Sassafras bowl

[Thomas Bennett]

Here is a sassafras bowl I turned earlier in the summer. It is turned thin with a high gloss poly finish to accentuate the grain. I really like the wood, and have quite a bit of sassafras lumber, but rarely use it. The bowl is about 10-11 inches across. Any comments or criticism are certainly welcome!

[Quinn McCarthy]

Great looking bowl Thomas. I don't think I have ever seen sassafras lumber. Looks a lot like white ash I think.

Quinn

[charlie knighton]

very nice....

[Bernie Weishapl]

That is a great bowl and the grain is nice. I like turning sassafras and it smells pretty good to.

[Roger Chandler]

I really like the grain on this. I have never turned sassafras, but it is very nice! Great form on this bowl!

[Allen Neighbors]

I think it's got a beautiful shape. And the grain really does mimic white ash! It looks like the softer grain sanded more than the hard grain, making the surface feel just a bit like it's rippled... correct?
Well done, Thomas!!

[William Hutchinson]

Very nice looking bowl; the colors in pic 1 are a wonderful subtle mix of greens, browns and yellows.

[David Christopher]

very nice looking bowl...the shape is perfect

[Steve Schlumpf]

Thomas - that is a great looking bowl! I agree that the grain looks a lot like White Ash! You say you have a bunch of this wood... in that case, the only suggestion I have is to turn more of it! Great grain and I really like the light coloring!

Nice work! Thanks for sharing!

[James Roberts]

Really like this one Thomas, don't see that much sassafras and you got this one perfect. Love the grain orientation.

[Josh Bowman]

Beautiful bowl, great shape. Sassafras does grow that big around here.....I don't think. Does it small as good as the leafs?

[Thomas Bennett]

Thanks for the comments!
Allen asked “It looks like the softer grain sanded more than the hard grain, making the surface feel just a bit like it's rippled... correct?”
Absolutely! The sassafras has an oak/ash type of grain which sands to a “high/low”
And as William comments, it has a subtle coloring that is very nice.
Josh, yes, the wood has the tell-tale smell. Sometimes it can be a little overwhelming. I like the smell quite a bit.
I had some checking problems with some additional blanks. I do not know if it is a problematic species to dry in the rough bowl form. As lumber, it dries beautifully with no problems in the dehumidification kiln I have.

[Allen Neighbors]

Thomas, you and Josh, talking about the smell really brought back some memories. I can remember when I was a kid, my Mom bought Sassafras roots in small bundles, at the IGA grocery store, in Oklahoma City. she would boil them, and make Sassafras Tea. Funny, that was a loooooooong time ago. :D

[David E Keller]

Very nice, Thomas. Wonderful shape and grain. I've never turned sassafras, but I've added it to my to-do list.

[Baxter Smith]

Very pretty bowl out of some nice wood!

[John Keeton]

Nice bowl, Thomas! I have one board of sassafras that a fellow gave me to play with. He has quite a bit of it, but it is all 4/4. Pretty nice wood - very light weight, and works easily.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Nice one Tom, yes a nice smell and good looking soft wood, though I only turned some small pieces, I'm hoping to find some larger pieces someday, I also like the smell a lot.
I planted a small tree 35 years ago here behind my place, it didn't like it here I think and just didn't grow for years, then finally started growing but still at a very slow pace.
I love the look of this tree and the leaves, some with the mitten shape, right now it is starting to get the fall color on the leaves, pretty tree to have around as well as nice turning wood ;-)).