Couple of Spalted Yellow Birch Vessels...Pierced

[Wally Dickerman]

I did the piercing on these pieces in an area where there was little or no figure or spalting. Note that the the piece on the left has a 5-sided rim. They were done a couple of years ago and both have been sold.

Wally

[Richard Madison]

Great pieces Wally. Very cool the way your piercing follows the figure.

[charlie knighton]

vey nice....

[Mike Golka]

Wally your work never ceases to amaze me! Very nice indeed.

[Baxter Smith]

Really neat! I like the golden color. I have some yellow birch but it is not that dark. Yours must have come from an older tree.

[Allen Neighbors]

Exceptional work is what we all expect to see when viewing your work Wally. You always come through.
Was that 5 sided opening the result of an oops... a design feature opportunity, by chance? Either way, it's unique, and adds to the piece.
While I have this opportunity... Are you very far from Quartzsite, AZ?

[John Keeton]

Wally, both are very nice pieces!! As has been noted, very flowing lines, and you made excellent use of the natural spalting lines in doing the piercing. Beautiful wood, nice form, pleasing application - well done!!

[Wally Dickerman]

Exceptional work is what we all expect to see when viewing your work Wally. You always come through.
Was that 5 sided opening the result of an oops... a design feature opportunity, by chance? Either way, it's unique, and adds to the piece.
While I have this opportunity... Are you very far from Quartzsite, AZ?

Thanks Allen....Quartzsite is about 30 miles from the Cal., Az. border. I am at least 230 miles east of there. It's an RV'er destination in the winter time. A huge mobile flea market.

The 5-sided rim was on purpose...I just punched it out with my 5-sided tool..:-))

Wally

[David E Keller]

Both are nice looking pieces. As has already been mentioned, I like the way you let the pierced areas be outlined by the nature figure in the wood. I'd be proud to display either one.

[Roland Martin]

That is some awesome birch and the piercing is very nice. You are very talented.

[Mark Hubl]

Nice work. Good looking pair of hollow forms. Piercing goes very well on the pieces.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Those are beauties Wally. Really like the pierced look and form.

[BILL DONAHUE]

Wow! As always you set the mark, the target where we'd all like to get to. Those are really beautiful.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Beautiful work Wally! Really like how you used the spalted zone lines to your advantage! Very nice visual flow to both pieces - lots for the eye to see! Thanks for sharing!

Hope you are feeling better these days!

[Brian Effinger]

Beautiful work, Wally. I always enjoy seeing your turnings. :)

[Brian Brown]

As usual Wally, very nice. I love the organic shape to the pierced areas. I also gotta get me one of those "5 sided tools" :D Just one question...when you pierce the wood, does your dental tool leave a clean edge, or do you have to sand the inner edges of the hole? If you sand, what do you use?

[Wally Dickerman]

As usual Wally, very nice. I love the organic shape to the pierced areas. I also gotta get me one of those "5 sided tools" :D Just one question...when you pierce the wood, does your dental tool leave a clean edge, or do you have to sand the inner edges of the hole? If you sand, what do you use?

Thanks Brian....The tool leaves a fairly clean edge. I do clean up the edges by going back and very lightly using the HS piercing drill. The drill is very small. Smaller in dia. than a regular pin. Because it's turning at 320,000 rpm it does make smoke and leaves a blackened edge, which I usually leave.....When people ask about the black edge I tell them that I use a very tiny paintbrush and black paint...:)

Wally

[Ray Bell]

320,000 RPM!! yikes. Beautiful work.

[James Combs]

Wally, I am not familiar with the piercing technique. (or most other artistic techniques for that matter :o) What kind of tool do you use to do that?


I did the piercing on these pieces in an area where there was little or no figure or spalting. Note that the the piece on the left has a 5-sided rim. They were done a couple of years ago and both have been sold.

Wally