Shrink Pots

As wood dries, it shrinks and often changes shape as a result. This is a major concern for most woodworkers and they go to great lengths to dry timber and keep it dry before starting work. With greenwood work I am working with freshly-felled timber which is still soft to carve by hand and will steam bend into curved shapes. The drying and shrinking is of course a consideration but can be an advantage. Carved bowls and spoons find their own organic final shape, chair joints lock together without the need for gluing, while in the case of a shrink pot it’s the whole basis of their construction.
Shrink pots are a simple project; a greenwood log is hollowed out and the inside smoothed using gouges before a shallow groove is cut on the inside at one end. A base is cut from a dry board which fits loosely inside the pot and is captured in the groove as the pot dries. I then shape the outside or leave it with a bark finish and fit lids once the pot has found it’s final shape. They look great for tea and coffee in the kitchen and have loads of uses around the rest of the house too.
You can see my current range of pots which are available for sale on their own page.