Some blanks I bought, although they are quite expensive. Even a smallish one 8" diameter and 2" thick can cost £10, and a large one cost me nearly £40! It's difficult to make any money by the time the cost of operating the lathe, sharpening tools (every time it's sharpened it gets shorter!), sandpaper and finish is taken into account I'm not really even covering the cost of materials, which is why I like natural blanks, bits of stuff I have found lying around or on the firewood pile.

Spalting is a natural process, the first stage in decay when the tree has been attacked by fungi. There can be soft patches, and yellow, blue or purple staining. There is also often the classic black lines which can be seen on most of the pieces here.

When it's a piece I found on the firewood pile it has just been randomly cut and split, so it can be tricky figuring out how to make a bowl which doesn't just leave all the nice bits on the floor as shavings. Even with a bought blank it can be awkward deciding how to get the best from the piece, and I don't always succeed!