Cherry Burl Bowl II

[Baxter Smith]

Worked on a different burl this morning. It was the biggest of the small burls I had cut a few weeks ago.
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Since yesterdays bowl had worked out ok, I wanted to make something similar yet also change a few things that I had thought about.
Split the piece in two as planned with the chainsaw then positioned my template so that it lined up well with the bottom and sides of the burl. As soon as I cut out the blank I saw that I had not gotten what I had planned. The burl was oval and when I had lined up the template with the two sides and one end, that meant the 4th side woud be in the middle of the burl and would have a different apppearance. Should have thought of that but...:)
So much for the balanced appearance. The upside was I would have enough left for another.

I recut the angle on the flattened top to minimize my mistake and attached a faceplate which would make it a whole lot easier to attach a glueblock to the bottom later. I wanted to make the curve a little more pronounced today but ended up turning away more than planned halfway through the curve to get rid of bark. Perhaps I should have just lived with a spot with bark.
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I wanted to also leave it a little thicker so everything is 1/4. I think it feels more balanced when picked up compared to yesterdays 1/8 side and 1/4 bottom.
My wife was very nice:) but she said she doesn't really care for the look on the inside when I do one like this. Makes it look like something belongs in there. (Like an insert) I probably should have left a more gradual transition to the bottom but was trying to match the outside to keep a consistent thickness. The slanted lip makes the wall look thicker than it really is from some angles as well.
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As usual, there are things I would change so as usual..

Comments and suggestions are welcome and appreciated!

6 x 1 3/4 x 1/4 1 coat of AO and bagged. With time and 4 or 5 more coats it should improve.

[Kevin J Lalonde]

That is some beatiful cherry sir!! I like the form too.FWIW, I think it would have looked better with a more open than closed mouth. I dont think I could let go of either of the two burls you have posted so far!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Beautiful Baxter. Really some great wood.

[Donny Lawson]

Baxter,
You said you cut them a few weeks ago, so did you do the DNA soak or what was your method,and what is the finish you used? I have 2 large cherry burls about a foot apart on a log but I'm afraid of it splitting.So right now the ends have been sealed and it's just sitting in my shop.
Donny

[John Keeton]

Baxter, these burls are just fantastic!! So much going on with them - contrast, swirls, BE - they have it all. Great job on this one, though I kind of like the form of the first one better, but that is just my personal opinion.

[David E Keller]

That wood is amazing! I, too, like the form of the first one better. I just can't get enough of that burl figure. Looking forward to the next one.

[Steve Mawson]

Really some fantastic wood and somewhat rare I would guess. Like them both, try not to show favorites:D:D

[Steve Schlumpf]

Baxter - great looking bowl! Love the wood!

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Another beautiful piece Baxter, very nice, and yes it will get nicer color in a while.
I just have one concern, and I might well be wrong but have a close look at the part that I marked on the picture, it looks like that might want to open up, a bit of CA is probably not a bad idea if you can feel it is opening up.
Anyway that's some real nice burl you got there, and it did look like that, but you never know with burl till you get inside of it, you did well :-))))

[Baxter Smith]

That is some beatiful cherry sir!! I like the form too.FWIW, I think it would have looked better with a more open than closed mouth. I dont think I could let go of either of the two burls you have posted so far!

Thanks Kevin. I agree on the "beautiful cherry" and if I understand correctly, the open mouth would have resulted from continuing the curve from the bottom out to the edge. I started out wanting to do a slightly more pronounced ogee than yesterday along with a smaller foot When that didn't work out because of bark I left the top edge as I had started it. Artistic design is not one of my strengths and designing on the fly - forget it. :)


