The Holy Grail of Rarity, Woodturning a Grass Tree Root
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- Опубліковано 19 чер 2023
- This week we look at turning my MOST EXPENSIVE purchase ever. This grass tree root is very rare and this was the only one I could find for sale in the UK so the pressure is on, can I make something from it or will my investment fall flat? This The Holy Grail of Rarity will it break me?
Watch and find out. So lets unveil the forgotten and take a GAMBLE of a Lifetime - Woodturning project
This has just been listed on eBay: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/145411241068
Thanks for watching and feel free to leave comments in the chat below.
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All of my videos are designed to be entertainment only. Please follow all required safety measures when using tools or machinery and always read and understand the manufacturer's guidelines and safety instructions.
The methods I demonstrate are not to be used as a guide for best practice. Thanks - Навчання та стиль
Hi All, I realise that I do not mention in the video how much I paid for the root, this was because at the time I had not told my wife 😃 I paid £120, which is by far my most expensive purchase of a single piece of wood. All the best, Mike.
I‘m so glad to hear this and to see how many views you got! Think it worked out pretty well, greetings from Germany 🥰
Lol I opened up the comments to ask what you paid as you mentioned it. Now I understand.
I expected more for the wood! I’d say well worth it mate 😊
@@mitchjasper4371 me too 😃
@@kimhawxhurst2707 thanks Kim 😃
Not only is the grass tree slow growing but it's extremely rare to end up with a usable woody section like this. They often are full of brittle resin voids or just break up with age. An extremely unusual piece.
Thanks for the information, I did not realise it was that unusual. All the best, Mike
I had not encountered this wood till now!! It was in the hands of a master. Thanks!
@@orchidorio Thanks!
There are loads of them where I live and we occasionally have to clear one for a new building. Never realised they were worth anything. Do people just sell them on ebay?
@@stevem815 They do in the UK, they are worth a lot here because they are not a native species and very hard to get hold of
In Australia where they tend to come from they are now getting hard to get as they are protected. Extremely slow growing and a stump this size could be hundreds of years old ,when clearing the land 50/60 years ago we just burnt them by the thousands, a unique smell. They grew on sandy soil up too several metres deep
Thanks for the information Peter, that is fascinating, I'm glad they are protected now. I love turning interesting wood but I still much prefer to see it growing. I did not get a smell from it when turning or sanding but I was pretty well masked up the whole time. All the best and thanks again. Mike
@@MikeHolton The smell is in the resin and burning really triggers of the gorgeous smell. The burnt shell/outer husks (not a bark its not really a tree) after they have been through natural bush fire which they love make a steely blue dye (on linen mixed with a particular native berry) and the smell of the resin imparted into the material is just amazing one of the most amazing smells i have ever smelt. 👍🏻
Beautiful job on the vase.
God bless 🙏
@@pruebarratt3085 thanks so much, I've heard a few things about the resin. The more I find out about this plant the more I love it. All the best, Mike
Is this in the palm family? The base looks very much similar to a California date
@@jmicaha2655 no it a grass (Edit its not a true grass sorry). Its Xanthorrhoea sp. 👍🏻
For some strange reason, UA-cam's algorithm has been putting this video near the top of my suggestions for the past couple of days. The thumbnail image really isn't the most interesting, but I finally decided to take a look at the video anyway, and I'm glad I did. Your finished piece is simply STUNNING. What you accomplished in revealing the amazing figure and texture of this natural wood is remarkable. Well done!
Thanks so much Paul, I really appreciate that, all the best, Mike 😀
The Algorithm seriously pushed this one & it only caught my interest bc it didn't make sense to me...."grass tree root" had me puzzled & it was really a beautiful piece.
The brainwashing is complete. Smile for the camera.
Same with me. I kept scrolling past it but UA-cam was persistent with this one. Glad I watched it!
Loved that you cut back the shine so the natural beauty can shine. Your respect for your materials is admirable. Thank you.
Thanks so much 🙏
Grass Tree used to be called "Black Boy" (but that is no longer PC). A species of Xanthorrea found in Australia. The core you have there is probably 300 - 500 yo. The colour can range from an uninteresting yellow through to beautiful reds to black. The dust is carcinogenic so good dust mask is essential.
