The Latent Log creates and sells wood turnings, both functional and artistic, and also conducts wood No two pieces can ever be exactly the same. High.
Trees have, concealed beneath their bark, a hidden beauty that is not apparent while they are standing. Only after it has been harvested, cut into logs, shaped and sanded can a tree's inner beauty be seen. It is then that the patterns of its rings, knots, heart wood, sapwood, bark and defects become designs that are visually pleasing. When a log is turned on a lathe it is transformed and its hidde
n potential is discovered. Some pieces become functional like bowls or vases. Others are sculpted into art and are meant to excite and inspire. About The Latent Log's owner, Ted:
I live in mid-Michigan between Saginaw and Flint. My education includes a technical degree in photography, an AAS in Music, a BA in Math Education and an MA in Technology. I have taught Jr. High, High School, Adult Ed, and College; mostly mathematics. I have also operated my own photography business, worked in retail and sweated in a factory. As far back as I can remember I cut and split wood with my dad and my brother. Little did I know what this repetitive process would teach me about visualizing what was inside the log. My father started making furniture as a hobby by the time I was in Jr. I can still remember the smell of the saw dust and the feelings of gratification when a project was completed. My first introduction to woodturning came while visiting an art exhibit that displayed lathe turned wood objects. I was intrigued. Over the next few months I familiarized myself with all that was involved in turning wood. Then early in 2002 I purchased my first wood lathe. As soon as I started turning I was hooked, immediately. The next year was spent focusing on tool technique and familiarizing myself with the turning process. I read books, watched videos of some great turners and spent endless hours on the lathe. Then in 2003 I attended David Ellsworth's School of Woodturning where I studied tools, technique and design for turning bowls and hollow forms. In 2010 I had the opportunity to take private lessons from Ernie Conover after receiving a scholarship for his Master Spindle Turning class. Learning from both David and Ernie were great experiences. I see woodturning as a subtractive process in that all of the material and form for the end product is already present inside the log. The turner transforms an ordinary log into something new and different by taking away everything that is not needed and leaving the rest. You can literally watch this process unfold before your eyes. What is latent in the log becomes actualized in the final form. Initially, the design of the finished piece must be conceived in the mind of the turner and visualized in the log. It is then the task of the woodturner to shear away, or subtract, every part of the log that does not conform to the initially conceived design. As a turner I am often faced with unanticipated obstacles in the wood. These pleasant surprises add character to the piece being turned. Turning wood is a great artistic release. It is also addictive.
Thank you everyone who voted in The Guild Of Artist's "how to" video competition. I am happy to say that the one I made won first place. If you have not had a chance to view the video, please feel free to click the link and watch it on YouTube.
Latent - undiscovered, hidden, concealed, unseen, having potential. Trees have, concealed beneath their bark, a hidden beauty that is not apparent while they...
Dick and his grandson Jake spent a couple of days turning and making lots of shavings. Two great people. We worked on bowls, pens, ornaments and natural edged bowls. They plan to come back soon to learn more. Great time.
Dick Olson is working to complete his first turned bowl. Black walnut. Very nice finished piece.
This is a photo of Ed W making his first wooden bowl. The final product looked great. Good job Ed.
One of my pieces made it into a Detroit News article which advertised the 2016 Ann Arbor Art Fair. My booth number is always C104 on State Street.
It was great working with Dave V. today. He has been working diligently turning beads, coves turning for a while and wanted to make the jump to faceplate turning. So we spent some time learning about the fingernail ground bowl gouge. Not only did he make a lot of shavings but Dave left with a very nice cherry bowl. Keep up the good work!
Hi Ted, I wanted to thank you again for your wonderful class - we had such a good time. And after seeing my bowl, my husband wants to get a lathe himself!! :) Just also wanted to pass along a couple more pictures. Your website could use more pictures of the teacher himself at work :) Thanks again and take care,
Jackie Ahlstrom
Learning from a master - Ted July
What a great class this was. Lynda, Jackie, Cindy and Barb were wonderful students. They made a lot of wood shavings and each walked away with a small bowl of their own. Excellent job.
The Latent Log 2016 art show schedule is beginning to take shape. Nine shows so far. See where and when they are on my website at: http://thelatentlog.com/shows.html
I had a wonderful time working with Bob and Pam. They were delightful to work with and the pieces that they made turned out great.
Pam and I took Ted's basic bowl turning class and had a blast! Pam's is the cherry, mine is the walnut.
Tis the season to be roughing. Fa La La...etc. Roughing a bowl means to cut a log into a bowl blank using a chain saw, then attaching the half log to the lathe, turning it round into the shape of a bowl, core the inside to make smaller bowls, date it for future reference, wax it, store it and repeat the process. Roughed bowls are turned thick so they can be finished turned after they warp during the drying process. Drying time in roughed form takes at least 6 months and sometimes up to a year. The ones I am roughing now (December) will not be dry enough to finish turn until late spring or summer at the earliest. The log in these photos was about 19 inches square by appox 9 inches thick. The roughed bowl was about 18 inches in diameter and the finished bowl, when finished turned, will be about 17 - 17.5 inches across. The smaller core will make another bowl probably 14-15 inches in diameter. I might core that one again into another smaller bowl. A dehumidifier will be used as an aid in sucking out water. As you can see from the last photo, "I have miles to go before I sleep."
This crate was shipped directly from Western Australia. It contains over 1000 lbs of Banksia Pods. They are sort of like Australia's answer to the pine cone. Only very dense and heavy. I don't think I will run out this year, or next, or anytime soon. A big thanks to Neale and Carla France at Djarilmari Timber Products. They are great people and were very helpful.
This video shows Ted peeling away a layer from the bottom of what will be an Oak burl bowl. The procedure can be long and tedious. To see more images associated with this video go to http://thelatentlog.com and click on the word Process.
Ron Blank Dec 28th, 5:35am
Ted, this is my first dry bowl completely on my own. I am very pleased with it. Thanks for the teachings. Ron
Salad with my home grown cherry tomatoes served in a bowl made by Ted July of the Latent Log.
Today Uldis Terauds made this bowl (with Ted's help of course) during his first woodturning class! Thank you, Ted, Uldis is very happy and satisfied!
Ted's one day class was awesome. I made this bowl, and it turned out a lot better than I expected. One of my first attempts.
Otisville, MI
48463
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This video shows Ted peeling away a layer from the bottom of what will be an Oak burl bowl. The procedure can be long and tedious. To see more images associated with this video go to http://thelatentlog.com and click on the word Process.
