The grain of this wood is positively lustrous - so lovely. It tickles me when you finish a piece and as you see its beauty you say: “I’m so happy”. I think that is why we make art, whether it is turning, carving, illuminating calligraphy, gardening or any other of the myriad ways we can create.
324th like. I’ve been away so am catching up. Typical British understatements: I decided that it would be perfectly acceptable to have a: smooth outer rim; a larger hole in my hollow form, a thinner stem on my wine glass……. Nice job, Mike. Keep the faith 🌞
Welcome back! Yeah plans are great to have but never expect them to make it to the end and someone once said "No plan survives first contact with the enemy" 😂
Oh my goodness Mike, the chatoyant that showed in that would your first couple rounds of turning was just amazing! Anyone would be proud to display that in their home, especially us!! Hint..hint.. im sure your wife will be proud ❤❤ another beautiful piece!!
That is absolutely beautiful! So many different types of wood. Until I started watching videos like yours I never realized how gorgeous some is it different woods are. The beauty in the wood is what got me so interested in lathe work. Thank you for sharing the beauty of this craft.
Amazing! Thank you for going outside of your comfort zone for our education and entertainment; it is a stunning result, whatever your wife wants to call it!
Beautiful work on a gorgeous piece of wood! I found myself holding my breath a few times. Even a bit of a shout of "oh no!" when you had that catch. I was afraid a chunk had come off!
Thanks Steve, that elm was beautiful but a nightmare to turn lol. The catch gave me a bit of a jump, luckily it only required a quick redesign after. All the best, Mike
I love elm. What a delight. Again you snapped success from the jaws of failure. I remember when I first worked with elm. The double thick coffin boards were cut specially for me by a local builder/undertaker using a mill powered by a tractor. I turned a 9” bowl an over sized wooden spoon about 120cm long and made a Japanese style coffee table. 45 years later I’m turning again by watching what you do. Thanks so much for your lovely honest presentations and gorgeous wholesome pieces. That large elm plate took me right back. Quite scary doing something that wide!. Well done again!
Thanks so much Nicholas, I love the idea of a 120cm spoon, that must have been great fun to make. Elm is a beautiful wood to work with but boy is it hard! For a while I thought this one may beat be but we got there. All the best and thanks again for getting in touch. Mike
Well Mike, that’s two new things for me in this video! First is the Scottish Elm…never have seen it, and second this is the first outboard piece and largest piece I’ve seen you turn. The Scottish Elm is quite lovely, but I’m not really sure if there is a wood that I don’t like 😂. I hope the move is all still going as planned and you and the family are all doing well.
Thanks! My wife loves this piece as well. Hard as nails but the grain is so beautiful. Turning wise it was a real challenge, having something that big spinning in front of you face is an interesting experience lol. The move is all going to plan so far, we all spent the day at the house yesterday cleaning so it's ready to move in on the 28th. Workshop equipment is being moved on the 2nd, can't wait. All the best, Mike
I'm based in Argyll, and use a lot of local Scottish elm. It's a great wood to work, but yes, as you said, hard as nails! Which can make it quite unforgiving with catches. But, when you get a piece that has some great colours running through it, it is truly stunning. The burls are fun to work with too if you ever get a chance ;) You've really done a grand job too, very brave working it outboard too. I always think linseed gives elm too much of a yellow hue, but it really suits this piece. Bravo mate.
This turned out absolutely gorgeous, Mike. I love how you pushed yourself tackling something you were not comfortable with (the beading). While there is much to be said about staying where one is comfortable in order to perfect one's skill, many people who become legendary in their chosen field (i.e.: David Bowie, Miles Davis as musical examples) were always pushing themselves beyond what was comfortable for them. Well done, sir!