Thanks Sandy, I did a it more research last night and was stunned to see how old these trees can get! Before I started to turn I learned that protection was needed so I used FFP3 rated masks the whole time. All the best and thanks again, Mike
These are known as Balga in the Noongar language from the South West of Western Australia where they are prolific.
Thank you for increasing my knowledge. I used to live in a place called Black Boy Wood and often frequented the Black Boy pub. l might have to go and see if it is still there as it has been 35 years since i left the area.
I love to collect the dark red resin that is on the living tree just under the surface ground. It acts like a slow moving glass that makes excellent infill for natural wood walking sticks. Has a really nice aroma too.
Comon names are grass tree, yakka and black boy they grow about the length of a matchbox every 100 years I have seen them over 3m tall
As an Australian, it was lovely to see someone OS appreciating our amazing timbers. The saturnine finish was the right choice. Fun Fact: glass tress appear on the $2.00 coin. Thank you.
Thanks so much, the wood is amazing, I've never seen anything like it, am trying to get hold of more. I did not know it was on a coin! Thanks, Mike ☺️
I was wondering. I'm in Melbourne.
@@MikeHolton Should be quite a few of these becoming available as the Wind Farms spread along the coastal ranges in Oz! Gotta be some windfalls from saving the planet. 🙄😉😁
@@theoztreecrasher2647 Haha thanks, good to know 😀
the loon, or loony is it?
So beautiful!!! Haven't ever seen wood grain like that before. Thanks so much for the video and showing that amazing piece of wood.
Thank you very much, it really is beautiful wood 😀
One of my favorite things about UA-cam is that it opens my eyes to 'worlds' that exist beyond my usual entertainment/enlightenment. Thank you for providing this channel and the work you do! It's truly amazing seeing something turn from raw resource to high-quality artisan good. Well-done!
Thanks so much! That is so nice of you to say. All the best and thanks for watching, Mike 😀
I'm an old lady. When the Internet began I never thought people would really post stuff. I wondered who had the time and why would they bother. I'm so glad I was wrong. I think this kind of thing is better than what's on TV and probably better for my brain as well.😊 Thank you for sharing your work!
As someone who owns a tree business in the US(Florida) I actually got into the business just to make money but wound up having an immense respect for wood and it’s uses. I now save wood from trees that I take down that I know will be of value years from now. I keep it to deal with later when I’m older and have more time for it. Ur videos are just proof of that.
man what a way to think ahead... and imagine what a rarity and value it will be in 30 or 40 years.
Oh wow, that is an incredible story. Good luck with your plan although I don't think you need it, it's a great idea. All the best, Mike
Thank you.
Make sure no mites get in where you're storing it 😅 you're bound to make some craftsmen quite happy
@@curlyfryactual 😀
Mike that came out to be such a rare and beautiful piece. I've never seen a grass tree root before. As a female woodturner in past years I really appreciate your apprehension, care and planning for this piece. Keep up the good work. (from the USA)
Thanks so much Joyce, I have managed to get another one of these but it's about twice the size 🤣
Just so people know (I haven't read the comments all the way to the bottom, so someone may have already said this) the grass tree is a native Australian plant, and it begins life looking literally like a tuft of grass, and then grows upwards, lifting the tuft at the top higher and higher until you have a trunk underneath. It is EXTREMELY slow growing (2cm a year, and 20 years to develop a trunk at all, at about ankle height), so if your example was grown in the UK, by the look of it, it was planted in the Victorian era and would be one of the very very few of that size in the country.
Worth it, and you got a gem.
Hi, thanks for taking the time to post, we have had all sorts of interesting stories and information about this plant. They do not grow in the UK so this one would have come from Australia. All the best and thanks again, Mike
I could feel the anxiety the whole time he was turning this. I love the finish. Too often people go straight for the gloss on exotic wood and imho it looks to "plastic". Mike you nailed this.
Thanks, it was a very nerve wracking turning, so glad when I got to the end. All the best, Mike
Amazing piece! if you were to sell this, what would you ask?
@@jerrysmith7166 good question, I would imagine about £300
@@MikeHolton amazing work dude, this is really a piece of art!
@@OldeManMinguiz thanks 😀
Wow, leopard-spotted wood grain. I've never heard of or seen it before. I was on the edge of my seat, expecting the piece to fly off the lathe at any moment. So glad it didn't. It's beautiful!
