Earl Eidem kicks off 2023 with a captivating account of working with a difficult piece of wood.
The Back Story
I stopped into Canadian Woodcraft and Lutherie Supplies in Chilliwack this fall. I picked up a $7.00 bowl blank and asked the salesman “Why is this on the shelf?” It was a piece of unknown wood that was 40% bark. He said something like “I could make something great from that.” I thought “Challenge accepted. “
The Work
Once home I questioned what could this blank become. It was difficult work due to so much chatter as the solid wood was removed. With a lot of hand sanding, I made GOVERNMENT PROMISES. It has the illusion of a bowl but it is unable to act like a bowl. It seems solid, but it really just holds air. It seems easy to make, but its really hard to finish. In the end, like so many government promises, it just full of hot air because of lack of substance.
Earl Eidem
