Spoon and Ladle

[mpounders]

I've been inspired by Cliff's many spoons and Carl's (carverfromnowhere) videos and techniques. I finally got my bandsaw updated with urethane tires and a Timberwolf blade and they have made a tremendous difference in how it operates. I made a small teaspoon size walnut spoon that turned out ok, but was only able to find a small piece of unknown wood that seemed suitable for a ladle. Despite Carl's excellent video, I still managed to get the pith in it, but went ahead and carved it for practice. It is sized to the capacity of my wife's favorite metal ladle. It is showing a tendency to crack around the pith and may turn into a strainer at some point! I primarily used a small scorp that was an Xacto blade that I epoxied into a handle. I don't think they make those anymore, but I believe I would enjoy it more with a Denny hook knife (as soon as I come up with some cash). I have work out my thumbs sanding, but finally made a little tool that helped some. I took some pieces of leather and the fingers off some rubber gloves, filled with sand and attached to dowels to make a rounded drum-stick type device. I would wrap a piece of sandpaper around it and it helped somewhat with sanding the inside if the bowls and was less painful to my thumbs. Kinda like a poor man's Guinevere inflatable sander. If possible, I am hoping someone can give an educated guess about the wood in the ladle, so we won't die the next time we have chili. I would also like Cliff to make a tutorial or video on how to persuade your wife to let you use the microwave to dry out your wood! Or maybe he could just email my wife and ask her for me!

[Mottles]

Nice looking spoon! I can see how Cliff's and Carl's spoons/wooden utensils can be inspiring. Looks like your hooked.
Kathy

[tucker1931]

Well sir, I think you did a fine job on both of those, I sure like your idea of a small round sander. That is where I run into difficulty with the smaller spoons (a lot of hand sanding). I have the larger bowl sander but it's too large for the little fellas. As for drying in the micro wave, dang, it's a trial and error thing so far for me. It worked well on the birch but with the lilac, I had a heck of a time. I put the roughrd out spoon on a pare towel, cover with another towel and then run in defrost at 1 minute intervals letting it cool completey between the defrost cycles. I had a 4 foot length of Lilac about 4 inch in diameter and managed to get 3 spoons out of it, it just all cracked to hell on me. Good luck. You can always send me a PM any time.
Cliff

[Robert Cahill]

Nice looking spoons. I may try your sanding method. I think I have some of the X-Acto scorps and in the package they are called routers. Not certain when I got them but I am having a hard time finding any of their products except for #2 and #11 in wal mart.

[Larry Marshall]

I love both your ladle and spoon. Thanks much for describing your methods.

[toycarver]

I like them both too. Are you concerned about the 'unknown' wood you made the ladle from?...some are toxic..
Love the shapes you have on them both anyway!

[wildhare]

Wow MPounders, I like your spoons. Tucker and CarverTurner's videos got me into the spoon thing too. I am going to try your sanding method since I am waiting on funds for a hook knife too.
You did a good job.
Wanda

[Lightningbolt]

Ditto's on the new urethane tires and Timberwolf blade bandsaw upgrades... amazing how such little things can improve performance. Your spoons are so nice but the latle has me spellbound... as I'm thinking that a small one scaled down and modified would possibly make the perfect coffee scoop. With a handle about 6" long that baby would really scoop up the deepest grounds in a low can of coffee grounds. Nice job and thanks for sparking another good idea worth trying!

[MackTheKnife]

Very nice work. Both the spoon and the ladle are great, but I like the little spoon the best. The overall shape plus the heart on the handle. Maybe I'm partial because I carve lovespoons.

[Joy]

They are both terrific! I think the small one is my favorite.