How long does a commission take?

Most commissions take three to nine months. Green wood needs to dry slowly — rough-turned, set aside to lose water at the wood's own pace, then re-turned and finished. Progress photos go out along the way.

What kinds of trees can I commission a piece from?

Yard trees taken down for a driveway, storm-fall on family land, an old maple that finally gave up. Trees have come in from Sanbornton, Meredith, New Hampton, Plymouth, Ashland, and Concord. Almost any northeastern hardwood works — maple, cherry, birch, beech, ash, oak, walnut — and the more interesting the grain (burl, spalting, crotch figure), the better.

How does the wood get from my property to the workshop?

Within the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, Shiloh often arranges to pick up a section of the trunk or a slab in person. Further out, the wood comes by freight. Either way, the arrangement is sorted in the short conversation that follows your inquiry.

What forms can be turned from my tree?

Hand-turned bowls, hollow forms, and vessels. A set of pieces from the same tree is also possible if the log is large enough. The exact form is worked out in the conversation — the wood often suggests what it wants to become.

Are commissions open year-round?

The workshop takes a small number of commissions each season. Inquiries are answered within a few days, and if it is a fit, a short call follows to talk the tree through.

How is the finished piece packaged and delivered?

Hand-finished, hand-wrapped, and packed in a wood-shaving cradle. Included with the piece: notes on the tree it came from — species, where it stood, when it came down.

Chapter IV.Commission

Send a piece of
your forest.

The workshop takes a small number of commissions each season. Yard trees taken down for a driveway, storm-fall on family land, an old maple that finally gave up. Send word about the tree and what you'd like turned from it.

Trees have come in from Sanbornton, Meredith, New Hampton, Plymouth, Ashland, and Concord. Commissions are open to anywhere in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire.

The processFive steps

I.
About the tree
Species (or a guess), where it is, when it came down, whether you have any pieces of it already.
II.
A short conversation
A call or email exchange to talk through what you want turned. Bowl, vessel, hollow form, set of pieces.
III.
The wood comes here
Shiloh arranges to pick up a section of the trunk or a slab. Within the Lakes Region, often in person; further out, by freight.
IV.
Dry, turn, finish
Most commissions take three to nine months. Green wood needs to dry slowly. Progress photos go out along the way.
V.
Home it goes
Hand-finished, hand-wrapped, packed in a wood-shaving cradle. With it: notes on the tree it came from.

Shiloh replies to every commission inquiry within a few days. If it's a fit, a short call follows to talk the tree through.

Or, if you're offering wood instead of asking for a piece

Offer a tree

The lathe is loading the wood