Black Spruce Burl Platter

[Baxter Smith]

Have done more traveling than turning lately, but a year ago I posted about a spruce burl I had cut on an island off the coast of Maine. Doing something with the largest part of it was project number 1 in 2011. Taking Curt Fullers advice to cut a slab off the bottom, I turned a platter that I bagged and left alone til early June. Just needed to sand, finish, and get it ready for summertime use!
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26 ¾ at the widest by 3 high. The bowl itself is 12”. Forgot to weigh it before leaving Maine this morning, but it is pretty light. Finished with a half dozen coats of AO then steel wooled to knock off the gloss. That took away a lot of the chatoyance on the curl, but it is supposed to be a “user”.:rolleyes:

And just to add some color!
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It has been done for a while but I wasn’t going to take any pictures till I put it to use.

[Baxter Smith]

My niece, nephew and their new spouses came for a visit and a trip to that island last Sunday.
I rowed the older generation (and timid ones) ashore while the more daring decided to do it themselves.
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As usual, my daughter was the first one to hit the water and the last one out. My nieces husband (jumping over the railing), was about to experience his first swim in the Atlantic. A water temperature in the upper 50’s was an eye opener for him.
They also got to check out some things that had washed ashore a few years ago.

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Although they had swum with the lobsters, that evening they had to settle for chicken salad.:)


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Hope you enjoyed the pics and are all staying cool! The shop AC was the first thing I turned on when I got home today!

[Kathy Marshall]

Very nice platter with a bowl Baxter! The pic of you holding it really shows the size! I'm thinking you're going to get a lot of use out of that one (things like that really make me wish I had alot more than a 12" swing! May have to see if I can set my lathe up for outboard turning!).
I wonder how whale bone turns?

[Marty Eargle]

Now that is a platter! Looks great and it just the right size and form where the possibilities of what you do with it are huge.

A good looking piece to go with a good looking day with the family.

[Scott Hackler]

Boy thats a big one! Looks great and really functional!

[Tim Thiebaut]

Great looking platter Baxter! Being from there I know exactly how cold that water is....burrrr, I can still feel it, but it is fun and will wake you up thats for sure. What kind of skull are the kids holding up?

[John Keeton]

Baxter, I recall the burl, and that is a fantastic piece!! The two limbs coming out really add character. Looks like you really put it to good use - beautiful pictures of the family gathering and, as always, the water. You live in one of the most beautiful parts of the country, and are blessed to be able to enjoy it as you do.

[Josh Bowman]

Baxter, what a great time! Looks like all had fun. Great turning. Gotta ask, what's the 2nd picture of? Looks like a giant bird skull!!!

[Doug W Swanson]

That's a beautiful platter. I think it turned out great. And it's meant to be a user which is even better in my opinion!

Looks like your family had fun, too!

[Russell Eaton]

Baxter that is a cool turning. It puts it into perspective seeing you hold it. Great job.

[Jeff Nicol]

Baxter, That is a wonderful piece that you did and a big one too! It makes me hungry for some breakfast looking at all the food!!! It looks like fun was had by all and there is nothing like a cold dip in the ocean to make sure you are alive!

Very nice,

Jeff

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

I'm thinking about how much the old 3520 jumped around when you first started that one. The platter turned out wonderful.
faust

[Chris Burgess]

Just an awesome piece.

[Bernie Weishapl]

That is a big platter Baxter. Really does the job.

[charlie knighton]

very nice, Baxter really good piece and i know you and your family will enjoy it for years to come, what type of outboard do you have?

[Alan Trout]

Baxter,

That is a really cool piece. Well Done.

Alan

[Jim Burr]

I didn't appreciate the size until I saw the pic of you holding it. Very well done sir!

[Jon Nuckles]

Nice looking AND holds a lot of chicken salad; it's a winner.

[Michelle Rich]

totally wild! Now that's a centerpiece!

[Jake Helmboldt]

Baxter, what a great time! Looks like all had fun. Great turning. Gotta ask, what's the 2nd picture of? Looks like a giant bird skull!!!

That would be the upper part of a whale skull (perhaps a Minke).

Baxter, I just came back from ME this week. We ventured into the lake, but not the ocean. I am still scarred from my youth swimming in Pen Bay.

The platter is awesome by the way.

[Robert McGowen]

Very nice, Baxter. I agree with others' comments that you don't really appreciate how big it is until the photo with you holding it.

[David E Keller]

Great job, Baxter! I've been looking forward to seeing some finished shots of this piece. Thanks for sharing!

[Jeff Hamilton Jr.]

I didn't appreciate the size until I saw the pic of you holding it. Very well done sir!Agreed! I had no idea the large dimension until I saw you holding it! Very neat! Great looking property too ...

