Cathy's Burl... A horrifying but true story...

[David DeCristoforo]

Cathy's oak burl was born with an adventurous sprit. Over the centuries, pieces have travelled to the far reaches of the continent. A couple made their way "out west". Things were going well enough until they were ambushed and taken captive by a local barbarian. They were taken into a torture chamber and while one looked on in horror, the other was impaled on a spit and stabbed repeatedly with sharp implements while being rapidly rotated and then, gutted. This went on until the piece was mis-shapen and distorted beyond all recognition. The other piece, quaking in terror, awaits it's fate.

The following images are extremely graphic. If you are at all squeamish, please avert your eyes.

173813 173812

[Roger Chandler]

I do not have a clue as to how that stayed together for you David..............I can only surmise that you must have wrapped it in some way........tape or clear plastic wrap or something.

That one has major pucker factor! :eek:

[John Keeton]

David, I shuddered when I read the title, but so pleasantly surprised when I opened the thread. I have visions of a pile of shards, swept up in a corner!!:eek: But, this is really a very nice piece! And....might I add....you are a brave man, DD. This thing is held together by shear determination on your part. It looks as if it could explode on its own just sitting there!

Nice work! Hope the next piece fares as well!

[Dennis Ford]

Very impressive work. I hope the other one comes out as good as this one.

[Michael James]

Nice story, nicer job on a great chunk o wood! I haven't turned anything that holey yet; I would imagine it had your attention the whole while!
mj

[David E Keller]

Great looking piece of wood, and you've done a nice job with it. The color seems quite yellow... Dyed or my moniter?

[Don Alexander]

David,
you are either a very brave man or just plain nutz :eek: ...............either way that is an awesome looking piece of air errr wood ....errrrr airwood .............or sumthin like that :D

that one took some serious concentration and really good tool control maybe even spectacular tool control i think that the fact that it looks like its about to shatter adds to the WOW factor considerably

nice job

[Greg Ketell]

WOW!!! Beautiful wood. Stellar turning!!!! Awesome job by any standard. Thanks for sharing and inspiring!!

[Scott Hackler]

There isn't enough filament tape for me to turn a burl like that! Nice job.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Really a nice looking piece and the wood. Well what can you say except you either wrapped it or the pucker facter was enormous.

[Doug W Swanson]

I bet your nerves took a beating while turning that.....

Looks good!

[Jim Burr]

Holy rusted metal Batman!! Your a better man than most...I'd have cowered away and given it to another!!

[Cathy Schaewe]

I can sympathize - here's the most recent one I turned ... I may just throw it in the fire, as it's not making me happy! Bernie, are you sure you want a piece of this stuff?!?:D
173829173828This stuff has really crazy grain, and the bark inclusions are everywhere, and totally unpredictable! I think you did a very nice job with it -

[Mark Hubl]

Ah, David. Nice work. One must remember that many a cadaver must undergo the young surgeons paws! You have done the lignum well and although the sibling quakes its time must come.

[Mike Cruz]

In an effort to stay positive, we golfers always say that trees are 90% air. But, I think this proves it! VERY nice, indeed.

[John Keeton]

Cathy, that is deserving of a thread of its own!! Nice work, and another example of some real character - the wood and the turner!

[Baxter Smith]

Very neat turning David. I either don't have the right piece of wood or lack the vision to complete something like this (I think I have the foolishness:)). I hope you take a before picture of the other piece you have yet to turn as well as when you first have it mounted on the lathe. I would find it very interesting to "see" what you saw to start with.

[David Reed]

Very impressive David. I very much love the proportions and shape of this form and the burl with all that wonderful character really make this a top notch show piece. In addition, the finish is superb and enhances the grain patterns on this rugged yet delicate piece.

[steven carter]

The following images are extremely graphic. If you are at all squeamish, please avert your eyes.



You should warn to avert eyes sooner, now it is too late and I can't take my eyes off it! Masterful rendering of a difficult piece of wood. After your description of the fate of the wood makes me wonder if you decended from those who took part in the inquisition?:eek:

[Bill Edwards(2)]

Kind of defines:

"Strength of will". http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/icons/icon14.png

[George Guadiane]

I think that is QUITE striking, and like John said, deserving of a thread of its own. BECAUSE the wood is unpredictable, getting any kind of results is admirable.


I can sympathize - here's the most recent one I turned ... I may just throw it in the fire, as it's not making me happy! Bernie, are you sure you want a piece of this stuff?!?:D
173829173828This stuff has really crazy grain, and the bark inclusions are everywhere, and totally unpredictable! I think you did a very nice job with it -

[George Guadiane]

On a planet filled with horror stories, it is often difficult to look at the results of such savage treatment...

In this case, the results are very easy on the eyes, inviting in fact.

[bob svoboda]

I agree with the others. Very nice work, David. You really managed to create a delicious curve on a gnarly hunk of burl. I really like this piece!

[Don Alexander]

I can sympathize - here's the most recent one I turned ... I may just throw it in the fire, as it's not making me happy! Bernie, are you sure you want a piece of this stuff?!?:D
173829173828This stuff has really crazy grain, and the bark inclusions are everywhere, and totally unpredictable! I think you did a very nice job with it -

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! NOT the fire !!! its way too good to burn

bet i'm not the only one who thinks you "done real good"

[David DeCristoforo]

I never really expected this chunk of burl to survive. I pretty much accepted the idea that it would not hold together. So it was more of a "what the heck, let's give it a go" kind of thing. The voids on both sides run from top to bottom. The only "actual" wood holding it together is at the bottom. The sides get a bit fatter in the lower third because I was afraid if I thinned them down anymore, it would disintegrate. Yes, tape was involved. The best part was that I could actually see the cutter inside the vase as it was spinning. That made it easy to hollow!

