Red Mallee Platter

[David E Keller]

I got a large red mallee burl as a Christmas gift, and I've been trying to figure out what to do with it since. It's a long, skinny burl cap(nearly 3 feet long), and it's full of inclusions and worm holes. I finally got tired of staring at it, so I lopped a piece off and gave it a spin.

This piece is about 13 inches in maximum diameter, and it's around a half inch thick. It's just got a couple of coats of BLO on it at this point, but I think it'll get the full blown gloss WOP at some point.

It's not the most creative design, but I could stare at the patterns in this wood for days.

Comments, criticism, and suggestions appreciated as always. I've still got a little less than 2/3 of the cap left, so I'm looking for inspiration and ideas.
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[Steve Schlumpf]

Man - that is some intense wood! Love the rich color and all the grain variations! Have to think that anything you turn with this wood is going to be amazing! Looking forward to seeing the next one!

[Bob Wolfe]

WOW, that is a real stunner. I especially like the way the rim is such a contasting color. I see what you mean about patterns...that's a nice piece to just sit and stare at. Can't wait to see what you do with the rest of the burl slab.

[Stephen Walker]

Let's see......1 for you...2 for me...does that mean I get the other two thirds? Really nice work on that, the gloss ought to really set it off.

[Jon Lanier]

Gulp! That is gorgeous.

[Dan Forman]

A lot going on in that piece! Red Mallee is one of the better looking of the Aussie burls, and I hear one of the harder ones as well.

Dan

[Michelle Rich]

creative design be damned...this gives mom nature her due..it sure is stunning wood, and I can see why you just enjoy looking at it

[John Keeton]

It's not the most creative design, but I could stare at the patterns in this wood for days.And, there you go....a therapeutic woodturning!! What more could one want from a physician. Perhaps you need to rethink your specialty - much better than using it for a splint on a broken arm!

Great piece of burl, and I suspect a more elaborate form would take away the magic of the wood.

[John Hart]

Dazzzzling!! Nicely done Keller!! I bet your wife is happy you are doing big pieces!! As I recall, she was wondering about small pieces from such a big machine :)

That thing is gonna look great with the WOP polish treatment!!

[Scott Hackler]

That Mallee is awesome (really need to get some of that). Like several others have said, its all about the wood with Mallee. I don't know how you can mess up Mallee with any shape. My personal favorite form for it it the bowls with the very large turned down rims that are thinned. They look like burl thermoform!

Great job, and if you have too much of that...... well..... we are only across the state line (give or take!) :)!!

[Curt Fuller]

You always hear that line about letting the wood speak. Man, this one is screaming into a megaphone!

[bob svoboda]

Stunning wood and a very nice treatment, David. Well done.

[neil mackay]

David, great looking piece, Red Mallee is one of my favourites. I tend to feel guilty if I dont use a bowl saver. Just chewing up all that grain pattern and dumping it on the floor doesnt sit well.

A simple form yes, but the color and grain structure more than make up for it.

[Bernie Weishapl]

That is a great piece David. Really nice color and grain. Really well done.

[Jim Burr]

Look Ma!!!...no foot! Nothing wrong with that form at all!!

[Art Manansala]

Wow, that's nice wood and a great shape in turning. Will you go gloss or satin for the finish?

Where's the foot?

Art

[Tim Rinehart]

That's just purdy. I love the color and patterns of the aussie burls...just gorgeous. Really nice form on that David, hard not to like a bowl that looks a pleasure to hold.
Stuff it hard as rock I imagine. I've turned it once and it rattled my bones till I got past the natural edge stuff.

[David E Keller]

Thanks for the comments folks. Hart, my wife does like this piece... She actually said, 'Don't give this one away' which is high praise coming from her. JK, this wood is far to hard and heavy to make splints with... Anybody wearing this thing on an arm for 6 weeks would have some serious shoulder issues.


David, great looking piece, Red Mallee is one of my favourites. I tend to feel guilty if I dont use a bowl saver. Just chewing up all that grain pattern and dumping it on the floor doesnt sit well.