Imagine how I felt turning it 😀 all the best, Mike
Australian here, I think you have done justice to one of our native trees. Beautiful piece, well done.
The trees are among my favourite species here and have seen them in the wild many times. They are magnificent.
Thank you very much, I would really love to come over one day to see them, since releasing this video I've heard so many stories about them and their history. Thanks!
Truly stunning work Mike, what a beautiful finish and grain….I’m a CNC machinist (metals) nearing retirement and I have a wood turning friend who keeps onto me to have a go, I’m very tempted to have a crack at some simple projects!
Thanks Stu, give it a go, it's a lot of fun 😃
It's.very intuitive to start
As an Aussie i was intrigued to see the beauty of a turned grass tree. Was not disappointed 👌
It's pretty good I must say, we have nothing like it over here 😀
@@MikeHolton So, anyway. My parents are getting divorced, and while they're working stuff...out...they send me away to a State Rec camp, in Myuna Bay, on the shores of Lake Macquarie. It's the kinda place where you send your kid for the holiday because you don't know what else to do with them. They're just annoying little bastards, you're the kinda parent who really doesn't actually like kids, or, as in my case, you need to do some lawyerin' and property-divvying.
During the last day, since everything was more or less packed up, so there was nothing else to do but go for a bushwalk to fill in time until our parents - or, in my case, parent - picked us up.
We get the lecture before we go, some poor State Recreational Employee workin' his way through uni, pointedly and firmly told us to stay on the track. Don't wander off. And do not, repeat, DO NOT, touch anything. It's a park area, the plants and wildlife are protected.
A minute, minute and a half, after this, when we're about fifty yards down the track, we here this almight CRACK and it's one of the more irritating kids who's walked over to a grass tree, grab the flower spike at the top, and stomped through the base to get himself a spear to menace other children with.
Yeah. He got sent back.
Anyway, I'm from NW NSW, and there's hundreds around where I grew up. I wasn't that impressed with that city slicker idiot.
I imagine your example turned up in Blighty from some Pom returning home from Australia in the 50s, or some other prior, less enlightened time.
@@hoilst265 wow, thanks for sharing
@@MikeHolton It's just a story that makes me chuckle. The comic timing was near-perfect. They're protected, quite majestic - I do believe I've got some flower spikes from them somewhere - harvested from long before they were protected.
Nice looking vase, by the way. It's good to find an actual *wood*-turning channel, and not an "Actually, it's more like 14kgs of epoxy resin with some slivers of purpleheart and coloured pencil stuck in it-turning" channel.
(I've been meaning to find someone to turn me some speaker enclosures, but that's a future project.)
I believe these particular grass tree roots are from W.A from what I can gather. They are not protected as the tree has long died and left it’s root in the ground.
i really like that, unlike most wood turning channels, you explain everything you're doing along the way and the commentary really adds to the process. matte finish is the way to go i reckon.
Thank you very much! I do get some hate from a small minority of people who just want me to get on with it. But if they do not like the format then they are free to follow someone else. All the best and thanks for watching. Mike
@@MikeHolton i like that you speak what we think and then answer it. good example: why put on the gloss finish and then cut it back ? then you give the answer
@@thesage1096 Many thanks my friend, I really appreciate you saying that.
@@MikeHolton and i appreciate you taking the time to reply to comments even days after your videos went live
@@thesage1096 I try my best, I feel it's my duty to respond to those who have taken time to comment, although with this video doing so well it been tough lol
Grass trees “ xanthoria Australia” are stunning ancient plants that are found here in the Grampians (Gariwerd) Victoria Australia.
Extraordinary ancient plants from the time of Gondwanaland.
I have sat under them many times and have felt their primordial existence.
It’s wonderful to see them turned into a piece of art.
Thankyou!
Thanks Ruth, they are just amazing, I have heard so much from people about how they grew up with these plats around them. All the best, Mike
As an Aussie it nice to see a bit of the more obscure woods being used.
