Black Knot

[Dennis Simmons]

I turned this little dish from a Black Knot on the trunk of a small cherry tree. It is a disease.
The dish is 3.5 in. wide x 1.375 in. high. I have a larger black knot in my shop that I will work on later. I turned it, put it in my bucket of auto dry for 20 hours,filled the checks with CA and coffee then sanded it. The black knots here go for $1.50 a pound, I find mine in the woods! A good sized knot will weigh about 80 pounds. I love Cherry.:) This is a jewelry dish in case you would like to know, women love them.
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[Jim Burr]

Beautiful wood Dennis! Enlighten me on Auto dry?

[Donny Lawson]

Nice....... I love to turn Cherry. Makes the whole shop smell good.

[Baxter Smith]

Pretty little dish. All those colors are very nice!

[Dennis Simmons]

Beautiful wood Dennis! Enlighten me on Auto dry?
Someone on this forum posted about putting damp items in auto dry,(oil dry) if you wish (floor dry). You can get it at any auto parts place. I use a 5 gallon bucket with a screw on lid (Ace Hardware). I bury the item in the auto dry. If I leave the chuck on it I cover the chuck with a sock. Most times over night is long enough. Some times I take the chuck and mounted item off, set it upright, and fill the bowl with auto dry, let it sit over night. I turn the item to the point it is ready to sand first.

[Michelle Rich]

thanks for the info on auto-dry..I had never heard of it..Have never heard of black knot either..I must get out more!!! very pretty .

[Keith E Byrd]

Dennis, have you had any problem with checking/cracking? This process sounds a lot easier and quicker that paper bags, DNA, piled shavings and other techniques that I have heard about.

[John Keeton]

Seems I recall it was Jeff Nicol that mentioned using Oil Dri, but I could be wrong. It is largely a clay based product that is used to soak up shop spills, etc. - cat litter.

Interesting on the black knot disease, too. Certainly is beautiful wood - nice piece.

[Dennis Simmons]

Dennis, have you had any problem with checking/cracking? This process sounds a lot easier and quicker that paper bags, DNA, piled shavings and other techniques that I have heard about.

I turn a lot of cherry, and (checks) (cracks) is it's middle name. I fill them with glue and coffee and move on to sanding. Most times there is no problem.
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[Dennis Simmons]

thanks for the info on auto-dry..I had never heard of it..Have never heard of black knot either..I must get out more!!! very pretty .

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/pp/notes/oldnotes/fd4.htm These knots can get large. My prized plum tree has this and I have been working for 3 years to heal it, this year the tree will become bowls, this will be time better spent :)

[Steve Schlumpf]

Sure is some beautiful wood and being Cherry - it is going to get better looking with time! Nice work!

[Roland Martin]

Very nice, great color variations.