Box Elder Burl HF

[Curt Fuller]

This is probably about the largest HF I've done so far. It's 9" x 8", from a piece of Box Elder that is part burl. It's about 1/4" thick until near the bottom where it thickens to about 3/4", giving it some ballast but mostly due to the fact that I couldn't reach much deeper. I used my Ernie Nyvall Super Hollowing system and the more I use it the more I like it. This piece of wood really has some interesting character but I was a little disappointed by the finished product. The way I oriented it created basically just a big gaping hole in the top. The burl edge is about 1/3 around the opening and the rest is just the natural edge of the wood. One of those things you wish you'd done differently but, oh well. It has some antique oil so far but still needs to be buffed.
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[Bob Bergstrom]

Really like the display of wood and the contrast of the darken edge. Beautiful job and thanks for the sharing of such a well done turning.

[Michael James]

Once again, a very interesting chunk of wood. Finish looks flawless and the piece seems to grow on my the more I look at it. Nice job and thanks for posting!
mj

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Curt,

Gorgeous piece of wood and I like your form. Did you put a flat spot on the bottom, a foot or is it round?

[Steve Schlumpf]

Nice work Curt! Great form and I really like the size! Amazing grain and there seems to be something happening in the wood no matter which angle you view it from! I like it!

[Jon Nuckles]

Looks good to me. You may see a gaping hole, but I see a lot of amazing wood and a pleasing shape.

[Marty Eargle]

I think the orientation is just fine. Personally, in my mind, it makes me think of some fictional scene of a dragon or monster or something bursting out of its egg. Just very clean with a piece of it covered in chaos. Again, great wood and a great finish!

[John Keeton]

Curt, I think this is a great piece! Before one can have regrets, there must have been a better way. In this case, had you changed the orientation, then the eyes and rays of the burl would have been placed differently, and IMO that would have been a distraction. So, I don't see a better option - thus, no regrets!!

Beautiful wood, great form, very nice finish - what more could one want!

[John Hart]

Another beauty out of the Fuller home. I love the second pic, where you can see the figure sweeping up to the higher part of the lip. Nice motion.

Hey...on your Nyvall Hollowing System...did you set up a laser for that? I'm having trouble with my configuration and never have successfully used a laser with it.

[Pete Jordan]

That is a special piece my friend!

I like everything about it!

[Michelle Rich]

luv the wood and the bold round shape..thanks for sharing

[Tim Rinehart]

Nice Curt, I really think its a super piece. If I could turn only one wood...BEB would be pretty high on my list, if not the top.
You did a great job on the natural edge opening. I've found if they get too big and lob-sided on openness, they tend to get topsy. Nice satin finish too! It's a keeper!

[David E Keller]

I love this piece, Curt. Try to orient voids on pieces can be pretty frustrating for me, and I know the feeling when the finished piece is not exactly like the vision... With that said, I don't see anything wrong with where you ended up. This one is a stunning bit of wood with a great form.

I need to remember to leave some extra wood in the bottom of these forms when the voids are predominate to one side... I've turned several of these that won't stand on the little depressions I turned because they don't have enough weight in the bottom to keep from tipping over. I've said dirty words more than once when I finished a piece only to see it wobbly all over the place when I set it down.

[Jim Burr]

Curt...rest easy...this is great!!! Inside and out is so well done! We don't always get the choice in how it comes out...but this time, you did and you shouldn't trade it for anything!! While trying to move up to bigger shapes...yours is bomb!!! If you don't have a place for it....

[charlie knighton]

Curt, it you had turned it upside down, the hole would be at tendon, not good
if you had put the hole on the side, your eyes would not have turned out, they would be streaks

you did good, very nice, thanks for sharing

[jwjerry w kowalski]

What a great turning, the wood is so interesting to look at, an outstanding turning with a flawless finish, I'd be glad to hav it on my table.

[Baxter Smith]

Great looking turning Curt. The variations in viewing from different sides make it fascinating to look at. It would be interesting to see how the grain would have looked with different orientations. I can't do that in my mind yet.

[Curt Fuller]

Thanks everyone for all the great comments.


The variations in viewing from different sides make it fascinating to look at. It would be interesting to see how the grain would have looked with different orientations. I can't do that in my mind yet.
I still can't do that either Baxter. If I could have another go at this piece of wood I would have hoped for a full 360 degree collar with the burl edge an then the void somewhere in the side.



Hey...on your Nyvall Hollowing System...did you set up a laser for that? I'm having trouble with my configuration and never have successfully used a laser with it.
John, I don't have a laser setup. I'm hollowing wood that's full of holes so I can usually watch what is going on inside. But somewhere down the road I would like to try a laser setup. If you do it first, let me know how you did it.

[David DeCristoforo]

This is way cool! But maybe you might be watching a little too much "Kellervision"...

[bob svoboda]

Nice form, nice wood, nice finish and the 'hole' adds a lot of interest. I like it a lot.