A co-worker recently returned from Mexico bearing a gift for me, a 20”x8” plank of 8 qtr Mexican Parota.
We were just going into a meeting when Jaye gives me this hunk of wood … of course she knows I am a woodworker and enjoy wood turning. She enthusiastically presented me with this gorgeous piece of beautifully grained wood, which I accepted as the beautiful gift it was.
Another person, Jean who was also attending the meeting, asked curiously “Is it a cutting board?” To which I responded, “Nope just a piece of wood”. I was oohing and awhing over my new prize, project ideas filling my thoughts. All the while Jean scratched her head, puzzled about why I was so excited about a hunk of wood. Shaking her head and looking bewildered Jean finally returned to preparing her papers for the meeting that was soon to begin.
In walks Grant, a fellow woodworker, who is immediately drawn to the Parota. Grant immediately begins fondling and affectionately running his hand over beautiful grain. Jean became even more perplexed at the sight of us drooling over “a hunk of wood”. Not finding an answer to our currious enthusiasm, she finally tossed her arms in the air and exclaimed “I give up, I don’t understand, I must be missing something!”.
Grant and I chuckled as I tucked the Parota away to carry on with business.
A couple projects made from the Parota are in my projects including a Parota Pen and Clock. More are yet to come.
-- Jim Sollows --- Langley BC Canada --- www.sollows.ca
8 comments so far
mmh
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1409 posts in 621 days
posted 235 days ago
Neat story. Please show us the Parota “as is” before you cut it! I would love to have friends like that! I just found out my husband knows someone who travels to Mexico. Maybe I can get some Ziricote ?? I may need to coax someone here.
-- "They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." ~ Edgar Allan Poe
woodworm
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8310 posts in 489 days
posted 235 days ago
Yes, I’m with mmh. Very keen to see the pics of Parota – maybe it will help me to understand why and what Jean didn’t understand.
-- masrol, kuala lumpur, MY.
Chris
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300 posts in 256 days
posted 235 days ago
Before and after pics, particularly a single board converted into a ‘something’, are always interesting. I on the bandwagon – please post if you can.
-- Chris
dennis mitchell
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3791 posts in 1213 days
posted 235 days ago
We sometimes forget that the great reward from any art is it teaches us to see beauty. I’m grateful for the ability the see beauty in a pile of firewood.
-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com
mmh
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1409 posts in 621 days
posted 235 days ago
I have log piles in my yard. 80 lb. – 800 lb. logs. Anyone want to come over and chip away?
-- "They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." ~ Edgar Allan Poe
Jim
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99 posts in 543 days
posted 235 days ago
I’ve just added a link to the project images in the blog. It shows the raw wood as well as one project made with the Parota.
-- Jim Sollows --- Langley BC Canada --- www.sollows.ca
woodworm
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8310 posts in 489 days
posted 234 days ago
Parota is very nice wood, indeed. Now I think I need a friend like your frend…LOL.
”Only the Jeweller knows the value of the jewel”
-- masrol, kuala lumpur, MY.
HallTree
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2041 posts in 666 days
posted 234 days ago
After you make the project, from the block of Parota, don’t forget to show it to ‘Jean’.
-- Ron in Osseo, Minnesota