14" Maple Crotch.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Still turning Maple crotches. This one is about 14" wide and 4" deep. It turned very well with very little tear out across the crotch. The surface was flooded with amber shellac. Finish coated with multiple coats of clear lacquer.
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[John Keeton]

Bob, you sure do some clean work on these maple bowls! I was talking to a local tree trimmer today, and he informed me he is taking down a very large sugar maple. I thought of you when I told him I would meet him at the site next week with my truck!!! I need to do some maple bowls like Bob does!

[Baxter Smith]

Nice job on letting the wood do the talking!

[charlie knighton]

very nice, good figure

[Bob Bergstrom]

Bob, you sure do some clean work on these maple bowls! I was talking to a local tree trimmer today, and he informed me he is taking down a very large sugar maple. I thought of you when I told him I would meet him at the site next week with my truck!!! I need to do some maple bowls like Bob does!
You'll find maple great to turn. Just ask Steve, they have tons of it on the UP. To get the good crotches look for branches of equal size. That way when you rip the log bisecting the two limbs you will expose the most crotch and also have a equal amount to turn the bowl. The bowl will never be deeper than the smaller of the two branches. The center of the log section should always be the bottom of the bowl. Enjoy the stringy shavings and this clean cutting wood

[Cathy Schaewe]

Beautiful.

[Roger Chandler]

very classic and well done form on that bowl, and of course the feather grain is just beautiful........that amber color finish is one I have never tried on a bowl............might have to give that one a go.

[Greg Bolton22]

You'll find maple great to turn. Just ask Steve, they have tons of it on the UP. To get the good crotches look for branches of equal size. That way when you rip the log bisecting the two limbs you will expose the most crotch and also have a equal amount to turn the bowl. The bowl will never be deeper than the smaller of the two branches. The center of the log section should always be the bottom of the bowl. Enjoy the stringy shavings and this clean cutting wood


Bob,

Are you saying that you turn your crotch pieces in the same orientation as a natural edge bowl?

Thanks,

Greg

[Bob Bergstrom]

Yes Greg, The heaviest feather will be closest to the center of the log, so to show the most feather it needs to be in the bottom of the bowl. The depth of the bowl will be no larger than the size of the smaller branch. Maple does not have a thick feather. Sometimes is may little more than an inch. If turned with the bark at the bottom, the feather would be lost in the shavings with a small amount of contorted figure on the sides of the bowl.

[Greg Bolton22]

Thanks Bob. I have only done a couple of crotch pieces and have oriented them bark side down in order to get a larger bowl out of the log. I usually leave an extra wide rim to show off the feathering. I have a piece of oak crotch that is next in the queue so I will try it your way.

Thanks again,

Greg

Almost forgot, Beautiful Bowl!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Really nice bowl and the wood is extremely nice.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Thanks Bob. I have only done a couple of crotch pieces and have oriented them bark side down in order to get a larger bowl out of the log. I usually leave an extra wide rim to show off the feathering. I have a piece of oak crotch that is next in the queue so I will try it your way.

Thanks again,

Greg

Almost forgot, Beautiful Bowl!

When you are cutting crotches it is a good technique to use a sight stick on the far end of the log. The stick should be long enough to span the two branches. Line the stick up with the two pith marks. This will give you a very good sight gauge to rip cut down center of the two branches. The stick could be duct tape or glued. I would not advise nailing it for the obvious reasons.

[Michelle Rich]

nicely done utility bowl. Good use of the material

[Steve Schlumpf]

Very nice bowl Bob! Great job on keeping and displaying all that figure!!

You are right about turning maple - great wood and I always enjoy all that curl!!