Thanks Tom, not sure I am worthy of being mentioned amongst those legends but I really do appreciate the sentiment. I love to experiment and I try so hard not to repeat myself. I keep an open mind to all sorts of crafts and try to see where crossovers can be made. If I ever become dull please let me know. All the best, MIke
WOW!! Once again, gorgeous!!! Beautiful large platter! Scottish elm is amazing!! Lol super hard wood too i see!!!!! Almist looked like it was petrified with how many times you had to stop an resharpen an cool the tool!!! But the piece you brought out..... absiolutely stunning!!!! Also, great job in trying something new with the large outboard carving, very well done in usual amazing Mike way!🤩🤩
Haha thanks Rob, this one was a beast! I could not believe how often I had to sharpen the gouge. The wheels on the grinder did not have time to stop before I was there again 😀, all the best, Mike
Beautiful platter/bowl Mike,I love the colour change as you moved it in the light,I made a very big winged bowl out of a piece of wood I was told was Elm,but people kept telling me it wasn't Elm,I still think it is,as it was exactly the same colour as your beautiful piece is when it was turned, it's darker now due to Sunlight,great demo again, it's nice to see I'm not the only one gets catches like that sometimes 😊.
Thanks Eric, it is a beautiful wood one turned but boy is it hard. Catches are a wonderful part of woodturning, they let us know fast our hart can beat 😀
Ohhh that catch was horrid, i am so glad you were able to fix it. Everytime i think you are going to give up and scrap a piece you surprise me and pull a miracle. I would use that platter for turkey or a large ham at holidays if i ever get strong enough to host again.
I love the way your machine can be used that way. By turning the headstock around to be able to work larger items and the adjustability of the speed. My mini lathe has a fixed head and to change speeds I need to move the belt. Maybe I'll be able to step up to a better machine one day! The grain on the elm is gorgeous! Beautiful work Mike!
Thanks! I'm very lucky to have this lathe it's so much better than my last one I started the channel with. Apparently it can turn nearly double what I had there 39". Not sure how keen I am to try it though 😁
Mike, and amazing piece of tuning and quite challenging (nothing to do with the camera set up). I my humble I think that the dig on the bottom is a blessing in disguise as I balances the top and bottom. The platter is worthy of use and/or display in a special place. Thank you for sharing.
I love the platter. Gorgeous grain in the wood. Very well done as usual. My heart sank, as I expect yours did, when you had the catch. Glad you did not get injured. "Murphy" required design change. I have only turned a couple of slippery elm bowls from a tree a friend had to take down due to disease. I turned one of the bowls for the friend as a memento. It was fun to do the initial turning when wet. It was very wet, if I recall over 50% moisture. Long ribbon shavings and a line of water on the wall. Fast forward a few months for the second turning, it was like Jeckyl and Hyde. It was not fun to turn, very hard when dried and made dust more than shavings. Sanding was also a major hassle. It took forever to get the tool marks removed. My local turning club says another domestic wood which is difficult to turn is black locust. I do not have any. I have honey locust, but this is not as difficult to turn. Dave.
Thanks Dave, the catch hut my pride more than my finger but it's all part of turning as Murphy dictates. Never tried any type of Robinia, not a great deal of it over here but it does come up once in a while. I'll try to get some to see what it's like. This piece came from a guy selling up due to health problems and I ended up getting about 20 blanks off him including bubinga, purple reart, zebrano and paduck. He has a load of yew, laburnum and ash, all been sitting for 15 years I may go back for as long as I can find a place to store it. All the best Mike
🤩 That's is a stunning piece of wood, and perfectly turned. I'd have nowhere to put it, but would definitely want it 😆 (I'm gradually working my way through all of your wondetful videos)
Hi great work, 🎉god is it big and a fantastic finnish I did a full end grain 18 ins platter out of heavily spoilted beach turned out to be 10.5 ins lol and was a nightmare but all😢good in the end thank you for all your demos up till now cheers Ray
What a fantastic platter/charcuterie board! The ridges on the bottom are a great touch of decoration. I'm so glad I found your channel.
Haha it's you again, don't go too far back, I was a bit ropey at the start lol. 😀
I can honestly say that I’ve never seen Scottish elm before. The chatoyance and grain is pretty spectacular Excellent as usual my friend.
I've turned smaller pieces or normal elm but never this stuff. It's like rock, the gouge was just skipping off the surface! Amazing grain though 😋
Many thanks 😀
Nur ein Wort: GROSSARTIG!!!
Danke, dieses Holz war hart wie Nägel, aber wir haben es geschafft
The grain of this wood is positively lustrous - so lovely.
It tickles me when you finish a piece and as you see its beauty you say: “I’m so happy”. I think that is why we make art, whether it is turning, carving, illuminating calligraphy, gardening or any other of the myriad ways we can create.
