I've dabbled in woodturning for many years and enjoy the challenge of continually refining bowls. Whereas cabinetmaking is time consuming, a bowl can be completed in a couple of hours and is almost recreational. The figure of the wood is primary, and in turning bowls I attempt to maintain simplicity in form with only discrete embellishment. When possible I use Scottish hardwoods that have special character due to the damp climate, but there are constraints on the quantity that I can get so bowls are of limited availability. Regardless, readily available domestic and exotic woods offer a myriad of possibilities. My tool handles utilize off-cuts of exotic woods from cabinetmaking projects. They offer a much more attractive tool than those purchased at retailers and tend to be bought as gifts for tool aficionados.