You definitely did it justice…
Thanks so much!, you have some of the most beautiful wood over there and I want to turn it all 😀
I think you picked the perfect angle! The offset centre on the inside gives it such a beautiful, interesting pattern 😍
Thanks Andy, that took a while at the start there to get the right balance between stem and top, worth the effort though I think. All the best, Mike
I definitely think the satin finish was a good decision, when you were first turning it I wasn't a fan of the texture of the wood, and when it was glossy it didn't really look right either, then suddenly it looked nice. The live edge is gorgeous too, I'm glad you managed to keep it. I've certainly never seen wood like this! Glad you shared this project with the world.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and thanks so much for taking the time to watch, all the best, Mike
The hollow wasn’t deep enough for a vase though…🤷🏿♂️
@@4th_Lensman_of_the_apocalypse indeed, it's a high bowl
I love woodturning vids, because they're satisfying. Now this one... kept me on the edge, seeing the amount of risks you were taking. And your right decisions in the right time made the difference. Subscribed.
Wow thanks so much Peter and welcome to the channel, all the best, Mike 😃
My grandpa was a master carpenter, I used to love playing in the shavings in his woodshop. Watching you turn on your lathe took me back, I got unexpectedly emotional.
Thanks, you've given me a genuine moment with this video
Oh wow, I can imagine, thanks so much for sharing and I'm happy to have been able to bring back the memories of your grandpa. All the best, Mike
Wow, that is one unique piece! Its hard to find monocots that develop usable wood like this, but when you do they have an almost prehistoric look, like something that would be found in a fossil. Very impressive video and now im hooked! 😊
Thanks so much, all the best, Mike 😀
heh heh. monocots.
Ditto !
I appreciate the knowledge! Thanks!
This is absolutely beautiful I wish my father was still alive so I could share this with him he as a woodworker Craftsman himself would have appreciated this so much!❤
Thank you so much and bless your father, my dad passed 12 years ago and I miss him so much. All the best, Mike
too bad hes dead
My only quibble is that you didn't explain why a grass tree root is so rare and what's so special about it and where it's from etc. Very interesting though.
Sorry, they are a protected species in Australia and you need a special permit to dig one up, sell or do anything with them. Hence they are very rarely exported and very hard to find.
My wife, who is a wood worker, and I watched your video together. We were both impressed by the beauty of the wood and the craftsmanship of a true artist. Thank You
Thanks, that is so kind of you to say, I love what I do and hopefully that comes across in the pieces I make. All the best, Mike 😀
I’m a carpenter and I love working with wood. This is the first time I’ve ever heard of a grass tree root and it is beautiful. I bet this video only does it’s beauty a small justice. Also great choice going with something that is practical and keeps it the original shape and size! Love it!!
Thank you very much! You are right, it looks so much better in the flesh. All the best, Mike
That grain really looks amazing. Didn't know the woody core of plants like this can be turned, I always thought they would just turn into a fibrous mess.
Most of them do but this plant is very slow growing so you get a good hard wood from it, All the best, Mike 😀
@@MikeHolton Banksia give really nice grain patterns too if you can get a decent piece dried without it splitting.
@@chrisbrent7487 Love to get some, I have a nut coming soon 😀
A small price to pay for such a gorgeous grain of wood. I regret missing the auction. Only a true master can read the wood to maximize its beauty. Well done!
Thanks so much Frank 🙂
Merci, beaucoup pour tous les détails que vous donnez sur vos choix techniques , les produits de finition que vous utilisez et surtout les raisons de ces choix.
Bravo et merci
tu es plus que bienvenu mon ami 😁
I love all kinds of woodcraft, but this vase gotta be on the top ten. It was like polishing a black opal and seen the inner beauty come ot the surface. What a thrill this was beggining to end. Mike nailed it and he knows it. Got a new sub here.
Haha thanks so much for the support 😀. All the best, Mike
How tastes vary so much. I wouldnt give you a nickle for that. Not my thing at all.
@@sarahmanalapan8443 it would be a very dull world if we all liked the same things 😀
I grew up on a sheep farm in central western NSW. We had hundreds of acres of these trees. They are very slow growing (2” in height a year, less in drought) and very hardy. They send up a spear of flowers each year. They will stop flowering and need a bushfire to regenerate every 6-7 years. The local mob (gamillaray) called them Bingah Wingul.
Never imagined I’d see someone using a stump of one for turning. Glad I stumbled across your channel!
This is what I'm calling a "satisfying video". Nice voice, great skills and beautiful wood. I love it. 🙂 That could be a bellend of a Didgeridoo.
