Knotty Pine Bowls

[Curt Fuller]

These are a couple of commissioned bowls I've been doing for a lady. She wants as many things from this old pine tree that I can make. I was reluctant to use these slabs because I was afraid the knots and resin in the wood might weaken it and make them fly apart. But after turning these I actually think it might be stronger than some of the other wood. Anyway,.....

This first one has what looks like a limb that was cut off at some time and the tree grew around it. It's 10.5" x 4". The second one has a limb running almost all the way across it. It's 11" x 2.5". Both are just waxed with Briwax and buffed.

[Ken Hill]

Sure made for some interesting wood! They look really nice.

[James Combs]

I never thought pine could look so good.

[Jim Burr]

Best pine I think I've seen turned Curt. 2 thumbs up!!:D

[Thomas Canfield]

Very nice looking bowls Curt. Was this dead pine and dry? It has some of that look. Pine can make some great looking bowls for fruit and displays. Some of the green have so much sap that it can be a sticky situation.

[Richard Madden]

Very nice looking bowls Curt. Was this dead pine and dry? It has some of that look. Pine can make some great looking bowls for fruit and displays. Some of the green have so much sap that it can be a sticky situation.

I was going to ask the same question. I have some logs that have been sitting for about 1-1/2 yrs.

[dirk martin]

What method of drying did you use on these?
I see some knots which I would have expected to generate a lot of splits...but don't seem to have.

[John Keeton]

Very nice, Curt - they look like Southern Yellow Pine, but I would guess not in your locale!!

[Baxter Smith]

Pretty neat looking. Never would have thought to try a bowl with that kind of knot in it. Do you know the story behind the tree? Thats always my favorite part.:)

[bob svoboda]

That is really neat wood and you treated it properly. Very nicely done.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Great looking bowls Curt - your customer will be very pleased! Did you do anything to enhance the grain? Really like how it stands out!

[Curt Fuller]

This is Ponderosa Pine. The tree was in front of the first brick home built in North Ogden. The old Saltbox house was literally splitting in half so it had to be torn down. The family that had owned the home since it was built wanted something to remember their "pioneer house". So a couple guys are making furniture, chests and tables, from some of it and I've turned about 8 bowls so far. This tree was cut down about this time last year. I got a section of it about 6' long and 3' in diameter. I had to cut it into sections about 18" long and quartered to be able to lift it into my truck. But not all the wood is usable because of some huge pitch pockets and what appears to be wind shake. But the color and grain in it is all pretty nice for pine. It was messy to turn at first but as it ages it's getting better. It's impossible to sand dry and I've decided that the best sanding is with WD40. I then let it air out for a week or so and rub a heavy dose of clear Briwax into the wood and let that dry for a day. Then I buff it with the Beall wheel and the carnuba wax.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Really nice looking bowls Curt. They should be pleased with those.

[steven carter]

Curt,

Really nice pine bowls. I would not have thought they could look as nice as these. Looks like there should be a happy customer!

Steve

[dirk martin]

It was messy to turn at first but as it ages it's getting better. It's impossible to sand dry and I've decided that the best sanding is with WD40. I then let it air out for a week or so and rub a heavy dose of clear Briwax into the wood and let that dry for a day. Then I buff it with the Beall wheel and the carnuba wax.

What on earth are you talking about, Curt? Seriously, WD40? Wow, the stuff you guys will try, just blows me away. Show's I've got a ton to learn....

I just love the bowl you've shown pictures of. Again, hats off to you.

Can you tell us a little more about WD40 sanding?
Are you simply spraying it on the bowl, and sanding it off? Why is it impossible to sand dry?

[Art Kelly]

It's impossible to sand dry and I've decided that the best sanding is with WD40.

I did some limb galls (probably fusiform fungus) from a scrubby pine tree in North Georgia. The gall portion surrounding the limb is almost pure pitch--like lighter knots. I had good luck "sanding" with steel wool and low-odor mineral spirits. Probably not much different from WD-40.

That first bowl is awesome. What makes the part on the left of the knot appear to be squared off? Really interesting to look at.

Hit any nails yet?

Art

[Baxter Smith]

Neat story. Thanks for sharing.:)


That first bowl is awesome. What makes the part on the left of the knot appear to be squared off?
Art
Looks like a limb that was pruned off sometime in its history then the tree just grew over it.

[Curt Fuller]

What on earth are you talking about, Curt? Seriously, WD40?

Can you tell us a little more about WD40 sanding?
Are you simply spraying it on the bowl, and sanding it off? Why is it impossible to sand dry?
I'm treading on thin ice here because I don't want to start (or join) a debate on the evils of sanding with WD40. But because the pine is so sappy, the WD40 acts both as a lubricant for sanding and also a solvent for the sap. Without something to dissolve the sap it gums up the sandpaper almost instantly. Any kind of oil usually aids the final grits when sanding but with the pine I just found the solvent effect of the WD40 was the the ticket.

[Christopher K. Hartley]

Curt, this is a very unique and beautiful bowl. Congrats!:)

[charlie knighton]

striking......

[Jim Burr]

Good eye Baxter...maybe some pine tar on the end to seal it?

[Jeff Nicol]

I like to turn any kind of pine that I can get my hands on! Richard Golde stopped in yesterday for a BS session and learning/teaching afternoon. I showed him some of my pine creations that I am working on right now going for the Norfolk island pine translucent style. I have found that the older the wood and dryer it is and the knotty parts filled with the resin are the best for that effect. I have been using Naptha or even DNA to clean up the resin for sanding and that works very well. But then I use a thinned down oil, paint thinner, poly mix as my finishing media and as the soaking agent. After about 2 weeks of in and out of the mixture the weight of the piece pretty much doubles or triples as the oil and poly soak in and dry from the inside out. It is a time consuming process but the end result is great!

Curt, your bowls are wonderful and the character they have in them are what has always attracted me to pine.

Great job,

Jeff

[Ken Hill]

Maybe you fellers could make a thread detailing pine ....it obviously can be stunning!:D

[Greg Just]

Beautiful bowls - never realized pine could look so nice. Thanks for sharing.

[Tim Thiebaut]

Those are very nice bowles! And I am really glad you posted this, I was going to make a post today asking if there was any use in turning pine, I have a ton of pine laying around here, hard woods are harder to come by here unlike back home in maine where they burn it! I wasnt sure if pine was to soft to make anything useful or not, you have certainly showed me, those are very beautiful, good job on them!

[Jim Kountz]

Whoda thunk good ol knotty pine could look that good!! Nice job!!

[Charlie Reals]

curt,
Those are beautiful,I am going to try some PP as we have tons of it. Those knots are fantastic. most of my flatwork was done with knotty pine. again beautiful work and wood.
Charlie

[Ray Bell]

Curt, you always seem to be able to turn something fantastic from some impossible looking wood. These are very nice bowls, and I always enjoy seeing your bowls where there is as much air, as there is wood.