But wood turning first starts with finding the right kind of wood. I would rather do a few very unique and special pieces in a rare piece of wood, than run a production line using common woods. For example, I have some pieces turned from wood that came off a ship that was wrecked off the Cape Coast in the early 1700's. They have now been identified from end grain photomicrographs (the biggest word I know) as an extinct species, mentioned inthe Old Testament in Chronicles 2.2. It's originally probably from Morocco or somewhere else in North Africa.

Now if only I could find some good use for those rare shavings I have to make to release the designs from the wood!