Thank you so much and you are so right 😀
Absolutely beautiful, fabulous👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏❤️🇬🇧
Thank you so much Maud 😀
This platter is absolutely gorgeous ❤😊 I really love it. Thank you for sharing your amazing art.😊❤❤❤❤
Thank you very much Shelley, so glad you like it 😃
Fantastic pictures in that one. 💕
Many thanks 😁
324th like. I’ve been away so am catching up. Typical British understatements: I decided that it would be perfectly acceptable to have a: smooth outer rim; a larger hole in my hollow form, a thinner stem on my wine glass……. Nice job, Mike. Keep the faith 🌞
Welcome back! Yeah plans are great to have but never expect them to make it to the end and someone once said "No plan survives first contact with the enemy" 😂
I love the tray, it’s so pretty and useful too! It could be a an heirloom to be kept in the family.
I think so too, this is one piece my wife seems very fond of 😁
❤ Amazing beautiful piece you did a wonderful job sir!❤❤❤
Thank you very much Beth, this one ended firmly in the possession of my wife 😀
Amazing Woodturning projects
Thanks 👍
❤❤ Love it!
Thanks William 😀
If I was Mrs. Mike I would Grab that treasure & RUN !!!!
Lol and she did 😊
Yes, it is beautiful wood, and you've done it justice as well.
Thanks so much 👍
Oh my goodness Mike, the chatoyant that showed in that would your first couple rounds of turning was just amazing! Anyone would be proud to display that in their home, especially us!! Hint..hint.. im sure your wife will be proud ❤❤ another beautiful piece!!
Haha, love the hint but this one has been claimed 😂, all the best and many thanks, Mike
Just watching this again. I forgot that catch and jumped out of my seat! Such a beautiful platter.
Haha did you not do that last time?
I'm sure I did, but
just settled to watch one of my favourite creations to chill. It was quite a shock@@MikeHolton
@@racheldray1057 Haha I think I'll have to add a warning to this one
That is absolutely beautiful! So many different types of wood. Until I started watching videos like yours I never realized how gorgeous some is it different woods are. The beauty in the wood is what got me so interested in lathe work. Thank you for sharing the beauty of this craft.
You are very welcome Lynda, there is so much amazing wood out there, I've just scraped the surface 😀
The platter turned out beautifully!
Thanks Debra, so glad we got therein the end 😁
Amazing! Thank you for going outside of your comfort zone for our education and entertainment; it is a stunning result, whatever your wife wants to call it!
Glad you enjoyed it David, my wife laid claim to this one straight away, they usually end up in a pile in my office lol
Stunning. Love chatoyancy, in stones as well as woods. Well worth the scary moments!
Thanks, that catch was a good one!!! 😊
Chatoyance is the word, incredible, thanks Mike
Thanks Fiona 😀
Beautiful! It glows like an angels halo.
Thank you! 😊
That's a big lump Mike. Beautiful & hard but then again it is Scottish 😁. Great job 👍
You got that right, it was like lock, the tool tip was just skipping across the surface lol
The bead work was awesome. When you turned it over it made me think of a brass symbol.
Thanks Rex, tough to do but looks nice 🙂
Didn't realize Scottish elm was such a hard wood, I was going to buy some from ebay, think I'll leave it . brilliant as usual.
Hi John, this piece was very dry which made it harder than usual. It is still worth turning for it's beautiful grain. All the best, Mike
Wow !! A nice decorative platter.
Thank you so much Bill 😊
Beautiful work on a gorgeous piece of wood! I found myself holding my breath a few times. Even a bit of a shout of "oh no!" when you had that catch. I was afraid a chunk had come off!
Thanks Steve, that elm was beautiful but a nightmare to turn lol. The catch gave me a bit of a jump, luckily it only required a quick redesign after. All the best, Mike
Beautiful Mike.
Thank you for all the hard work to reveal the stunning piece.
My pleasure Fiona ☺️
Casually uses the word "chatoyance" but never heard "charcuterie" :D Loved this video, Mike, lots of problem solving and a wonderful finish too.
Haha thanks 😁, I love this piece so much, it will never leave this house. The grain is just beautiful
This video had me biting my nails. LOL But as always, the piece turned out beautiful!.
Haha thanks Chris and sorry about your nails lol 😀
Absolutely beautiful piece and I prefer the plain band on the back so the catch ended up being a positive. 😊
Thanks Ann, everything happens for a reason 😆
Wow, well done, a lovely stunning platter.
