My Best Work Yet! Spalted Birch Bowl

[Radek Kowalski]

About August of last year I became fasinated with woodturning. I soon after picked up a lathe and some of the things I needed. On the way home with the lathe in the back of the car I saw someone in the neighboorhood had cut down a birch tree. Not knowing what I know today I took about 10 pieces, one with a 14" diameter and the rest was about 6". I quickly sealed the ends and put them in my garage. That was in october.

Couple months ago I saw that the birch had started to mold up real bad. I was super happy about that because I could not wait to see what the birch would look like. Here are a couple pictures of what became of half of that big log I brought home.

http://www.radeksfishroom.com/images/shop/sbirchbowl.jpg

http://www.radeksfishroom.com/images/shop/sbirchbowlbottom.jpg

http://www.radeksfishroom.com/images/shop/sbirchbowlknot.jpg

It is about 9.5"x3.5" tall with 1/8" thickness all around.

Turning has been an experience for me. For the first couple weeks I could not get the chuck to hold stuff properly. Then my drill chuck decided to fly a couple times. Then winter came, So I probably have only been turning for about 6 months.

Please let me know what you think. Thanks for looking.

[Mike Minto]

wonderful bowl, the spalting shows off very well. nicely done. mike

[Mark Ball]

Very nice. what kind of finish did you use?

[Paul Engle]

Very nice indeed, my first foray in turning was an older birch tree and was very much amazed at its spalting and some fiddle back. I really like turning it also and watch carefully for the green mold as it vry unique.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Very pretty bowl Radek! Looks like the spalting was worth the wait!

[Ron Lynch]

Isn't it amazing, the things you find inside trees? Nice job.

[alex carey]

nice looking, digging the spalting and the bark inclusion.

[Jess Wetherhold]

Looks great! Love the countertop too. What did you do for the finish?

[Mark Hix]

Nice looking bowl. I think they mean more when you find the wood than buy the blank.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Very nice looking bowl. Spalting was definitely worth the wait.

[Gary Conklin]

Good looking bowl and awesome wood!

[Tom Giacomo]

Nice bowl and the spalting is great. Isn't it funny what a little fungus will do.

[Radek Kowalski]

Thanks everyone!

I used 5 coats of gloss wipe on poly and a coat of friction polish.