[Michael James]

What a great piece Baxter! Looks perfectly at home at work in ideal surroundings! Very cool.
mj

[Baxter Smith]

Thanks for the all the nice replies. Had to drive to Baltimore today. I don't mind driving in the city occasionally but sure wouldn't want to live there!
..... (things like that really make me wish I had alot more than a 12" swing! May have to see if I can set my lathe up for outboard turning!).
.........
Kathy, I felt the same way when I just had a Delta similar to yours. Built an outboard stand for it and planned on turning this burl on it. A good deal on a 3520 came along before I got to it!

........... The two limbs coming out really add character. Looks like you really put it to good use - beautiful pictures of the family gathering and, as always, the water. You live in one of the most beautiful parts of the country, and are blessed to be able to enjoy it as you do.
John, the two limbs were actually roots I had to dig out and cut off. Had a lot of suggestions to round them over so they would blend in when I first posted this piece. I would have more strongly considered that if I had been turning this for someone else. Leaving them there kind of reminds me of our shared history!;):) I am fortunate to be able to call two places home. Sometimes I have to remind myself of that when they are 600 miles apart.


....... what type of outboard do you have?
Charlie, the boat is a 1989 20' fisherman model built by Corson. The business was in Madison Maine and run by some brothers. As the brothers died, so did the business. They started with wooden boats then went to fiberglass. They built them in an old barn. Was an interesting place to visit. The engine is a V-4 140hp of that same year. Nothing fancy. Gets me and quite a few others(and occasionally a burl:D) from point A to point B.

[Baxter Smith]

That would be the upper part of a whale skull (perhaps a Minke).

Baxter, I just came back from ME this week. We ventured into the lake, but not the ocean. I am still scarred from my youth swimming in Pen Bay.

The platter is awesome by the way.

I am impressed Jake! Minke it is! I will see if I can find a picture of when the whole thing first washed up. This was actually on the western fringe of Penobscot Bay. (though I did spend the first two years of my life on an island right in the middle of the bay)
So which lake Jake?:) If you were close, you could have come for supper! Ate chicken salad for the next couple of meals as well.:)

Thanks again to all for taking the time to comment!:)

[Marc Himes]

What an impressive, well done and beautiful platter. The bowl is big enough to hold a lot of food which makes it even more useful. I really like it.

Marc

[Steve Schlumpf]

Baxter - great photos!! Looks like everyone was enjoying themselves!!

Great job on the burl platter! I remember seeing the photos when you picked the burl up! Quite the scenery!

[Baxter Smith]

Baxter, what a great time! Looks like all had fun. Great turning. Gotta ask, what's the 2nd picture of? Looks like a giant bird skull!!!

Thanks Josh. Here is the bird in June, 2004 before it lost its feathers.;):)
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By the middle of August it looked like this.

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I hated to see it all just dissappear into the sea forever. Fortunately a big wave washed them further up into the woods.:)
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I did need a shower by the end of that day.:D

What an impressive, well done and beautiful platter. The bowl is big enough to hold a lot of food which makes it even more useful. I really like it.

Marc
Thanks Marc. Lots of food. Ribs perhaps?


Baxter - great photos!! Looks like everyone was enjoying themselves!!

Great job on the burl platter! I remember seeing the photos when you picked the burl up! Quite the scenery!
Thanks Steve. A little more scenery for you.;)

[Jake Helmboldt]

I am impressed Jake! Minke it is! I will see if I can find a picture of when the whole thing first washed up. This was actually on the western fringe of Penobscot Bay. (though I did spend the first two years of my life on an island right in the middle of the bay)
So which lake Jake?:) If you were close, you could have come for supper! Ate chicken salad for the next couple of meals as well.:)

Thanks again to all for taking the time to comment!:)

Well, growing up on Pen Bay with an animal pathologist for a grandfather helps in such trivial pursuits. Doesn't pay me anything, but I get to impress people on woodturning forums. ;)

We spent a couple days swimming at lake Megunticook where I spent plenty of time as a kid. And spent some time catching mackerel in Rockport harbor with my daughters as well. It was fun to take them to the places where I spent time when I was their age, especially since we were there for my grandfather's memorial service. I got to talk about the things I remembered doing with him and then did those same things with my kids.

[Baxter Smith]

Well, growing up on Pen Bay with an animal pathologist for a grandfather helps in such trivial pursuits. Doesn't pay me anything, but I get to impress people on woodturning forums. ;)

We spent a couple days swimming at lake Megunticook where I spent plenty of time as a kid. And spent some time catching mackerel in Rockport harbor with my daughters as well. It was fun to take them to the places where I spent time when I was their age, especially since we were there for my grandfather's memorial service. I got to talk about the things I remembered doing with him and then did those same things with my kids.
Sorry to hear about the reason for the trip but it sounds like you did a lot of things that brought back some good memories. Send me a pm the next time you are up that way. Never know when I might be there. My boat has pulled skiiers around Megunticook more than once or twice! Went swimming on Fernalds neck last summer with the kayaks. Rockport Harbor and climbing Maidens cliff are frequent desitinations as well when we have "Southern" company.:)