Many thanks Bev 😁
A stunning piece beautifully turned
Thank you very much Keith 😊
Lovely grain , lovely dish , the catch did make us jump though😂😂😂
Tell me about it lol, it hurt as well! 😆
@@MikeHolton we did notice👍
@@vinimarshall7301 😆
Absolutely beautiful!!!❤❤❤
Thank you so much Jayne 😀
I love elm. What a delight. Again you snapped success from the jaws of failure.
I remember when I first worked with elm. The double thick coffin boards were cut specially for me by a local builder/undertaker using a mill powered by a tractor. I turned a 9” bowl an over sized wooden spoon about 120cm long and made a Japanese style coffee table.
45 years later I’m turning again by watching what you do.
Thanks so much for your lovely honest presentations and gorgeous wholesome pieces.
That large elm plate took me right back.
Quite scary doing something that wide!.
Well done again!
Thanks so much Nicholas, I love the idea of a 120cm spoon, that must have been great fun to make. Elm is a beautiful wood to work with but boy is it hard! For a while I thought this one may beat be but we got there. All the best and thanks again for getting in touch. Mike
That is a beautiful platter. Well done.
Thank you very much John 😀
Tough job done well. You had several problems to solve and you really did well. Beautiful job!
Thank you Carol, it was hard but so much fun 😀
What an excellent platter.
Thanks Jake
Holy Moly! That is a right beastie. And some lovely patterning too. Good job sir!
Thank you kindly Pete, it was fun and nerve wracking at the same time 😀
Well Mike, that’s two new things for me in this video! First is the Scottish Elm…never have seen it, and second this is the first outboard piece and largest piece I’ve seen you turn. The Scottish Elm is quite lovely, but I’m not really sure if there is a wood that I don’t like 😂. I hope the move is all still going as planned and you and the family are all doing well.
Thanks! My wife loves this piece as well. Hard as nails but the grain is so beautiful. Turning wise it was a real challenge, having something that big spinning in front of you face is an interesting experience lol. The move is all going to plan so far, we all spent the day at the house yesterday cleaning so it's ready to move in on the 28th. Workshop equipment is being moved on the 2nd, can't wait. All the best, Mike
I'm based in Argyll, and use a lot of local Scottish elm. It's a great wood to work, but yes, as you said, hard as nails! Which can make it quite unforgiving with catches. But, when you get a piece that has some great colours running through it, it is truly stunning. The burls are fun to work with too if you ever get a chance ;)
You've really done a grand job too, very brave working it outboard too. I always think linseed gives elm too much of a yellow hue, but it really suits this piece. Bravo mate.
Haha I would just love to turn a Scottish Elm burl, I may need to eat a bit more porridge first but I'm always up for a challenge. 😂
This turned out absolutely gorgeous, Mike. I love how you pushed yourself tackling something you were not comfortable with (the beading). While there is much to be said about staying where one is comfortable in order to perfect one's skill, many people who become legendary in their chosen field (i.e.: David Bowie, Miles Davis as musical examples) were always pushing themselves beyond what was comfortable for them.
Well done, sir!
Thanks Tom, not sure I am worthy of being mentioned amongst those legends but I really do appreciate the sentiment. I love to experiment and I try so hard not to repeat myself. I keep an open mind to all sorts of crafts and try to see where crossovers can be made. If I ever become dull please let me know. All the best, MIke
@@MikeHolton You're worthy. Trust me. I went to college and know stuff.
@@tomburns7544 Hahaha, I'm a university lecturer and I'm still not sure 🤣😂
Beautiful just beautiful
Thank you Monica 😊
WOW!! Once again, gorgeous!!! Beautiful large platter! Scottish elm is amazing!! Lol super hard wood too i see!!!!! Almist looked like it was petrified with how many times you had to stop an resharpen an cool the tool!!! But the piece you brought out..... absiolutely stunning!!!! Also, great job in trying something new with the large outboard carving, very well done in usual amazing Mike way!🤩🤩
Haha thanks Rob, this one was a beast! I could not believe how often I had to sharpen the gouge. The wheels on the grinder did not have time to stop before I was there again 😀, all the best, Mike
@@MikeHolton i know right... barely started in an they were needing attention already!! Lol. But wow, it was worth it!!! Have a great day!!