Thank you so much 😀, had to laugh at the use of the word "bellend", in the UK it's mainly used as an insult lol 😀
@@MikeHolton *LOL* I didn't knew that. It's just the end of a Didgeridoo. Because it mostly looks like a bell.
@@tzmandevil6118 🤣😂 I knew what you meant and you are right, just funny to hear it in a different context.
That wobble is absolutely terrifying (well, for me with zero experience and only looking on)
The revealed grain and pattern are absolutely mesmerizing though.
Thanks 😊, I was on edge most of the time
Beautiful work! I particularly like looking into the flute. Its asymmetry, satin finish and unusual grain give the illusion of a three-dimensional surface captured in mid-swirl. Interesting visual tension. An extremely intriguing piece that keeps inviting the viewer to take a closer look. And then another. Well done!
Thanks, I could not agree more, the Fibonacci spiral we often see in nature is clearly the cause of this amazing pattern. And to top it off there have been numerous reports of people seeing faces in there including, Jesus, A monk with a beard, a lady and an alien. It's got it all 😆. All the best, Mike
Absolutely gorgeous. This was the first time I’ve ever heard of a grass tree. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it Kirsti 😁
Mike, this is a fantastic craft! The choices you made during crafting all added up to a glorious art piece! Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you very much Shawn 🙂
I live in Western Australia and this state has an abundance of these Blackboys {or grass trees as you called them). I don't know if you have read that they only grow about 3mm in a year and so are very slow growing, so that particular root piece would be quite old. The outer layers of the actual tree is quite thick and instead of a bark like layer it is kind of like scales on top of each other. During our hot summer months and bushfire seasons a lot of these trees catch fire and because they hold a lot of oil both in the bark and the long round leaves they burn very hot, but they do benefit from the burn.
Hi William, there has been many stories about these fascinating plants posted since I released the video. I never thought it would have created so much interest and regaling of natural and social history, I have loved every post, thanks so much for sharing even more about these plants. All the best, Mike
I've never seen wood like that. So unique. Beautiful!
Also, I think the satin finish was the right call.
Thank you very much! All the best, Mike
You never cease to amaze me , not just your turning skills , but your vision of what is in the wood 👍👍👍
Thanks that is a very kind thing to say. I just love what I do and hope that comes through in the video, All the best, MIke
as a fifth-generation wood-worker, this video calms me and makes me glad for my ancestors' work. thank you from the bottom of my heart.
You are very welcome my friend
What an amazing piece of work Mike, my heart was in my mouth a few times as well! A beautiful end result that clearly demonstrates your lathe and wood turning skills, well done!!
Thanks so much, so kind of you to say 😊
The beautiful nature of the usual leftovers that people are not even considering are sometimes the most amazing works of art. Makes me want to start looking for unique discards
Roots can make for beautiful pieces as the grain structure is all over the place. All the best, Mike
I must say Mike, that is an absolutely magnificent vase, the grain of it, how it shows thanks to the bowl, and the craftsman's skills that brought it out, all came together to make a beautiful piece, great work as usual mate!
Thank you so much indeed my friend, I loved working on this even though it was a little scary at times. All the best, Mike
I've never seen this wood before. It is absolutely ztunning!
Thanks Debra, it really has the most beautiful grain 😀
Metal wristband and long sleeves around a rotating machine gives me the dread shivers.
The long sleeves are held back with Velcro, I no longer wear anything on my wrists 😀
Beautiful! You have created the finish of this grass root to its organic perfection! Its original dusty surface just removed then the Matt finish to protect its natural beauty. I love how you describe your thoughts and process… no wonder your channel has exploded ! Fantastic stuff 😊❤❤
Thanks so much Shelley 😀, all the best, Mike
What a beautiful piece, and what an amazing specimen to begin with. I've never seen anything quite like that before, thank you.
Many thanks! I can't get over looking at the grain in this, it's amazing!
Beautiful work used to have. Lot of grass trees on my parents property years ago who would have thought they would look as beautiful turned as they were alive.
Thanks, the grain is nothing like I have ever seen before! 😀
Absolutely beautiful woodworking and inspiring. Learned turning when I was a kid from my mentor, inspired me to work construction building custom houses. The way you stain is amazing, reminds me of they days working in the shop.