Baxter,
You said you cut them a few weeks ago, so did you do the DNA soak or what was your method,and what is the finish you used? I have 2 large cherry burls about a foot apart on a log but I'm afraid of it splitting.So right now the ends have been sealed and it's just sitting in my shop.
Donny
Donny, because I have had so much green wood available to turn, I haven't tried any of the methods used to speed up drying. I either rough turn thick then bag and leave in a cool area, or turn it to 3/8 or less, apply an oil finish of some type, then bag it and leave in a cool area. The ones I have taken out of the bags after 6 weeks or more may have warped but haven't cracked. I have then applied more coats of oil. I have wetsanded a couple of them with the oil if they were a little rough. I plan on doing that with this one. I used Minwax Antique Oil. This branch was cut and the ends were coated with anchorseal within 2 hours of cutting. I split this burl at about 8:30 this morning and it was as you see it now by 11:30. Put it in a bag and only took it out to take the pictures an hour later. I will more or less forget about it for the next couple of months. The one I did yesterday is fine today but I have no doubt that if it had sat out for just a couple of hours it would have developed cracks and all night, forget it. I have been happy with the process, you just have to be patient or think about the next piece to turn.:)

Beautiful Baxter. Really some great wood.

Thanks Bernie.


Baxter, these burls are just fantastic!! So much going on with them - contrast, swirls, BE - they have it all. Great job on this one, though I kind of like the form of the first one better, but that is just my personal opinion.
Thanks John, I agree with all, including the form.:)


That wood is amazing! I, too, like the form of the first one better. I just can't get enough of that burl figure. Looking forward to the next one.
Thanks David. Took pictures from several diffent angles. I like it better from a more normal viewing angle but I wanted to post it this way to get feedback on the shape.:)

Really some fantastic wood and somewhat rare I would guess. Like them both, try not to show favorites:D:D
Thanks Steve. Rare? These came from the same branch on a scruffy looking wild cherry. Almost hate to say I know where there are quite a few more. A couple of weeks ago I didn't know if they were woth bothering with but I figured I would give it a shot.

Baxter - great looking bowl! Love the wood!
Thanks Steve its turned well.

Another beautiful piece Baxter, very nice, and yes it will get nicer color in a while.
I just have one concern, and I might well be wrong but have a close look at the part that I marked on the picture, it looks like that might want to open up, a bit of CA is probably not a bad idea if you can feel it is opening up.
Anyway that's some real nice burl you got there, and it did look like that, but you never know with burl till you get inside of it, you did well :-))))
Thanks Leo. I see the black lines I think you were trying to mark. They remind me of the shake lines in the apple that had turned black. I took the chuck of the lathe and added CA to a couple of little spots inside and out before I made my final passes and sanding. That was tight then but it probably would be a good spot to keep an eye on.

[Joe Wiliams]

Baxter, these burls are just fantastic!! So much going on with them - contrast, swirls, BE - they have it all. Great job on this one, though I kind of like the form of the first one better, but that is just my personal opinion.
Same thoughts here:)

Question Baxter... Hope this makes sense...

I'd like to know what the orientation of the finished bowl is from the raw burl in the first pic.

[MIKE E BEE]

That is some amazing wood baxter. Great job on the bowls. Love them both. Thanks for posting your methods too! Thats a big help. I have been experimenting with some different drying methods as of late. I did not think that putting an oil of any kind on wet wood would help the cause. I would have thought it would seel in the moisture. Interesting. Gonna give that a try. I have been using the DNA method and have not had any warping or cracking issues with maple or cherry however I did some apple a couple of weeks ago and when I unwrapped it, it has major cracking issues. I am going to have to take a different approach on that wood. Definately not going to be able to force the issue there.

Thanks for your post, great stuff!!!

[Steve Braman]

Amazing wood, almost looks as if it were carved from stone. Great job. Maybe someday I will finish some house projects and manage to get back to learning to turn. Thanks

[Roger Bullock]

Great looking cherry burl you got there. Makes me think I need to keep my eye open for any cherry burl as I drive around. I kind of like the slanted lip but will have to agree that it makes the sides look thicker than they probably are. My question to you or others is, what lip design would have made this bowl look thinner without actually turning it thinner?

[Baxter Smith]

Same thoughts here:)

Question Baxter... Hope this makes sense...

I'd like to know what the orientation of the finished bowl is from the raw burl in the first pic.

