Spalted Paper/White Birch Bowls

[Baxter Smith]

Turned these two yesterday afternoon/evening while it snowed. 10":)
At Christmas time I picked up a couple of 16 " long birch sections that were laying on the ground under the powerline coming from the road to my mothers house. An electric crew had cut them last summer when they were having to reset a pole. Now for my question!

I had seen somewhere the techique of taking a wire and holding it against the side of the bowl to burn a line. After realizing I needed gloves to hold it long enough to do that:eek:, I ended up with a burn on the side grain that was darker/deeper than the end grain. Any thoughts on how to even that out? Short of using a magic marker.
140400

The other half of the 8 inch piece I did as a NE. Since most of the spalting was around the edge I wanted to keep it shallow but thought I would try a bit of a pedestal. Didn't want to turn something that would be prone to breaking should someone else get this so stopped as shown. The pedestal is now obviously too heavy but things seem to look more delicate when they are spinning and I have a 5/8 gouge in my hand. :) Not too mention those spinning metal jaws. How thin do you go when it is side grain like this?
140401

There is some shake that was uncovered (brown line at left in bowl bottom) so don't know what this will do as it dries. Also half a borer:)was in one of the top holes at right. Soaked several spots with CA when I found how soft it was. Not in time in a couple of spots as I had some pull out that I couldn't/didn/t try to turn out.
140406

The birch wasn't a big one and this piece was from near the base so the bark wasn't real white.
140407

Plain Birch Bowl 6 1/2 x 2 3/8 x 5/16 1 coat of Antique Oil for now
NE Birch Bowl 7 x 3 1/2 x 5/16 1 coat of Antigue Oil for now

Yesterday morning went to a local auction during the snow. Had some nice walnut, mahogany and cherry. Ended up with this.
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All 6"-8" wide and 8-10 feet long. A little over 100 bd ft. So for 75$ I have a little cherry to add to my collection. Should I ever develop a taste for segmented work .....

[Steve Schlumpf]

Baxter - very nice work! Really like the bowl! Nice spalting!

When I burn a line - I usually start by cutting a very small v-notch with a skew to provide a track for the wire to run in. Then, after turning the speed of the lathe up, I pull the wire taunt and force it into the v-notch. Doesn't take long and it is smoking!

I find your natural edge 'compote' really cool! Hope the bark stays on as it does add to the NE effect.

Congrats on all the wood! Never know when it will come in handy!

[MIKE E BEE]

Very impressive work Baxter. I love the spalting, Nice grab on the wood. I find my self looking for wood now too!! Guess its all part of being in the the vortex. Looking forward to your next piece.

[Dave Halter]

Baxter,
I think the pedestal on the NE piece looks fine. It all flows together very well IMO. When you're wire burning you should wrap the ends of the wire around a piece of dowel. The dowel gives you something to hold on to when the wire heats up and is much safer than wrapping around your fingers.

Dave

[David E Keller]

Very nice. That's great looking wood. I really like the bowl.

[Robert McGowen]

You have had a very busy weekend! I do not know if I would have the patience to deal with the soft wood, shake, and tear out, but you apparently were able to do quite a bit with it. Nice work!



All 6"-8" wide and 8-10 feet long. A little over 100 bd ft. So for 75$ I have a little cherry to add to my collection. Should I ever develop a taste for segmented work .....

That is just what I was thinking when I saw your wood gloat....... :rolleyes:

[Baxter Smith]

When I burn a line - I usually start by cutting a very small v-notch with a skew to provide a track for the wire to run in. Then, after turning the speed of the lathe up, I pull the wire taunt and force it into the v-notch. Doesn't take long and it is smoking!
Thanks Steve. That makes a lot of sense as the wire did want to wander a bit. Had to sand a little bit and try again!:)

I find your natural edge 'compote' really cool! Hope the bark stays on as it does add to the NE effect.


I soaked that with CA before turning down the last little bit. The outer layer of bark(feathery) was too thin to cut cleanly and I ended up using a utility knife to trim a little bit of the fluff.

I love the spalting.
Thanks Mike, it would be somewhat plain otherwise.


Baxter,
I think the pedestal on the NE piece looks fine. It all flows together very well IMO. When you're wire burning you should wrap the ends of the wire around a piece of dowel. The dowel gives you something to hold on to when the wire heats up and is much safer than wrapping around your fingers.

Dave
Thanks Dave. The wire was too thick to wrap around my fingers but it did get hot the first time.:) I will have to rig something up with a couple of dowels to have on hand. Would be a whole lot easier!