Wonderful, thanks so much for watching, all the best, Mike
That is a true masterpiece! I watch you make things like this and can only dream of being able to turn works of art like this. I make pens now, but someday I will venture into bowls and vases.
Well there you go, I would not know the first thing about making a pen, it's all down to what you are used to doing. All the best and thanks, Mike
hello wife! your nails are lovely! and the vase is from something i have never heard of, and is very cool. thanks again for all the great content, and congrats for the over 8 k subs!!!!
Thanks Dee, I will pass that on to my wife 😀. And thanks again for your long and continued support, always makes me smile when I see a message from you, all the bet, Mike
This is the first of your videos I’ve ever seen and I’m not only amazed by your work but very impressed that you continually take the time to stop turning and explain how and why you’re turning it like you do. As a beginner turner need these kinds of explanation! Thank you for that.
I’m definitely going yo watch more of your videos and if they’re as impressive as this…you have definitely found a new subscriber!!
Thank you! And welcome, I like to share my thoughts through the good and the bad so hopefully we can all learn together. All the best, Mike 😀
I see a lot of grass trees growing in the wild but have never considered putting one on a lathe as they are protected in Australia and it is illegal to remove them. I love the colours and patterns that your turning has brought out. And no, you didn't pay too much. 🤑
Thanks, they are beautiful to turn 😀
Very, very cool - definitely a show piece to display in a place of honor in your home. I just about jumped out of my chair when your gouge slipped!
Thanks so much and I jumped as well, luckily no harm was done. It is a beautiful piece and I have no idea what to do with it now. Hopefully I can find it a place in the house or find it a new home.
That grain is really something else, reminds me a bit of damascus steel. Great work!
It certainly has the essence of Damascus! All the best, Mike
What s gorgeous piece of wood. The black dots are simply amazing. Nice work.
The matte finish was absolutely the right choice and i dont know how much you paid but even if the price was higher then your comfort level IT WAS WORTH IT!!!!!
Thanks Wendy, it was £120 which at the time was well out my comfort zone, luckily it all went well and the video did surprisingly well!!
This was an absolute beauty!! I think you did amazing man, and I'm glad your channel has blown up 😊🤘
It's all going a little crazy 😀 thanks so much
Absolutely gorgeous!! The grain, the little dots. Never heard of a grass tree before today. Would love to see more of it.Beautiful job carving!! Well done!
Thanks Amy, the grain is just amazing, so glad I got a chance to turn this. All the best, Mike
Palm trees could also be considered grass trees. There are a variety of flowering trees and other plants in the monocot family (plants that only have 1 leaf when they sprout as opposed to dicots which have 2). They are not really grasses though.
Grasses are in the Poaceae family, while palm trees are in the arecaceae family and Grass Trees are in the asphodelaceae family.
@@CarbonFiberSwan fascinating stuff! Thanks so much for sharing, Mike
absolutely beautiful. i love how you explained what you were thinking through the whole process!
Glad you liked it, all the best, Mike 😃
Beautiful. Congratulations! I just looked up Grass Trees. They are really interesting and rare for many reasons. A seed takes one year to germinate in the right environment. They grow no more than 1 cm a year. As a living tree they provide many benefits to humans. They are a food source. They are very difficult to propagate. There is so much more to know about them. A young person with young children would be the ideal to grow these from seed so their children and grandchildren could reap the benefits.
They are amazing in so many ways, there are so many great storied on here about them in the comments
This was both fascinating and nerve racking to watch! But totally worth it for the end result. Beautiful, just beautiful!
Thanks so much, it had my nerves going as well 😂
Beautiful! Australia is filled with unique and wonderful woods. You made all the correct choices for this art piece 👏!
Thank you so much Kersti 😀, quite often the wood make the choices for you, you only have to listen. All the best, Mike
It turned out to be incredible. It was beautiful in its initial state and you’ve leaned into that beauty to bring out an incredible finished price of at.
Your process is interesting and pretty amazing.
Thank you!
