Alaska production turned

Re: Alaska production turned *LINK*

MFoster

>I moved from Sitka 2 years ago. There are a number of high quality turners in AK. Just depends on which shop you to to. The Ulu market is really a mass production thing meant for the tourist trade. Alder is used because it is one of the few Alaskan "hardwoods" worthy of turning and it a wood traditionally used by Native Americans. Birch and willow are the other two. Much of the better turning is done with birch burl, as it is the only Alaskan wood with interesting figure. Some of the better art galleries have pieces by the better turners, but you kind of have to know where to find them. Can't remember his name, seems like it was Robert Cutler, but one turner near Anchorage turns some remarkable bowls with very intricate inlays from various woods, minerals, ivory and mammoth ivory. The fit and finish on them is remarkable, (though too glossy for my taste) and they carry a price to match.

There is also a large production bowl turning shop in North Pole, Alaska that mills out plain birch bowls (of the salad variety). I believe they have machinery that cores out several bowls from one blank.

I still have a few pieces in a gallery in Sitka and may continue to send others up. You can check out my website below if you care to. All of the segmented pieces were either sold there, or are still at the gallery.


http://www.vermontel.net/~mfoster/index.html

Re: Alaska production turned

Mike Caldwell

>very nice website. you do good work. thanks for the view.