A Madrone burl bowl

[Harvey Schneider]

Everybody was so nice about the first batch of photo's that I posted I thought that I would share some more.
This is one of my favorite pieces. It was turned about one year ago.
The wood is Madrone burl. It had to be the weirdest stuff I have ever turned. It cut like I was carving a turnip (not that I have ever really carved a turnip). There were green sprouts on the burl slab when I received it.
The bowl is 10" diameter and 4" deep. The finish is about 7 coats of Tung oil finish (a varnish). I have to add that I could not have achieved this finish before I built a vacuum chuck.
Comment and critique are welcome and encouraged.
Harvey in Southbury, CT

[Bernie Weishapl]

Harvey that is a beauty out of some beautiful wood. I like the finish and simple form.

[Dennis Ford]

WOW! I can see how that is one of your favorites. Clean simple shape and fantastic wood.

[David E Keller]

It's beautiful, Harvey. I had to put on my shades just to look at the photos... That thing has got some serious shine! Lovely shape as well.

[David DeCristoforo]

Man that's nice. What a clean looking form. Although I'm not usually a big fan of high gloss finishes, it looks just right on this.

[George Morris]

That is great looking bowl!! Well done!! G

[Harvey Schneider]

Man that's nice. What a clean looking form. Although I'm not usually a big fan of high gloss finishes, it looks just right on this.

The high gloss finish was part of my vision for this piece of wood. As soon as I saw the slab I knew this bowl was in it and I knew that this simple form needed the high gloss finish.

[David Christopher]

beautiful bowl

[Pete Jordan]

Excellent Harvey!

[Tom Giacomo]

Terrific color and grain. I like it.

[John Keeton]

Harvey, this is a wonderful piece of work, and a beautiful piece of burl. In my opinion, burls deserve a high gloss finish to bring out the best in them. You did well here.

[wes murphy]

great looking bowl. i really like it

[Reed Gray]

I am curious as to how you dried it. As some one who turns a lot of madrone (my favorite wood because it warps so spectacularly), did you boil it? Air dry, which I have found almost impossible, or other??? Yours is so nice and round.

robo hippy

[Christopher K. Hartley]

Harvey, I'd say you nailed this one. The form and the finish is almost perfect and the color is deep and rich. Congrats on a wonderful piece.:)

[Steve Schlumpf]

That is one beautiful bowl! I can see why it's one of your favorites! Thanks for sharing!

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Very nice bowl Harvey, Arbutus as we call it in Canada, isn't the easiest wood to keep in a non contorted shape, color is very nice as well, very well done :)

[David Woodruff]

Harvey, spectularly awesome. Well done. It all came together.

[William Hutchinson]

... The finish is about 7 coats of Tung oil finish (a varnish). I have to add that I could not have achieved this finish before I built a vacuum chuck....

Very nice form. I was curious about your skillful finishing by using a vacuum chuck. Excuse my ignorance, what advantage do you gain with the VC with an oil/varnish finish?

[Harvey Schneider]

Very nice form. I was curious about your skillful finishing by using a vacuum chuck. Excuse my ignorance, what advantage do you gain with the VC with an oil/varnish finish?

I cut back the finish between coats in order to get an extremely uniform finish. This minimizes minor irregularities in the finish. This finish is about seven coats that were sanded with 600 grit between early coats and with non-woven abrasive pads equivalent to 0000 steel wool for later coats.
The vacuum chuck allows me to hold the bowl securely without damaging the surface being held. All of the other approaches that I have tried resulted in scratches, scuffs and abrasions on the surface being held.
Harvey in Southbury, CT

[James Roberts]

Very nice bowl, love the form and that shine. Beautiful piece of wood.

[Michelle Rich]

lovely shape & nicely crafted

[Marcia Margolin]

:) This bowl is an amazing form. You are talented, very talented.

[Jim Burr]

Well done Harvey! A vacuum chuck is next on the list for obvious reasons!!

[Bill Bolen]

Gorgeous piece and thanks for the vc explination. At first I thought you were using the vac to draw the finish deeper into the wood!..Bill..

[Jim Burr]

Great form:D...it does go a bit flat about 2" from the top. Ask anyone here...I'm not a fan of shiny...but in some cases it works...just MHO. On the base, it looks like you had some open grain open up with some tear-out. In the words of Mr Grumbine..."80 grit gouge". Again...the form is real nice and you picked a real fun chunk of wood!