Holy Wood!

Several years ago one of my uncles called and said their church was replacing their old worn oak pews with new ones and he asked if I'd be interested in any of the remnants. OF COURSE I WAS! He showed up with a small pickup load of it. It's rock-hard oak, fully cured, with a teflon coat of finish, and definitely heard more sermons, funerals, weddings, and gospel than I've ever experienced! I made a test bowl just to make sure it would cut/turn/sand to my liking. I dubbed it "Broadway Baptist Oak" in honor of my uncle and his service as a beloved administrator in that church.

I ended up turning a few small segmented bowls with it and they turned out pretty good. I gave my uncle the one pictured below, and also made one for each of his boys.

I recently needed to make a new table saw insert and was looking around the shop for the right piece of hardwood and thought I'd use a little holy wood for it! Turned out just right. I'm positive that old Jet table saw is running smoother and cutting faster now!!

I'm a repeat offender when it comes to salvaging things and making something new out of them, but this is just so fun. I've got about 5 boardfeet of that baptized wood left, so I'll be thinking of something else to make with it...