Finally made something

[Jerry Marcantel]

Ok folks, here's a small lidded box made of mystery wood..... It's 2 1/2" tall, 3 5/8" od and 3/8" wall. It's sanded to 240 and it has no finish...... Hope you like it.... Jerry (in Tucson)

[Thomas Canfield]

Well done Jerry. The mysstery wood really has some character and your form is good. I hope that you will finish it out with some oil to really bring out all the wood features.

[David E Keller]

That's pretty cool. I love all the cracks and character.

[Baxter Smith]

Pretty neat looking box. The colors are nice even without a finish. If you do oil it, it would be nice to see again!

[John Hart]

Pretty cool little box. I like it. The wood reminds me of some kind of cedar or juniper root.:)

[Bernie Weishapl]

Really neat box out of some interesting wood.

[Tom Sherman]

This is some very interesting wood has a very good look for no finish, good job.

[Donny Lawson]

I'm no help on identifying the wood but the box turned out great.It has lots of character with the cracks and knots.
Donny

[John Keeton]

Jerry, that wood has some great character, and if it were sanded to 400, and oiled, it would really show well!! Nice job!!

[Aaron Wingert]

Great form! If there were ever a candidate for turquoise inlay I believe that's it right there! Great piece of wood. I look forward to seeing it all sanded and finished.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Sure is some amazing wood! Looking forward to seeing it with a finish - should really make the grain come alive!

[Roland Martin]

Nice box and very interesting wood. Like most others, I would love to see what a finer sanding and oil would do to this. Nice job!

[Allen Neighbors]

All you Bois d'Arc (Osage Orange) turners take a long look at that Prehistoric, Gnarley little bowl. I've seen chunks of Bois d'Arc that I've thrown out that looked just like that... pieces that I've cut off of 100 year old fence posts.
Jerry, that is one awesome little Box!!! I'm kicking myself for throwing away some of those pieces, now. I love the shape; it fits the wood, perfectly. Really cool little box!! Do you have OO in Tucson?

[Michelle Rich]

very cute little lidded vessel. I would sand to at least 400 and oil it , and after it's really dry give it a nice buffing.

[Jerry Marcantel]

[ !! Do you have OO in Tucson?[/QUOTE]
Alan, yup, there are 3 OO trees in Tucson... They are 3 years old, and in my yard....
That little box wood is probably from some type of fruitwood tree that grew in Tubac, Arizona, south of Tucson... The piece of wood used was on the end of a branch that was trimmed each year at a nub, and grew into a semi round knob... I was given 2 branches that had 3 knobs on on them. When I first cut them on my band saw, after the first cut, I thought the blade burnt the wood, but I didn't smell anything, so I figured it would a nice specimen.
Time to gloat... That same day I got those pieces of fruitwood?, my purpose for going down there (Tubac) was to buy a router, router table, and a whole bunch of carbide router bits this guy was selling. I don't really need another router, but just 3 of the bits were worth what I paid for all the stuff. He also had a sign in his yard, "Firewood", so I went over to his pile of wood and saw this stump (pictured). I told his girlfriend I wanted that stump and those 2 pieces of fruitwood?... When it came time to pay, she said I could have the wood at no cost.... Ironwood sells by the pound, and this stump weighs about 50-60 pounds... My estimation is about 300 dollar piece of wood.
I don't know what you guys know about ironwood, but it's pretty rare and very protected in this state and California.. So, to get a legal piece in my opinon is like getting your cake and eating it too....I couldn't believe my luck... But, showing off a piece of nice looking wood is a lot different than working it.... The fumes generated from working it are toxic. I don't think I've recovered yet from making a box to stash my business cards in. That was 4 years ago....
The Seri Indians down in Mexico are now having respiratory problems from all those ironwood carvings that they made years ago in huge quantities...
Too much info.....Gotta quit...... Thanks for all the nice words on my turning. I will be posting more as the days go by. Jerry (in Tucson)