Very nice. That's great looking wood. I really like the bowl.

Thanks David!

You have had a very busy weekend! I do not know if I would have the patience to deal with the soft wood, shake, and tear out, but you apparently were able to do quite a bit with it. Nice work!



That is just what I was thinking when I saw your wood gloat....... :rolleyes:
Thanks Robert. Those segmented bowls look like an awful lot of work to do one right. I think I am probably better off letting nature do the designing!;)

[Bernie Weishapl]

Baxter great looking bowls. Wood looks great with some nice spalting. Ditto what Steve said on cutting a small groove then burning.

[Roland Martin]

That is some really good looking wood. What a find. These bowls are just fabulous, I personally think the pedestal looks fine, seem to think the bowl is wide enough to take that size. Besides, if you leave it as is, you're assured to limit your firewood pile.
Can't go wrong with the cost of that lumber. Amazing turnings Baxter.

[Curt Fuller]

Baxter, I really like both of the bowls. The spalted bowl with the pedestal base is really an interesting form. It shows of the wood nicely too.

Another trick to burning a line, like Steve said, cut a small groove to hold the wire. Then use a wire that will wrap at least 1/3 or more of the bowl. The more wire in the groove, the faster and more evenly it burns the line. And it's a lot easier to hold the wire if it has handles on each end. If you can get some old guitar strings, the upper strings that aren't wrapped work really well.

[John Keeton]

All 6"-8" wide and 8-10 feet long. A little over 100 bd ft. So for 75$ I have a little cherry to add to my collection. Should I ever develop a taste for segmented work .....Baxter, there is always FLAT work!!!;):D

Nice work on the bowls, and I particularly like the pedestal one. That birch really spalts nicely, and you did a good job bringing out the best of it.

[gary Zimmel]

Nice work on the bowls Baxter.

And congrats on the lumber haul.
100 bf for 75 bucks.. That would be something I can only dream about up here....

[Allen Neighbors]

Baxter, there is always FLAT work!!!;):D

John! Hold your tongue!! There's tender ears around!! :D

Baxter, you're gettin' good!! Well done! Beautiful forms!

[Roger Alexander]

Baxter I like all the work you have posted. Looks great to me and keep up the good work

[Baxter Smith]

Baxter great looking bowls. Wood looks great with some nice spalting. Ditto what Steve said on cutting a small groove then burning.
Thanks Bernie. I will definitely try that next time.


Baxter, I really like both of the bowls. The spalted bowl with the pedestal base is really an interesting form. It shows of the wood nicely too.

Another trick to burning a line, like Steve said, cut a small groove to hold the wire. Then use a wire that will wrap at least 1/3 or more of the bowl. The more wire in the groove, the faster and more evenly it burns the line. And it's a lot easier to hold the wire if it has handles on each end. If you can get some old guitar strings, the upper strings that aren't wrapped work really well.
Thanks Steve. I will need a much more flexible wire to go around the bowl. I had picked out a thicker stiff one that only touched in one spot. Took a while to heat up then cut in deeper in the side grain than endgrain and burned more there. Everyones suggestions should fix that. Thanks.


Baxter, there is always FLAT work!!!;):D

Nice work on the bowls, and I particularly like the pedestal one. That birch really spalts nicely, and you did a good job bringing out the best of it.
Thanks John. I thought someone here might think of that.;) The walnut was live edge but some very pretty grain and color.(all planed to 3/4) Liked that the most but I have quite a stash already so got outbid. A couple of beautiful grain 18"mahogany boards as well. Ended up buying what I wanted the least but the price was right and now I have enough for something. Woops! Wrong forum!:D


John! Hold your tongue!! There's tender ears around!! :D

Baxter, you're gettin' good!! Well done! Beautiful forms!
Thanks Allen. No other comment as I may have said too much already!;)


Nice work on the bowls Baxter.

And congrats on the lumber haul.
100 bf for 75 bucks.. That would be something I can only dream about up here....
Thanks Gary. It was snowing pretty hard at the time so that probably kept some bidders away!


Baxter I like all the work you have posted. Looks great to me and keep up the good work

Thank you Roger. I have been fortunate to have had such great advice here and some interesting wood to work with. It has been fun to see what each new piece will bring.

[Tom Giacomo]

Both are very beautiful, a teriffic piece of wood.

[Brian Effinger]

Good looking bowls, but I really am drawn to the NE. I think the pedestal is perfect just the way it is and makes it a unique piece.

And it is getting me pumped-up to see what is in the birch that magically appeared on my doorstep today! ;) :D

Brian.