# Found On Forest Floor



## Shady Acres Woodshop (Dec 13, 2015)

Recent trip to northern Montana to visit my son's family. Their home was built four years ago and a forest fire was in the area years before that.

While walking a path out to the lake, my wife picked up a piece of wood, obviously burned and now very weathered after years of deep snow and un-relenting heat. I thought maybe I could do something with it, even though it felt a little punky. So, I turned this and will be sending it back to my son and his wife as a way of saying thanks for their hospitality for a few days.

I noticed a few ants on it and when I started turning it, out they came! I vacuumed, dug with a screwdriver and vacuumed some more. Even microwaved it. Finally, no more ants, just this gaping hole where they set up shop.


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## papadan (Mar 6, 2009)

Good looking hunk of wood!


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

amazing job that will make a wonderful keepsake. what did you polish it with


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

That looks really neat! Do you know what kind of wood it is?


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## Shady Acres Woodshop (Dec 13, 2015)

The wood is some species of Pine. There are several different species on the property.

As far as what did I polish it with, the finish is Shellac. Perhaps more importantly, it's what I sanded it with and I meant to include this in the original post.

In my opinion, every woodturner and woodworker should have at least one of these. I've been using one for over 40 years and have recently purchased several more off of eBay.

It's a Sand-O-Flex and proves invaluable in sanding irregular surfaces, including live edge and natural edge bowls, etc. It's held in a power drill or a drill chuck on the lathe.


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## HerbC (Jul 28, 2010)

That is a beautiful piece of wood and your work with it is stunning!

Keep to the good work.

Be Careful!

Herb


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

Now THAT'S a good looking piece of workmanship!
Bill


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## LWS (May 25, 2017)

That is cool


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## hairy (Sep 23, 2008)

And that is an example of "Trying not to be a turner"?

That's a nice piece with a good story to go with it.


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## builtinbkyn (Oct 29, 2015)

That is a nice centerpiece. I would have walked right by that and missed it's inner beauty. Nice find and beautiful way to bring it back to life.


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## DanielP (Mar 21, 2013)

Nice piece. The poor ants probably don't think so, though.


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## dalepage (Feb 6, 2016)

Having lived in NM for nearly two decades and hiked the mountains there for over 40 years, I'd guess that wood is ponderosa pine.


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## Ocelot (Mar 6, 2011)

Beautiful!


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## xeddog (Mar 2, 2010)

That is kool. Both in the just idea of using an old piece of "fire wood" and the product of that use.

Wayne


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