Maple Bowl

[Baxter Smith]

A few days ago I posted a question here about how to best seal some bark inclusions (and tiny cracks in the bark) for a bowl that could be used.
I had applied thin CA while turning this summer but that had mostly been turned/sanded away.

I used shellac to outline all the bark areas to protect the surrounding wood then applied thin CA directly to the bark and cracks. Then following Reed Gray's advice, sanded a walnut board and worked the dust into the cracks followed by more thin CA.
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If it avoids being soaked it should make out okay. My sister had asked if I could make a bowl from a tree that was growing a little too close to her house this summer. I volunteered to take it down:);). Spent a lot of time in the tree taking out and lowering limb by limb since it was leaning over her porch. Lots of limbs in an open grown tree!:eek: Never worked close to 8 hours before to get a couple bowl blanks.

I once turned this piece since I wanted to be able to give it to her for Christmas.
It has dried to a width of 14 x 13.25. 3.5 high x 3/8 thick.
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I finished it with 2 coats of Mahoneys walnut oil then tried melting some beeswax in the microvave and adding it to the walnut oil. I had read various proportions but ended up going 3-1 oil to wax. Put it on warm though it had already started to separate. I would be interested in hearing how others have done this. I read about making a paste but mine separated when cool.
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Red Maple Bowl with a little bark, birds eye, and ambrosia in the bottom.

[Ray Bell]

Baxter, personally I like these kind of "defects", as they add character. I am curious about the shellac before CA though. Did you just carefully, maybe using something like a Q-tip go around the cracks or coat the whole bowl before the CA?
Hopefully your sis is going to love this.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Baxter that is a nice looking bowl. She is going to love it. I have used sanding dust and epoxy to fill void and seal cracks with pretty good results. I work it into the crack before doing the final turning.

[John Keeton]

Baxter, looks like the experiment worked! Nice looking bowl, but not sure the time factor worked out very well!!:eek: Sounds like you have 2-3 days effort in this one - oh well, anything for Sis!!:)

[Steve Schlumpf]

Came out really nice Baxter - well worth the effort!

[Tim Rinehart]

I'd say well worth the effort, especially if staying in family/friend circle. Well done.
Great job!:)

[Michael James]

Nice one! Im sure your sister will love it. The further I get into the vortex, the more I appreciate the pieces "that might not have been". Great fix, great save!
mj

[Tony Greenway]

I like it!!!

[Ted Calver]

Baxter...I use four parts of Mahoney's Oil to one part of beeswax and have never had any separation issues with the mix. I have pyrex dish with the increments marked on it. I warm the oil and add shavings of the wax, allowing them to melt in, until the liquid hits the mark

[Trevor Walsh]

I finished it with 2 coats of Mahoneys walnut oil then tried melting some beeswax in the microvave and adding it to the walnut oil. I had read various proportions but ended up going 3-1 oil to wax. Put it on warm though it had already started to separate. I would be interested in hearing how others have done this. I read about making a paste but mine separated when cool.

If I recall correctly, the paste wax recipes I'm familiar with use turpentine or some other organic solvent to keep things from seperating. That might only be for a resin/wax mix though. Not oil/wax.

I have had success with a home made spar varnish, using collected pine sap, beeswax a little BLO and turpenoid. You have to melt and strain everything to get debris out. And caution must be taken because if you over heat the mix or set it on fire the pine sap and oil with burn vigorously. I do mine outside on brick in camp gear with a sterno or small wood fire. It takes a long tome to dry but is a really smooth finish.

[David E Keller]

I think the bowl turned out great! I've always just applied the wax by rubbing a hunk over the form while spinning and then melting it in with friction(a la Richard Raffan among others).

[Baxter Smith]

I am curious about the shellac before CA though. Did you just carefully, maybe using something like a Q-tip go around the cracks or coat the whole bowl before the CA?

Ray, with a small 1/2 inch brush I coated an area about an inch wide around all the bark inclusions with shellac sealcoat to prevent the thin CA from soaking into the wood and staining it. Then just carefully added a few drops of thin CA to each of the untreated bark areas and sort of tipped it back and forth to let it soak in but not let it run onto the unsealed areas.

Baxter...I use four parts of Mahoney's Oil to one part of beeswax and have never had any separation issues with the mix. I have pyrex dish with the increments marked on it. I warm the oil and add shavings of the wax, allowing them to melt in, until the liquid hits the mark
Thanks Ted. I was thinking I had read something about 4-1 but when I did a search I couldn't find it again. I melted the wax then added the oil, not that that should have made a difference. It all got melted.


I think the bowl turned out great! I've always just applied the wax by rubbing a hunk over the form while spinning and then melting it in with friction(a la Richard Raffan among others).
Thanks David. The wax was a "why not try that thought" after I already had the bowl finished with a couple coats of oil and off the lathe.

If I recall correctly, the paste wax recipes I'm familiar with use turpentine or some other organic solvent to keep things from seperating. That might only be for a resin/wax mix though. Not oil/wax.

I have had success with a home made spar varnish, using collected pine sap, beeswax a little BLO and turpenoid. You have to melt and strain everything to get debris out. And caution must be taken because if you over heat the mix or set it on fire the pine sap and oil with burn vigorously. I do mine outside on brick in camp gear with a sterno or small wood fire. It takes a long tome to dry but is a really smooth finish.
Thanks Trevor. As I was searching to find the proper proportions to try I did come across a paste Mahoney sells that is a combination of beeswax and walnut oil. I would doubt anything else is added but it would be interesting to check.

Nice one! Im sure your sister will love it. The further I get into the vortex, the more I appreciate the pieces "that might not have been". Great fix, great save!
mj
Thanks Michael. This really wasn't a save. None of the bark was loose. I just wanted to try and make it as versatile as possible. It has a nice glow and silky feel so she probably won't be too inclined to pour stuff in it anyway.