Thank you so much Pauline, all the best, Mike😀
I’ve never seen wood like that. It’s absolutely gorgeous! And your work on it it’s beautiful ! ❤
Thank you so much Beverly, I've never seen anything like it either, it's just mesmerising 😃
My parents own a set of ornamental bowls made of grass tree root that they found at an auction at some point in the 60's or 70's. It was literally hand-sanded into shape, using the natural bulbous form as a guide, and the bowls (especially the big one that amusingly enough they used to keep walnuts in) look _amazing._ Edit: Oh, and the bowls had a slightly glossier finish, but not by much, they'd gone for a sort of golden sheen on the inside of the bowls. Very nice.
Thanks for the family story, I love hearing these 😀
I've never even heard of that kind before but it's amazing! And nice job handling such a weird/challenging piece, too. Great job, Mike!
Thank you very much Tom, the shape did cause a few problems but I think I made the right call at the start to give it a thicker stem. All the best, Mike
You can always tell when someone is really good at their craft, you watch them work and think “I could do that” when in turn I sure as hell could not…
Haha thanks Darrell, it's just practice, I have no special talent just a desire to get better 😀
Beautiful work! I’m a long way from woodturning, but seeing works like this make me look forward to my future workshop
Thank you very much, we all have dreams and this was my dream for years, it too me a long time to be in a situation where I could finally start turning but I got there and it has changed my life. All the best, Mike
I can only give this piece one like, so I've done that.
This is possibly one of the nicest pieces of turning I've see on the Intereb for a long while. The structure of the piece is just great. When the first finish was applied the colour was great.
Would gladly have that piece in my home, but guessing by your comments on the cost of the blank it's not going to be cheap, and neither should it be cheap. It deserves a great home.
Thank you so much David, I really appreciate you comments and so pleased you like the finished piece. I'm in two minds what to do with this. The wood itself is from a tree between 300 and 500 years old and is the only one I've seen for sale in the UK for years so I doubt I would ever get another anytime soon. I'll let it sit in my office for a while until I make up my mind. All the best and thanks again. Mike
The finish you ended up with is definitely better than sheer gloss, and the wood is extremely interesting to look at, never seen one with a pattern of dots like that and you brought it out beautifully.
Thanks so much, I've never seen grain quite like this before, it's just amazing!
The grain and dot pattern in that wood is gorgeous! Nice job bringing that out!
Thanks Sarina 😃
That is wonderful. I just turned a cedar root. It made a beautiful vase. I sold it to fund me kids mission trip. Good work man!
That is awesome Aaron, good for you 😀
Nicely done! I’ve never seen anything like this before. I was holding my breath the whole time you were hollowing. The end result is awesome. Thanks.
Haha, me too David, not having a steady rest and having 10" sticking out from the chuck is not ideal lol 😀
I was, too. I am a rock-solid front-end scraper guy. You gouge guys terrify me on the regular. I have only two gouges that I ever use, both big and shallow. One is HSS and the other is plain ol' carbon steel. I can sharpen it in a couple seconds on a whetstone. I use these for removing corners from square things. As soon as the piece is round enough that I can use a scraper or a skew, the gouges are done. I won't hollow with anything other than a rounded front-end scraper. That little tungsten-bit tool looks like something I might use.
@@BrutishYetDelightful Carbide tipped tools are easy to use, a flat round one would be good for you to try for hollowing. I know what you mean about gouges, they do take some practice but I've used it so often now it's like second nature.
@@MikeHolton I may try a carbide tool or two. I have some experience with them in a metalworking setting, and they seemed remarkably durable while cutting steel, much more so than any other cutting tool we had. I would assume they would stand up to an awful, awful lot of woodturning. Am I correct in this? I've just never taken the carbide plunge because I already have more traditional tools than I can actually use.
@@BrutishYetDelightful They last a lot longer and can be sharpened easily in about 30 seconds.
The thing that troubles me the most is that when I die, my wife is gonna sell my tools for what I told her I paid for them.
Haha we all fear the same thing 😀
Such a beautiful outcome. Truly amazing what you were able to do with it. I am typically a satin finish type of person, so I appreciate the finish you chose!
Thank you so much Cody 😀
Just getting into wood turning and I will admit that the Grass Root Vase is one of the most impressive pieces I have seen. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you very much Michael and thanks so much for watching, all the best, Mike
I wish I'd caught this sooner. I hope my views and likes etc help a bit. I'm now subbed after this one vid, not just because the wood was gorgeous, but because of your very honest and down to earth nature. You share a little more of yourself in a heartwarming way. ♥
Hello and thanks so much for your words they have made my day. I care a lot about the work I do and do my best to keep everything honest and personal. I still have so much to learn and am so grateful that people are happy to join me on this journey. All the best, Mike
New sub. Although I don’t do woodworking, I love watching this stuff being made and what you all come up with with your projects. I do like your commentary as well. Explaining as you go is wonderful. More need to do it. Nicely done!
