Orchard gave a final gift

[Tim Rinehart]

A few months ago, an article was in our local paper about a man who was losing most of a fruit orchard he'd been tending for over 25 years, and using it to teach life lessons to his family in the spirit of giving. One of our local club members got in touch with the man and got permission to harvest some of the wood from the trees. A few of us went out in September, got a variety of fruitwoods (peach, apple, pecan, pear, plum) and then turned articles for the Roberts family. Some of the items we turned during a Fine Art Show in Charlotte, while the family watched.
Here is the followup article. http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/11/28/1861604/orchards-creator-gets-special.html
168869I turned the peach HF on the right, with the BW finial, as well as the NE items out of apple, pear and peach. 4 of us total made items for the family and presented at our November club meeting. It was fun doing it, and the family was very happy with the lasting memories we helped provide.

[Rob Holcomb]

Very nice work and it's always feels good when we give back to those that give to us!

[Mark Hubl]

Very cool Tim. Nice story and the turnings look good. I am sure that the enjoyed seeing them turned into something other than firewood or mulch.

[bob svoboda]

Great story and some very nice turnings ( or carvings as the pic captions states:D)

[Ray Bell]

Ditto, on what Bob said. Well done.

[charlie knighton]

Tim, good story and fine looking turnings

what type of wood is the hf on extreme right?????

[Michael James]

Great work and nice gesture on everybody's part. I can just imagine the family watching the wood "become" something.;)

[John Keeton]

Kind of gave life back to the orchard!! Nice work on the turnings, and great gesture.

[Christopher K. Hartley]

What better way for a club to utilize their talents than memorializing a mans life work. Good Job and Congratulate your club on a grand project.:)

[Bernie Weishapl]

That is just to cool and a great story.

[Tim Rinehart]

Tim, good story and fine looking turnings

what type of wood is the hf on extreme right?????
Charlie, the extreme right HF is peach, and it was a challenge. I turned it a few days after we got the wood. It was turned pith centered, and there were 2 other exit points from branches. Picture it coming from a place where the trunk split in 3 directions. I left a bit of a tenon on each end after hollowing, and placed hose clamps on it, tightening every day for about a week or so...then just let it sit. I coated the outside with lacquer to help slow drying. The tenons being clamped prevented otherwise typical fruit wood checking...I got lucky I think too.

After sitting a few weeks, I hand sanded the whole piece and refinished with Danish Oil.

It was a fun project to get involved with, and a joy to give back to a family that was so happy to receive pieces that came out of the orchard.

[Baxter Smith]

Great story, nice gesture and neat turnings. Never heard about the hose clamp idea. Interesting!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Great story - beautiful work! I am sure the family appreciates the gifts!