A simple form yes, but the color and grain structure more than make up for it.

I don't have a coring setup, but this burl has got me thinking about one... I figure if I can core this stuff then I can do concrete as well.:eek::D I've got another large burl that I'm going to do a commissioned piece with... I may wait until I get a coring setup before proceeding.


Wow, that's nice wood and a great shape in turning. Will you go gloss or satin for the finish?

Where's the foot?

Art

This one is going to be shiny I think. As for the foot, be patient with me... I'm still finding my way in the world of footed forms.:D This piece actually has a very large base(1/3 to 1/2 half of the form), and I don't know how to make a foot look right when it's that large.


Let's see......1 for you...2 for me...does that mean I get the other two thirds? Really nice work on that, the gloss ought to really set it off.

I'm happy to share this stuff with you when you come down. Beware of what you ask for though, this stuff is as hard as a rock!


That Mallee is awesome (really need to get some of that). Like several others have said, its all about the wood with Mallee. I don't know how you can mess up Mallee with any shape. My personal favorite form for it it the bowls with the very large turned down rims that are thinned. They look like burl thermoform!

Great job, and if you have too much of that...... well..... we are only across the state line (give or take!) :)!!

I'll have to find some examples of that form, Scott... Sounds like it might be a good one. If you're ever in the neighborhood, give me a shout... I've never looked to see how far apart we are, but I might be able to make a day trip some weekend if you're interested.


That's just purdy. I love the color and patterns of the aussie burls...just gorgeous. Really nice form on that David, hard not to like a bowl that looks a pleasure to hold.
Stuff it hard as rock I imagine. I've turned it once and it rattled my bones till I got past the natural edge stuff.

Hard doesn't even begin to describe this stuff. I did the majority of the form with a heavy scraper... I seem to get better cuts with scrapers than any other type of tool.

[Russell Eaton]

Another beauty Doc. Just a tip. I tried to core a redgum hurl on a pm 3520 and it stalled violently 5 times. I ended up coring it with a bowl gouge. That is a awsome piece. Thanks for showing.

[Chip Sutherland]

Such a nice piece. Let's see 2 more......Australian burls are always wonderful.

[Baxter Smith]

The prettier the wood the simpler the form. And since this is about as simple as it gets, I would say it is perfect fit! Great looking piece!

[jwjerry w kowalski]

I agree with Baxter, a wood with this beautiful grain pattern looks better on a simpler form. I've only turned a couple of pieces of Aussie burl and man were they a hard wood, it felt like I was turning petrified wood.

[Cathy Schaewe]

Stunning! Nothing else to say -

[Don Alexander]

thats what is known as "letting the wood be the star" as far as i'm concerned you couldn't have done any better

absolutely spectacular piece of wood

[Lee Chadwick]

That is a great piece of wood. I have used it in the past. One of the items I made I filled the inclusions with silver and then finished it. Really stood out

[Tim Thiebaut]

Not sure how I missed this the other day when you posted it, but this is very nice, what a great looking piece of wood to!

[Kathy Marshall]

Gorgeous piece of wood and the form fits it to a T! I really like this one!

[Eric Gourieux]

Very nice piece. How did you reverse turn? Jamchuck?

[Bob Bergstrom]

David
I really think it was a wise decision to leave the edge a little thick. It allows us to get a full look at the points. The colors and figure are fantastic. The simplicity of the form keeps our focus on all the is going on. As you say you can study this piece for a long time and just enjoy it all.

[David E Keller]

Thanks all for the kind comments and feedback.


That is a great piece of wood. I have used it in the past. One of the items I made I filled the inclusions with silver and then finished it. Really stood out

I'll keep that in mind, Lee... I don't know if the remainder of this burl is wormy or not. I'd love to see a photo or two of the piece you mentioned.


Very nice piece. How did you reverse turn? Jamchuck?

Thanks, Eric. I pretty much reverse everything on a jam chuck, and that's how this piece was done. I don't own a vacuum chuck, and I'm too cheap to buy one at this point.