"I can sympathize..."

I'll bet you can! My wife was saying that this burl of yours was like a "throwdown" (Bobby Flay style). Let's see what you can do with this... The second piece you sent me looks to be much more sound. We will have to see...

[Harvey M. Taylor]

I dont know what to say about either turnings on this thread so I wont say anything. Max

[Trevor Howard]

I am amazed the more I come here to the talent that is out there, Awesome looking turning David.


I would find it very interesting to "see" what you saw to start with.

I agree with Baxter but to add, I would like to see what the start is the middle is and the end. For educating us Newbies/Wannabe's

[Cathy Schaewe]

I must apologize to David for partially hijacking his thread. I did not mean to detract from any of the well-deserved attention his piece should receive.

[David DeCristoforo]

"I must apologize to David for partially hijacking his thread..."

No need. I think this should be a thread where everyone who has been sent some of this burl should post pics of what they made from it. Then you can see what you have wrought!

[Rob Cunningham]

Beautiful piece David.
I'm not sure I would have the "fortitude" to stand anywhere near something like that spinning on the lathe, let alone touch a tool to it.:eek: Very nicely done, a true work of art.
I'd also like to see some before pictures.

[Mike Cruz]

David, for shame. You know, a while back, I pleaded with you guys to take and post pics of your turning through the process...not just the final pieces. This would have been a great one. Please do it with the next piece. We'd love to see it being done. Ok, maybe not "for shame" but...

[Thom Sturgill]

I must be squeamish, because I winced when I saw the pictures. you are a braver man than I, Gunga Dinn.
Lovely piece, David.

[Dennis Simmons]

This is Super, makes me think of " Venus de Milo "

[David DeCristoforo]

"...makes me think of " Venus de Milo "...

Now there's a man after my own heart! I would never have gone there but I guess with all the missing parts, one could. I don't think I will ever look at this thing the same way again!

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

David,
I'm not sure where your best talents are to be found. You are an excellent writer with great imagination, a brilliant turner, and obviously have nerves of steel. Sweet piece, great story. Thanks for both.
faust

[Alan Trout]

David,

Great work. I really like the piece great form and excellent execution. Yes these are very scary pieces to turn. Great work!!!

Cathy,

I would love some of that burl. I know just how to fill it with resin :D I like the stuff most people hate or can't do anything with.

Alan

[Richard Madden]

That is a fantastic piece! I agree with Baxter, some pictures of the before, during and after would be nice. I don't have the eye to see such potential in a chunk of wood.

[Jamie Schmitz]

The thing to do perhaps is to pour some wood hardener/2-part resin inside to help strengthen the fibers? Just a guess,and perhaps not necessary.

[Ron Stadler]

Very neat turning David. I either don't have the right piece of wood or lack the vision to complete something like this (I think I have the foolishness:)). I hope you take a before picture of the other piece you have yet to turn as well as when you first have it mounted on the lathe. I would find it very interesting to "see" what you saw to start with.

Lol, I have to agree with Baxter on this one, got the foolishness but lack the vision, mostly my vision is stick it on there and hope for the best.
But must say it sure looks nice, survived another one I guess.:)

[Don Alexander]

maybe Richard and maybe you just don't realise that you do :)

[Roland Martin]

WOW!!! No guts, No glory! Scary beautiful :eek::eek::eek: You definitely have a bigger set of *%$- than I've got! Very well done David:)

[Steve Schlumpf]

Wow! Really late to this party but wanted to stop in and let you know that this piece brought a big smile to my face! Congrats on your vision and fortitude to follow through to completion! Very interesting vase - so much character that I can't stop staring at it!

Very impressive work - thanks for sharing!

[Josh Bowman]

David,
What's there looks wonderful.......what's missing is scary! Perhaps a moto cross outfit would have been appropriate to wear while turning.


http://dirt.mpora.com/old_images/news/55DSL_FOR_AXO_indossato-.jpg

[Duff Bement]

Great job!!!
What was the worst thing that you had to deal with? Was it hard to get rid the vibration? Is this what you had in mind when started or once you saw that you had total control over you victim you just decided not to stop untill all the fight was gone out him?

[David DeCristoforo]

This is almost getting embarrassing! The thing is, I didn't really take this all that seriously. I looked at that piece of wood and thought about making a vase out of it. I had the shape in mind and I wanted a large flare at the top to accentuate the voids. I actually had started with a bigger flare but some of the "wood" took a flyer just from the centrifugal force. So the flare got a bit smaller and, consequently, so did the body of the vase. It was really not all that hard to turn, mostly because it's more bark than wood and the center was already full of voids. As it took shape, I realized that there was almost total separation between the two halves with the only really solid wood at the bottom so I wrapped some tape around it to keep it together. I had thought about Alan's idea of using epoxy or resin to fill the voids but that seemed like it would detract from the "woah value" and that was at least half the fun.

Anyway, I'm glad everyone is enjoying this. I still have the other piece of oak burl and I am going to try a companion piece. Same shape but, hopefully, a bit bigger. It looks to have a bit more substance than this one so it might not be as much "fun"…

BTW, I think Cathy's piece is totally "bitchen".

[David E Keller]

...BTW, I think Cathy's piece is totally "bitchen".

I couldn't agree more. Cathy, if it's bound for the fireplace, I'll happily take it off your hands for display purposes. I think it's great!