@@robbosma9303 you too my friend
@@MikeHolton will certainly try in all this nasty hotness!!😆
hello from Australia a very nice platter and you gave me some good tips outboard turning thanks
Glad to help Ronald, I can't wait to do another 😀
Very awesome piece. Yes that grain is amazing. Keep up the great work. 👽
Thanks, will do! 😁
Stunningly beautiful 😮
Thanks Robin 😊
I think you’ve really done this piece of timber justice with your hard work. 👍🏽😊
Thanks Mark, this was a hard one, I've never had to sharpen quite so often!
"I'm gonna go and have a lay down"........... best line ever =)
Haha this one was a lot of effort 😀
Beautiful charcuterie board Mike!
Thanks, this was a very hard bit of wood! 😀
Awesome buddy
Thanks Ken 😄
Beautiful platter/bowl Mike,I love the colour change as you moved it in the light,I made a very big winged bowl out of a piece of wood I was told was Elm,but people kept telling me it wasn't Elm,I still think it is,as it was exactly the same colour as your beautiful piece is when it was turned, it's darker now due to Sunlight,great demo again, it's nice to see I'm not the only one gets catches like that sometimes 😊.
Thanks Eric, it is a beautiful wood one turned but boy is it hard. Catches are a wonderful part of woodturning, they let us know fast our hart can beat 😀
Having just discovered your channel I've a lot of catching up to do thankfully your a joy to watch
Awesome, thank you Troy, my video's were not great at the start but I am getting better, all the best, Mike 😀
I did enjoy your turning...and the elm you used is exceptional. Very nice..
Thank you! Cheers!
Very pretty board/bowl Very clever use of beading.Well done Mike.Terry downunder.
Cheers Terry 😀
Lovely looking platter!
Thank you 😋
Beautiful work. All SCOTT'S would be privileged to display such quality. 😊
Wow, thank you Paul 😀
Beautiful platter Mike! Lovely chatoyance!
Thanks! It has some amazing grain in there as well, needless to say my wife has claimed it 😆
Awesome as always. Glad u left the catch in also, was good to see how u rectified it.
Thanks Joe, I always keep my mistakes in, I'm as human as everyone else and catches are unfortunately part of turning lol
That is stunning!! What beautiful grain!
It really is! Thanks Donna 😀
Gorgeous. Makes we want to run right out to the shops to get a big blank and have a go,
Thanks and just do it, it's scary at the start but you get used to it. All the best, Mike
I love it❤🎉that turned out so beautiful 😍
Thanks so much Gloria 😊
Ohhh that catch was horrid, i am so glad you were able to fix it. Everytime i think you are going to give up and scrap a piece you surprise me and pull a miracle.
I would use that platter for turkey or a large ham at holidays if i ever get strong enough to host again.
Thanks Nikkie, I never give up unless it's in pieces on the floor, all the best, Mike 😀
Beautiful. Enjoyable as always.
Thank you! Cheers! 😀
Braw Job {as we say in Scotland} thanks for sharing Mike
Haha thanks, my wife lived in Glasgow for 10 years and translated that for me 😆
Gorgeous grain ❤
I know Helen, so pretty 😀
It would make an excellent Charcuterie board!
Thanks Tisha, and this is exactly what it will be used for. 😀
I love the way your machine can be used that way. By turning the headstock around to be able to work larger items and the adjustability of the speed. My mini lathe has a fixed head and to change speeds I need to move the belt. Maybe I'll be able to step up to a better machine one day! The grain on the elm is gorgeous! Beautiful work Mike!
Thanks! I'm very lucky to have this lathe it's so much better than my last one I started the channel with. Apparently it can turn nearly double what I had there 39". Not sure how keen I am to try it though 😁
Right gorgeous!
Thank you!! 😀
Beautiful, got a heck of a nice shimmer to it.
Thanks, I think this is my wife's favourite as I can't bet it back off her to sell 😀
Inspirational video, that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Glad you enjoyed it Davey 😀 all the best, Mike
What a beautiful wood!
It really is! Thanks 👍
This platter came out very nice. It has a beautiful glow. We never know what we can do until we try. You did a great job.
