HF with voids

[Mark Burge]

Hello everyone: This is what I knocked out on Sat. when the kids were napping. Sorry about the picture quality, it's from my phone. I'm not sure what kind of wood it is. It came from a tree on my parent's farm in KY. It was quite a surprise to find the huge void in the middle of this limb section. When I cut it it had just a little hole around the pith area. As I shaped it, the void opened up farther and farther. I wasn't intending on doing this as a hollow form, but the center was already partly hollowed, so I just followed suit. As it dried, the crack along the side has opened up more and more, making the top look even scarier to turn.

It has a coat of walnut oil on it. This turned it a bit more yellow than I would have liked. I think now, that I should have just finished it with a clear poly. I'll probably put a clear coat on now anyway to give it some shine. Unless you all think that an other finish could mute the yellow tones.

Thanks for looking.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Mark - that is quite the hollow form! Not sure what kind of wood it is but sure like all the inclusions and voids!

As far as a finish - just about any oil finish will turn the wood a little yellow because they use linseed oil as a base. If you want something to remain true to color and still use a poly - then try a water based poly as they dry clear but be advised - being water based they will raise the grain.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Good looking HF. Really nice piece with the voids. I agree with Steve the water base poly or lacquer would keep the wood the most natural color.

[Mark Burge]

Thanks Steve and Bernie. I should have gone with my gut on the finish. It really looks a lot yellower in real life. I've got several other chuncks of this tree to play with, so we'll see on the next one.

[David E Keller]

Very cool... I love the voids. It looks right a home in front of that book collection... Very high-brow stuff

[alex carey]

Looking good, digging the voids, no idea what the wood is.

[Mark Burge]

Thanks y'all. Yes, David, I just noticed that one of those books is my dissertation! Maybe not that high brow, but it was a lot of work.