Awesome, thank you Jeff, and welcome to the channel, all the best, Mike 😀
Absolutely gorgeous work of art. I just found your channel, and I thank you for sharing this with us. Keep up the great work!
Thank you so much and welcome 😄
Absolutely beautiful. Amazing how it turned out. ❤
Thank you! 😊
I felt the tension as you turned, but the piece came out beautifully! It reminds me of leopard wood that I'd used in making my first knife, but this is on another level!
Thanks, the grain is fantastic 😊
Me too
I had never heard of a grass tree!! Odd looking tree but that grain is something else.
Well worth the money what ever it was , once again you’ve worked your magic and made a unique piece.
😊
Thanks Bev, yes it was expensive, yes I was nervous turning it but yes I would do it all again, thanks.
Google; Balga grass tree. At 5 to 8 hundred years old they can get to about 3+metres, or over 10ft tall.
They have evolved to withstand and recover from the worst bush fires. Kangaroos snuggle under the drooping foliage in rain storms.
Most people also don't know Bamboo is a grass.
@@Quinctili Thanks so much for the knowledge 😃
For obvious reasons, Mike uploads great videos of his work with many examples of really rare and expensive woods. It would be interesting to see what he does with materials from the other end of the spectrum - ie: 100% common and ordinary and cheap as chips (no woody pun intended).
Thanks Alan, there are many examples on my pages if you look through. There is a root from a cherry bush I found in a hedge, an ash bowl taken from windfall, to name but a few. It is only recently I have been able to afford some nicer pieces of wood. All the best, Mike 😀
WOW... stumbled on your video... and boy am I glad I did... I was captivated by just the looks of the raw piece.... I am by no means a woodworker... not even close... but I really like how you show projects from start to finish.. well done, and I dont think you overpaid for that root😉... well done... gorgeous vase!
Welcome aboard Derek and thanks so much for your comment, all the best, Mike
Love the matte, but would also love to see a deep gloss with some depth on another, just to compare. Very nice work!
I know what you mean. If I can ever find another I'll give it a go 🙂
Beautiful piece and congratulations on hitting your subscriber milestone!
Thank you very much, it's going carcy!!!
Beautiful! Your decision to keep it a matte finish was spot on!
I think so too, many thanks, Mike 😀
This was an amazing video to watch. Thank you for letting us experience the amazing beauty of the vase. I love the satin finish. ❤
Thank you so much! 😃
Looks amazing! And the more expensive your raw materials are, the more you can charge for your work. 😄
So true, but selling my creations have never featured high on my to do list. I just love the process of making, I guess I will one day set up a store or something. It may be soon I have bowls everywhere 😂
@@MikeHolton I have 9 pieces of oak furniture I made because here in the middle of Montana there's no furniture stores with stuff as good as mine.
@@rogerdudra178 Haha that's pretty awesome
It looks so unique if I didn't know better I would think it's some sort of designer fake wood... if that makes sense.
This is a Gorgeous Vase. The grain is amazing, it shines through wonderfully with the natural finish. Excellent Workmanship.🏺🍂
Thank you very much, the grain is just amazing 🤩
Wonderful workmanship amazing watching you transform that wood to a beautiful vase
Thank you very much Joe 🙂
Well, that was gorgeous and wildly stressful 😂 every time you got near the live edge, I imagined the tool catching and ripping wood off 😭💀
Haha I was having the same thoughts lol 😀
Beautiful transformation, I was on the edge of my seat at all times, best action video ever! Thank you for sharing!!
Thanks so much 😊 all the best, Mike
Extraordinary piece, Mike! I agree it was worth the cost, and I like the matte finish. Amazing effect, with the dots running spirally across the grain. Well done!
Thanks Mike, this wood is just a bit special 😁
I was amazed at how you centered it. And I wondered how you would leave the wide end. Very suspenseful and interesting.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it, I was on edge the whole time with this one lol🤭