Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the product made?

All of my pieces are individual and one of a kind which are handmade from start to finish (log to bowl) by me. My woodshop / studio is in Westchester County, NY. You can visit the shop by appointment.

Are trees hurt in this process?

No - All work is done with “reclaimed” wood. I travel around with my chainsaw and search for interesting logs. Sometimes local arborists will be taking down a tree and I will save something from the “chipper” and other times I am just helping people clean up after a storm.

What about product care and food safety?

All wood finishes, once fully cured, are technically food safe. While I may use a different finishing technique on different pieces (depending on what the wood needs to bring out its best character), all work is food safe. That said, while bowls can be used for nuts, chips, and even salads - you should not put liquids in wooden bowls (mine or any others). Salad dressing is fine, but be sure to clean the bowl when done. Hollow-forms, flower vases, and flower holders must not have water put directly in them. I offer many vessels that come with glass to contain the water for live flowers (see the “small flower holders with glass test tubes” and the “full size flower vases with glass liners.”) Wood can be easily cleaned with a moist cloth and, if needed, a very small amount of mild soap and the wiped clean with a damp rag and periodically treated with mineral oil. For the best care and feeding of your bowls (and also any cutting boards, butcher blocks or other wooden objects you have) I would strongly recommend buying a can of my WoodGlow paste. I make this paste myself and use it as part of the final finishing and polishing of all work I produce. It is a combination of mineral oil, cosmetic grade beezwax, and diatomaceous earth (a very fine food grade powder). This paste will remove fine scratches and revive the shine and luster of my bowls (and will keep your cutting boards and butcher blocks in tip top condition). I make WoodGlow myself for my own use and sell it here in my store and other forums as well. This isn’t a money maker (I make a few dollars a can.) I simply need it for my turning and I sell WoodGlow to other woodturners and offer it to you as well. You use a tiny bit and buff with a paper towel and then remove any residue with a clean paper towel. This is money well spent to take care of the investment you are making.

How much is shipping & handling?

Free Shipping on all orders to the Continental US. For shipments outside the Continental US, please contact me to get a shipping quote.

How do you ship?

Generally, I ship USPS Priority Mail with tracking. If a piece is bigger or more delicate, I may choose to send it via UPS or FEDEX. In all cases I ship fully insured for the price of the piece. This gives you peace of mind that if it arrives damaged, I will take care of it.

What if my product arrives damaged?

I pack very carefully and ship fully insured. In the unlikely event a piece is damaged in transit:

Contact me immediately via email with a detailed description of the damage and include detailed pictures of both the damage to the piece and the damage to the packaging. (The shipper will not honor insurance unless there is proof the package was mishandled)
I pack very carefully, so if the product is damaged by the shipper (or it turns out I didn’t pack it well enough), you will need to pay to return the piece to me with tracking.
Once I receive the damaged piece back, I will refund your full purchase price. There is no need for you to file a claim with the shipper - that is my responsibility.
All of my pieces are unique, so I can’t replace with the exact same item, but should you have to return due to damage, I will offer you a discount on something else you find in my store that you like. Just contact me and I will work to make you happy.

Do you accept returns?

All of my works are unique, one of a kind, handmade pieces with a lot of time and love put into each. I am also not a big company or a store, I am just an individual artist. I post very good quality pictures of each piece along with the dimensions so you know what you are purchasing. As such, unless something arrives damaged, I cannot accept returns.

How do you determine your pricing?

All of my pieces are priced thoughtfully based on the size, complexity, features (e.g. live edges, burling, spalting, etc.), rarity of the wood, and also how much inventory of a certain type of wood or piece I have left. My pricing is also impacted by what is selling face-to-face at local art markets I participate in. If I find I have over priced something, I will adjust it down, and vice-versa, accordingly. As such, my web pricing may change periodically. I tend to price “too low” before I take something to the market-place. So if you see something that looks like a really good deal, it probably means it is and you should grab it before I realize my mistake!!!

Do you offer discounts?

I price carefully and change prices periodically as dictated by inventory and prevailing market demand. That said, I would love for you to purchase and really enjoy my work, for yourself or as gifts for others. As such, if you are a repeat customer, you are free to contact me directly and I will see if I can offer you a discount on your next purchase. The answer will generally be yes, it just depends on what you bought first, and what you are looking to buy now. Again, I am an artist not a store so I have the flexibility to work with you on pricing to some degree. You have to remember, doing artwork is a labor of love and the time and effort that goes into finding and harvesting wood and then creating a finished product which is a thing of beauty is very time consuming.