![Moderne Weihnachtspyramide mit Krippe](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Moderne_Weihnachtspyramide_mit_Krippe.jpg)
A ''spanbaum'' ("wood shaving tree"), variously referred to in English as a hand-shaved tree, wood chip tree or span tree, is a handmade ornamental tree which is usually part of a
pyramid ornament. They are mainly manufactured in
woodturning
Woodturning is the craft of using a wood lathe with hand-held tools to cut a shape that is symmetrical around the axis of rotation. Like the potter's wheel, the wood lathe is a simple mechanism that can generate a variety of forms. The operator ...
workshops in the
Ore Mountains of
Saxony
Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state of ...
in eastern
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
. Their method of production is known locally as ''Spanbaumstechen''.
Material
The choice of material is especially important. Only
lime
Lime commonly refers to:
* Lime (fruit), a green citrus fruit
* Lime (material), inorganic materials containing calcium, usually calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide
* Lime (color), a color between yellow and green
Lime may also refer to:
Botany ...
wood with a straight grain is suitable.
Manufacture
To make the ''spanbaum'', first of all a conical blank of the tree is turned and a small disc is made for the base. The conical blank is clamped in a vice and the branches carved symmetrically using a chisel, shaving by shaving, on all sides.
2014-12 Spanbaum.jpg, A ''spanbaum''
Spanbaum1.jpg, A ''Kräuselbaum'', a type of ''spanbaum''
External links
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Culture of the Ore Mountains
Woodcarving
Christmas decorations
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