Discover A Few of our Woodturning Creations
About BowlBoxBoard.com
Our Story
Founded in 2020, Bowl Box Board has been a small shop dedicated to creating bowls, boxes and cutting boards from mostly native New England timber. A one man shop operated by Greg Hopkins. Greg was born and raised in Massachusetts. Trained as a network engineer, served in the United States Navy in Washington, DC where he also developed an interest in woodworking. He embarked on a career in computer networking in private industry. High Tech didn't allow him time to pursue his woodworking interests, and they were put aside for years.
After his professional career he built wooden boats in Portsmouth NH for his company Nextwave Boat.
Since he moved to Concord MA, he and his wife Eszter established a shop in Acton where they enjoy creative wood turning using primarily native New England hardwoods.
Pictures from the shop
It all starts from the wood pile
It all starts from the wood pile
It all starts from the wood pile
Some beautiful walnut timber
Prepping the rough blanks
It all starts from the wood pile
It all starts from the wood pile
cut, split and sealed for slow drying
Burls are special
It all starts from the wood pile
Finally at the lathe
grain pattern is random and unpredictable , hard to turn, but always beautiful
Finally at the lathe
Finally at the lathe
Finally at the lathe
the fun part
Coring
Finally at the lathe
Turning
Coring on the lathe allows multiple bowls from the same timber
Turning
Finally at the lathe
Turning
Ambrosia maple being roughed turned
Cutting Board Construction
And final finished with food safe oil finish
And final finished with food safe oil finish
End grain cutting boards being assembled
And final finished with food safe oil finish
And final finished with food safe oil finish
And final finished with food safe oil finish
juice grooves, feet, and final finish
But always more to turn
And final finished with food safe oil finish
But always more to turn
Each bowl is rough turned and then final turned after drying
Care and Feeding of your Wooden bowls, boards, and Boxes
Bowls:
Wooden bowls make a great rustic addition to your kitchen decor. They’re perfect for serving all kinds of dishes, from salads to fruits and more.
But if you use these wooden serving bowls often, you might notice that they start to lack some of their luster over time.
To keep your wooden bowls looking shiny and new, make sure you’re cleaning them correctly with the tips below.
Everyday Care
For everyday care of your wooden bowls, just rinse with warm water and wash gently with a soft sponge and mild soap.
Avoid submerging the bowl in water, since this will cause the wood to swell and possibly crack. Dry the dish with a soft towel and be sure to let it sit out overnight to air dry. Storing the bowl in a cabinet without letting it fully dry can also cause swelling and cracking.
Conditioning is Key
After gently washing the bowl, rub a liberal amount of conditioning oil onto all sides of the bowl. Make sure to get the sides and bottom of the bowl as well. Set the bowl on a towel to let the oil sink in for a few hours, then apply a second coat.
Oil Choice
There are all kinds of food safe conditioning oils to choose from, but it seems like mineral oil is the most popular option. A popular brand is Howard Butcher Block Oil or Howard Butcher Block Conditioner. The conditioner is a mixture of natural wax and mineral oil. Available at Amazon
Cutting Boards:
Wooden cutting board makes a beautiful addition to your kitchen. To keep it looking safe and shiny, make sure you’re cleaning them correctly. All boards are finished with food safe tung oil and bees wax.
Everyday Care
After using your wooden cutting board, just rinse with warm water and wash it gently with a sponge or dish brush and mild soap.
Avoid submerging the bowl in water, since this will cause the wood to swell and possibly crack. Dry the dish with a soft towel and be sure to let it air dry.
Cleaning With Bleach
You should not use bleach on a wooden cutting board, as it will discolor the wood as well as dry it out, which can potentially lead to cracking. If you're looking to sanitize a cutting board, soap and water are your best bet.
Cleaning With Vinegar
Provided you are washing your cutting board properly and letting it air dry, you shouldn't need to use vinegar to clean it. But sometimes, despite your best efforts, a wooden cutting board can take on unpleasant odors, especially if you've been using to cut foods with strong smells like onions or garlic. If so, a light spray with diluted white vinegar (use equal parts vinegar and water) can help to deodorize it. Spray it on and let it air dry without wiping it off.
Cleaning With Lemon and Salt
Another way to remove odors is to sprinkle it with kosher salt, squeeze the juice of a lemon onto the salt, and use the cut lemon to rub the salt and juice together to form a paste. Let the mixture dry overnight, then scrape it off using a spatula or bench scraper. A paste of baking soda and water utilized in this same way can also remove odors as well as stains.
Maintaining Wooden Cutting Boards
If you want to go beyond basic cleaning and try to tackle some simple maintenance, you could oil or wax your cutting board.
The benefits of waxing or oiling are that it prevents odors and moisture from soaking into the wood, which helps keep it clean, and helps to extend its life as well. It also makes your cutting board look beautiful, as boards that are repeatedly washed and dried tend to become dehydrated.
There are all kinds of food safe conditioning oils to choose from, but it seems like mineral oil is the most popular option. A popular brand is Howard Butcher Block Oil or Howard Butcher Block Conditioner. The conditioner is a mixture of natural wax and mineral oil. Available at Amazon
Wooden cutting board makes a beautiful addition to your kitchen. To keep it looking safe and shiny, make sure you’re cleaning them correctly.
Everyday Care
After using your wooden cutting board, just rinse with warm water and wash it gently with a sponge or dish brush and mild soap.
Avoid submerging the bowl in water, since this will cause the wood to swell and possibly crack. Dry the dish with a soft towel and be sure to let it air dry.
Cleaning With Bleach
You should not use bleach on a wooden cutting board, as it will discolor the wood as well as dry it out, which can potentially lead to cracking. If you're looking to sanitize a cutting board, soap and water are your best bet.
Cleaning With Vinegar
Provided you are washing your cutting board properly and letting it air dry, you shouldn't need to use vinegar to clean it. But sometimes, despite your best efforts, a wooden cutting board can take on unpleasant odors, especially if you've been using to cut foods with strong smells like onions or garlic. If so, a light spray with diluted white vinegar (use equal parts vinegar and water) can help to deodorize it. Spray it on and let it air dry without wiping it off.
Cleaning With Lemon and Salt
Another way to remove odors is to sprinkle it with kosher salt, squeeze the juice of a lemon onto the salt, and use the cut lemon to rub the salt and juice together to form a paste. Let the mixture dry overnight, then scrape it off using a spatula or bench scraper. A paste of baking soda and water utilized in this same way can also remove odors as well as stains.
Maintaining Wooden Cutting Boards
If you want to go beyond basic cleaning and try to tackle some simple maintenance, you could oil or wax your cutting board.
The benefits of waxing or oiling are that it prevents odors and moisture from soaking into the wood, which helps keep it clean, and helps to extend its life as well. It also makes your cutting board look beautiful, as boards that are repeatedly washed and dried tend to become dehydrated.
There are all kinds of food safe conditioning oils to choose from, but it seems like mineral oil is the most popular option. A popular brand is Howard Butcher Block Oil or Howard Butcher Block Conditioner. The conditioner is a mixture of natural wax and mineral oil. Available at Amazon .
Boxes:
Generally boxes are finished with Osmo oil finish. Over a long period of time the finish might fade if left in the sun on a permanent basis. Another coat of Osmo oil finish or simply a wax add-on finish would return the finish to th original finish.
