Russian Olive Burl HF

[Curt Fuller]

I picked up about 200-300 lbs of Russian Olive logs at the wood dump that were covered with burls. I thought I'd really struck gold. But when I started cutting into them, they were so old, dry and cracked that I've had a hard time finding much I can use. This is the first piece I tried to turn. Man, this is miserable wood to turn! No shavings, just pure dust and tears out worse than anything I think I've ever worked with. But it was strong and held together pretty good. The burl is weird too. The Box Elder burl I've gotten is pure burl but this stuff just seems to just be burl at the surface of the lumps. Hollowed with my Nyvall system and some carbide cutters I got from carbide depot. They worked pretty good. Anyway, after a couple hours of turning and a couple more of trying to sand this stuff, it even tears when you sand with coarse paper, here is what I came up with. It's 7" x 7", soaked in danish oil, 2 coats of shellac to try to fill the grain and tearout, and finally two coats of deft. I haven't tried buffing yet, not sure if I will. It has an interesting feel to it probably because of the open grain but you can feel every growth ring even after all the sanding and finish. It also has some serious bug work going on in the yellow sapwood areas.

[Pete Jordan]

Curt,

It is kinda scary but I like it!

[John Keeton]

Curt, man you have been having a love affair with these wild looking pieces of wood!! Another challenge well met! It may be rough, but I like it, too - character aplenty.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Nice enough piece Curt :cool:, a little dark, probably from the oil soak, some soft woods will do that, Sumac for instance, sealing it before the oil gave me a nicer color on the Sumac, and also on the Russian Olive I did turn.

As for the funny burl, I got some Ailanthus here that has burl on top of the wood, doesn't seem to go any deeper and has all kinds of voids in it, a gave some to friends that did turn it and they weren't impressed with the burl, I still have to turn mine, it has sat a while, wonder if it still is any good to turn.

Anyway you did a nice job on it and the second and third picture show some real nice grain, it'll probably look better in a bit, thanks for the info on this burl stuff :D

[David Woodruff]

Kurt, All I can say is that you nailed the wood and the form. Nice continuous curves. I would like a piece or two about cubic foot size, if you have it. Don't mind crumbly Olive, been there, done that, It is worth the effort. So how much for a ft3 or two. Thanks, David Woodruff

[gary Zimmel]

Wow, there is more air than wood in that piece...
Real nice job Curt!

[David DeCristoforo]

That is totally whack! You are Fortunate to still have any skin left on your knuckles. I really like this one...

[Steve Schlumpf]

Curt - I really like this piece! Great color and grain - what there is! Bet it was fun to hollow cause you could see the cutter! Really nice piece! Looking forward to seeing if any of the other chunks of burl have as much character!

Thanks for sharing!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Curt....I thought I heard a chant from a southernly direction "Keep my fingers behind the toolrest.....Keep my fingers behind the toolrest"

I like it and it sure is gnarly!

[Baxter Smith]

That is so ugly its pretty! I would love to see some before and during pictures on some of these gnarly pieces you have done.

[Ken Glass]

Curt,
I am just wild about pieces like this. The grain, shape, form and color, and the fact that its nearly imposable to hollow a piece like this and keep it together, would alone make it a very interesting turning. Very Well done!

[Tom Sherman]

Awesome piece Curt

[Allen Neighbors]

I like it, too! Gnarly looking piece... and I know it was a bear to turn! Well done, and I'm glad you still have your knuckles... hmmm... must have been the chanting, that Ken heard. :)
I love Russian Olive!!

[Rob Cunningham]

Very nice piece from some wild looking wood.

[Cathy Schaewe]

Absolutely stunning. I'll know I've "made it" when I can turn a piece like that. If ever.
Certainly won't be this decade. :rolleyes: