Spanbaum

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Spanbaum, meaning “wood shaving tree,” is a handmade wooden tree often used as part of a pyramid decoration. It is mainly made in woodturning workshops in the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge) in Saxony, eastern Germany. The craft is called Spanbaumstechen. The best material is lime wood with a straight grain. To make one, a conical blank is turned and a small base disc is added. The cone is clamped in a vise and the branches are carved evenly with a chisel, shaving away layer by layer to form the tree on all sides.