Frank B. Abel, III

I retired as a CWO3 Bos'n after a twenty year career in the US Coast Guard. For more than twenty years I have worked in the woods; pruning, cutting and caring for trees. My transition to woodturning grew naturally from my love of trees. I have found that the wood speaks to me and lets me know the shape and form it will become. Many turn into bowls and some become firewood. But none are ever wasted. My bowls are turned from locally harvested timber that I have cut down myself.

Primarily I turn utilitarian bowls, however when I have the opportunity to turn burls, they are generally more decorative pieces as they usually have quite a few holes. In addition, I occasionally utilize the Japanese method of “kintsugi” (golden joinery) in which I add metal to any cracks that may appear in a bowl. This allows me to treat the breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise. All of my bowls have food-safe finishes and I encourage you to use them in your every day life.