Thanks so much and you are quite right the only way you can fail is by not trying, if you try and it does not work you learn not fail.😊
Wow! Taking a huge challenge and killing it. Outstanding on so many levels.
Thanks Tony, this was a big hard piece of wood and it nearly beat me lol 😆
Awesome result!❤
Thank you! 😊
What a beast…but you have tamed it into a beautiful platter. Bravery, skill and artistry, all together…😃💗
Thanks Fiona, not sure about bravery or skill, that was brute force and luck 😆
Beautiful!
Thank you!
Beautiful work 👏! You can get tools now that will make the beads for you. Take care and GOD BLESS 🙏!
Thanks and yes I know, I was thinking of making one out of an old spindle gouge. 😀
@@MikeHolton That would be great 👍
@@stephendonathan6782 I'll do it on camera so you can see how it works
@MikeHolton Sounds good I would like to make one myself
Another beauty.
Thanks so much 😀
Mike it is absolutely Amazing, Well done keep up the excellent work
Thanks my friend 😊
Very beautiful piece! Thanks for sharing, Stuart
Thanks Stuart, so glad you like it 😊
Love that!! Thanks for sharing
Thanks Brenda 🙂
When my wife takes a shine to one of my boxes or suchlike it’s clearly not going to the next craft fair. That’s a thing of real beauty you’ve created.
Thanks Steve, indeed this one will not be leaving the house 🤣
Another fine looking result. Great commentary and adaptation on the go
Glad you enjoyed it Brent, it certainly was a bit of a challenge 😀
What a beauty!
Cheers Ben 😀
Absolutely gorgeous work! Great video!
Thank you so much 😀
Mike, and amazing piece of tuning and quite challenging (nothing to do with the camera set up). I my humble I think that the dig on the bottom is a blessing in disguise as I balances the top and bottom.
The platter is worthy of use and/or display in a special place. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks David, I really love the way this one came out, all the best, Mike 😃
Nice job Mike
Thanks Rhys 😀
What a great grain! I would love something like that!
It's a beauty, my wife took possession pretty fast lol
I don't blame her@@MikeHolton
Outstanding!
Thanks Scott ☺️
So cool! Great job making changes on the fly
Thanks, it's always good to have a plan b 😆
absolutely beautiful
Thanks Diana 😀
I love the platter. Gorgeous grain in the wood. Very well done as usual.
My heart sank, as I expect yours did, when you had the catch. Glad you did not get injured. "Murphy" required design change.
I have only turned a couple of slippery elm bowls from a tree a friend had to take down due to disease. I turned one of the bowls for the friend as a memento. It was fun to do the initial turning when wet. It was very wet, if I recall over 50% moisture. Long ribbon shavings and a line of water on the wall. Fast forward a few months for the second turning, it was like Jeckyl and Hyde. It was not fun to turn, very hard when dried and made dust more than shavings. Sanding was also a major hassle. It took forever to get the tool marks removed.
My local turning club says another domestic wood which is difficult to turn is black locust. I do not have any. I have honey locust, but this is not as difficult to turn.
Dave.
Thanks Dave, the catch hut my pride more than my finger but it's all part of turning as Murphy dictates. Never tried any type of Robinia, not a great deal of it over here but it does come up once in a while. I'll try to get some to see what it's like.
This piece came from a guy selling up due to health problems and I ended up getting about 20 blanks off him including bubinga, purple reart, zebrano and paduck.
He has a load of yew, laburnum and ash, all been sitting for 15 years I may go back for as long as I can find a place to store it.
All the best
Mike
🤩 That's is a stunning piece of wood, and perfectly turned. I'd have nowhere to put it, but would definitely want it 😆 (I'm gradually working my way through all of your wondetful videos)
Thank you very much Nikki, it is currently sat on our coffee table and I must admit it looks quite nice there 😀
Nice job and well turned Ian mac
Thanks Ian ☺️
I cannot wait to try something like this.
If you get a chance, don't try elm, it's hard as rock lol 😀
Realy enjoying the videos. Thanks
Thanks Steven 😀
Hi great work, 🎉god is it big and a fantastic finnish I did a full end grain 18 ins platter out of heavily spoilted beach turned out to be 10.5 ins lol and was a nightmare but all😢good in the end thank you for all your demos up till now cheers Ray
Haha, that sounds like something that would and has happened to me, all the best, Mike