Patch of Bark -- Need some advice please

[Bob Wolfe]

This started out as just another practice piece that I didn't really care about, but like sometimes happens, the more I played with it the more attached to it and want it to turn out nice.

I need some suggestions how to handle this: I'm turning a piece of mimosa into a vase. After finish turning the outside, I'm left with a patch of bark that is inset about 1/8" - 3/16" from the rest of the form. The bark has some fungus or something on it and is not particularly attractive. I'm already committed enough with the hollowing so that I can't remove the bark from the outside without cutting through the wall. After seeing a lot of forms with big voids I think it would be better to have a void in the wall instead of the bark, but I don't know how to proceed.

So, do I continuing the hollowing and just hollow my way through the wall and remove the bark from the inside? I'm afraid that even though the walls are thick and stable that bad things will happen.

Do I just hollow the walls nice and thin and then remove the section from the outside after all turning is complete?

Thanks for any advice in advance.

Bob

[Tim Rinehart]

Hey Bob...tough call, but here are some thoughts.
If you decide to have a void on the side where you break thru from inside, your inside needs to be pretty clean from a turning/sanding perspective..otherwise it may detract...so keep that in mind.
As to cutting a hole out...my concern would be that it looks unnatural by doing it by cutting it out.
If you have decided to keep this outside shape...you really need to just hollow down to a nice consistent thickness, maybe 1/4" max, better towards 1/8". If you start just barely opening it (your bark area) up by hollowing...don't go much further to try and open it manually.
If you don't like the fungus stuff...a dilute solution of bleach and a soft toothbrush should take care of it and once you apply some oil or other finish, it will/should darken a bit and look better than what you're seeing.
Bottom line...get the outside where you want it, including any forseen breakout of inclusions...and then hollow it man!
Tim

[Roger Chandler]

I would suggest a design opportunity..........cut out the bark area as round as you can......plug the hole with a piece of contrasting wood............after the glue is good and dry, then remount and turn the area to match the curve of the vase.

Take a carving knife and make a flower form, like a daisy on it, or even paint a flower on it, and it will look like a piece of art designed that way, and will be even more treasured and valued by the recipient.

Just an idea, but a really good one!

[John Hart]

My fear is with the shape of the bark inclusion with respect to the shape of the piece....and what will explosively happen if you thin that wall from the inside until the bark is gone on the outside. Remember that that wood on the inside of the form is the only thing providing stability at this point.

Dunno....I can imagine the sound effects though.....BOOM!....AW NUTZ!!!!!

[Dennis Ford]

The bark does not look bad in the picture, might need to kill any fungas as Tim mentioned. I would leave the bark until finished hollowing and then remove it IF you want to. John has a legit concern about the piece holding together, be careful.

[Bob Wolfe]

Thanks for the helpful suggestions guys. I think I will just try to clean up the bark as Tim pointed out and keep it on. I'll try to make a void on another piece someday.

[Jack Gaskins]

Hi Bob,,,,,,,,,not a suggestion but a statement........"YOUR SCREWED! HA!" Give me a call.

[David E Keller]

I can't tell you what to do, but I can tell you what I would do... I get the outside finished to my liking both shape and sanding. I'd then hollow the inside to my desired thickness. I generally don't wrap pieces, but you can do so to provide extra support. Hollowing pieces with holes is easier than hollowing without holes... The chips eject automatically and often you can see the tip of the tool through the void. Light cuts and good tool control is the recipe for success... Sometimes the recipe calls for a little superglue as well. Good luck.

[Steve Schlumpf]

I agree with David - I would finish the outside and then hollow the form. There will be a point in time when the bark will start being removed from the inside - will make it a lot easier to see what you are doing! Have fun with it and remember ... it's only wood!

[Bob Wolfe]

Update,
I didn't mean to but while I was doing some cleanup cuts I cut through the bark inclusion. So with the design opportunity, I ended up removing all of it except for the outline which looks pretty good. David was right about one thing, having the hole in the side made it a lot easier because I could stop the lathe and instantly see how thick the walls were without any measuring tools. Oh and it was self cleaning too, so I didn't have to stop every other minute to keep cleaning out the chips that accumulated like with normal hollowing. I did wrap it up with blue tape and then a layer or more of duct tape to give it some support when I put it between centers to turn the bottom. I'll wait until I finish sanding the inside and apply a finish before I post pictures. BTW, I tried cleaning up the bark with bleach and a toothbrush before any of this happened and it did little to nothing to improve the appearance, still looked like moldy bark. Brass brush was too agressive, I tried it on another piece I had lying around. Oh well....

Steve, I did have fun with it, and yes it's only wood, but when I start peeling the layers and see some real beauty inside, and the more time I put into the piece, the more I want it to be a success. So far so good.

Thanks again for the help,

Bob