Creating the ByRon PalmCross® There are many stages to making one cross in fact there are 14 major steps so we humbly call the process "The Way of the Cross". |
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From 1997 to 2003, the workshop was in the basement of our Milan, IL home. In 2003 we finally built a workshop in our back yard. We tried to make it look like a little cottage.
| Each walnut board is hand picked from a local lumber yard. The wood grain is examined prior to stamping the cross outline and then cut out individually on a band saw.
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The PalmCross® is truly handmade and because of its shape and curvature, it is very difficult to produce with computer controlled router systems. Therefore, it will probably never be mass produced. Because each cross is very time intensive (we carved over 6100 in 2007), we employ several helpers to assist us. |
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This device shapes the convex back which fits so comfortably into the palm of the hand. | Ron is shaping the concave front of the PalmCross® in this picture. It takes precision, skill, and endurance. |
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The edges are rounded and molded to create a soothing touch when holding the cross. People say the PalmCross® infuses reassurance and generates calm. | A series of flap sanders using grits of 80, 120, 220, 320, and 600 smoothes the PalmCross®. A final stage using an emory cloth creates the silky sheen that customers love. |
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The body of Christ is free-handed by Elaine and carved by Ron so no two Corpus PalmCrosses® are the same. Every cross is engraved with the ByRon 1997 copyright, current year and numbered in sequence: e.g. 2007/557. | Each cross is quality-checked before a small amount of preservative (lemon oil and bee's wax) is applied along with a final buffing. Now the cross is ready for packaging and will be on the way to a new owner! |