I took a couple pictures this morning Joe but I don't think any matched the exact orientation now that I am back at the computer. I tipped the piece after cutting so the outside curve of the bowl would more closely follow the outside of the burl.
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That is some amazing wood baxter. Great job on the bowls. Love them both. Thanks for posting your methods too! Thats a big help. I have been experimenting with some different drying methods as of late. I did not think that putting an oil of any kind on wet wood would help the cause. I would have thought it would seel in the moisture. Interesting. Gonna give that a try. I have been using the DNA method and have not had any warping or cracking issues with maple or cherry however I did some apple a couple of weeks ago and when I unwrapped it, it has major cracking issues. I am going to have to take a different approach on that wood. Definately not going to be able to force the issue there.

Thanks for your post, great stuff!!!

Mike, I am very new to this and not qualified to give any advice but I will share some short term results and thoughts. So for WIW, I try to oil the inside while on the lathe. The spinning seems to warm the oil a bit, maybe it penetrates a little bit more and dries as well. Then flip around and finish turn the bottom using cole jaws and oil the outside. Put them in a paper bag and leave them on the floor of my pole barn. Temps have been cold to cool there. The oil should slow the drying but that is what is wanted. I will share some pictures of Apple I turned thin in early January.
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If the pith is centered and the sapwood balanced on a straigt trunk you get some even warping. If you don't have that option....
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The crotch winged bowl split because there was some punky wood in the center. The CA held it while turning but couldn't do it while drying.
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This one was plum. With experience, I think you could predict the type and amount of warping to some extent. Would vary with moisture content, wood type, location in the tree, blank orientation etc. etc. For me its still pretty much a surprise.:) Can't say I'm a big fan of the extreme twisted warp. Maybe it reminds me of some of the cabinets in my house. I always go for the wide single board raised panel. Don't always stay flat.

I think its worth a try. Just seal up what you don't use right away and don't take a break while dealing with the one you are working on.

Amazing wood, almost looks as if it were carved from stone. Great job. Maybe someday I will finish some house projects and manage to get back to learning to turn. Thanks
Thanks Steve. Never thought about the stone look but now that you mention it! Would make a wild counter top!


Great looking cherry burl you got there. Makes me think I need to keep my eye open for any cherry burl as I drive around. I kind of like the slanted lip but will have to agree that it makes the sides look thicker than they probably are. My question to you or others is, what lip design would have made this bowl look thinner without actually turning it thinner?

Thanks Mike. The lip looks thicker there than in any other picture angle I took but I wanted to show it at its worst.:)I think its because of the way you see both the sides meeting it and they blend together to some extent. The lip was flat at first but wanted to try something a little different. Tough to put it back on. Will just have to display it at something different than eye level!

[Gordon Thompson]

wow!

that is some gorgeous wood! I like your bowl alot!

[Gary Chester]

That is some great wood Baxter!

I think it deserves a more artsy design tho... just my opinion. There's lots of ideas on this forum you could steal...err... be inspired by.

[Rob Cunningham]

That's really wild looking wood. Nice looking bowl which will just get better with age.

[Baxter Smith]

wow!

that is some gorgeous wood! I like your bowl alot!
Thank you Gordon.


That is some great wood Baxter!

I think it deserves a more artsy design tho... just my opinion. There's lots of ideas on this forum you could steal...err... be inspired by.

Gary, I couldn't agree more about it deserving a more artsy design. Every time I have a nice piece of wood I wish I could send it to some of the people I see post here.:) I wasn't able to turn during the day today but I went out to the shop after dinner and got my fix. Made an attempt at something more artsy! May take some pictures tomorrow of my attempt at art?


That's really wild looking wood. Nice looking bowl which will just get better with age.
Thanks for commenting Rob.

[Joe Wiliams]

I took a couple pictures this morning Joe but I don't think any matched the exact orientation now that I am back at the computer. I tipped the piece after cutting so the outside curve of the bowl would more closely follow the outside of the burl.
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Thanks Baxter:)

The burl is a whole lot bigger than what I was expecting:eek:

[charlie knighton]

very nice...