HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE ONE OF THOSE?

Do you mean…
not plant the tree, but find the
wood,
just ‘see’ the piece, (as I could)?
to find a highly figured burl,
a crotch, an eye, or pearly curl?
And once I spy it, perhaps buy it,
inventory, store, and dry it?
Then saw or cut it, possibly I kiln
it’
glue, imbue with fill, or drill it?
You mean that once I’m satisfied
it’s stopped the warps, checks,
cracks, once dried?
And mounted on the lathe, to
turn it,
(which takes much practice, just
to learn it);
and then employ a gouge, or two,
or use a skew, which I don’t
eschew,
to mold it, shape it (what’s your
pleasure?)
by all means, I’m sure to measure,
then sand it smooth, please wear
your mitts,
from coarse to fine, 10,000 grits,
then braze, or burnish, paint, or
polish,
(the goal: enhance, and don’t
demolish)?
Is that your question, start to end,
how long’s that path, its way to
wend?
Or do you merely want to know
how long it turned?

Ten minutes or so.

--John A. Styer, North East, MD