter production levels I have still turned out (pun intended) quite a few new bowls. I am posting them now! I still have over 250 rough turned blanks waxed and drying in my shop. New opportunities for harvesting green wood have to involve special rare woods for me to go get anymore. My latest harvest was a 1,060 pound stump from a black walnut orchard that was cleared 5-6 years ago. I have turned two other root ball/stumps and the wood is exquisite. You can see some of the ones finished over the past years under "Walnut Bowls". WE NOW ACCEPT PAYMENT THROUGH VENMO OR ZELLE. Take a look at all of my new creations! 
A recently sold 14" charcuterie board made from a 1,000 pound piece of Black Walnut Root Burl.
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Pizza cutters with exotic Desert Iron Wood handles. Sold at New West Knifeworks.
A stunning Purple Heart bowl sold to my good client, New West Knifeworks.
A small bowl made from a piece of lightly spalted Maple Root Burl.
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A 16" platter made from the same 1,000 pound Black Walnut Root Burl (sold).
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I have been bouncing between finishing some large bowls that have been drying for several years and making small bowls from the many left over wood scraps on interesting woods. No two bowls are even similar! In addition to bowls we are now doing lidded boxes and other useful kitchen items. The expanded GIFT section will continue to grow as we have obtained some amazing rare hardwoods. Look for monthly additions to the GIFTS section! We have PENS; BOTTLE OPENERS; PIZZA CUTTERS; BOTTLE STOPPERS; and BBQ FLIPPERS.
Artwork by niece Emily Nix : her interpretation of one of Mike's bowls. Click the image to see the artwork and the original bowl, now in a private collection.
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When cutting the wood for turning large bowls you end up with many smaller pieces of interesting wood. I have been having fun making smaller items from the pieces that have dried over the past few years or exotic wood I have purchased. Wood for making pens must be interesting and DRY. I purchase most of my pen blanks to ensure these qualities are present. Lidded boxes are another project where fully dried wood is critical. Even then, I have found that the wood moves a bit after you finish the box. I try to keep the wood around for a while to ensure a reasonably tight and consistent fit. |
A recent custom design made for a friend's "fishing cottage".
This bowl is one turned from another black walnut root ball a few years ago.
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