BLM burl surprise

[David Reed]

I had this chunk of BLM burl about 20 inches diameter and six thick in the middle.
209814
Was roughing out a bowl with plans for a wide rim (3-4 inches) around a shallow but distinct bowl.209819

209815
So far so good until I pried off some bark.
209818
The bark was so heavy it concealed a very deep depression right in the middle leaving me with about 2.5" thickness at the center. I am now left with the conundrum of either an abandonment of the original plan (which I do all the time) or try to salvage the bowl concept.
Do y'all think it would be a bad idea to flatten the bottom and glue on a similar burl piece and make it a bowl or turn it into a platter? I am not afraid of voids but this is huge and so near the center there would be no bottom if turned as is.

[Hayes Rutherford]

David, how about making 3 or 4 smaller forms?

[John Keeton]

David, that piece has platter written all over it!! The possibilities are unlimited on what one could do with this - I love it! How much thickness will you have given the faceplate screws? That would be my concern. Some planning is in order at this point.

[Dick Strauss]

A chip and dip bowl with a deep trench around the outside to hold the chips and a shallow bowl in the center to hold the dip? That is about the only thing that comes to mind right now...

[Scott Hackler]

Time to mix up some acrylic and get to casting!

[David Reed]

David, that piece has platter written all over it!! The possibilities are unlimited on what one could do with this - I love it! How much thickness will you have given the faceplate screws? That would be my concern. Some planning is in order at this point.
The screws should not be a problem unless I am forced to make it quite flat. They are 1 1/4", less the faceplate of about 3/8, extending into the work about 7/8". Kind of shallow but since I have been burned before with long screws and poor planning, I tend to keep them short and use lots of them. That leaves about one inch between the tip of the screws and the deepest portion of the void. I have no problem with small parts of the void exposed but do think I need something in the way of a center/bottom to sit on.


A chip and dip bowl with a deep trench around the outside to hold the chips and a shallow bowl in the center to hold the dip? That is about the only thing that comes to mind right now...
I actually thought of this design but I don't think I would like it much. It is a pretty elegant piece of material with lots of potential and would like to make more of an art statement. Plus no way it would hold dip!


Time to mix up some acrylic and get to casting!
Now there's an idea I didn't think of. I do like those acrylic castings. Would require a pretty large pressure or vacuum vessel.

I'll have to stare at it some more, take lots of measurements to get a better 3-d assessment of the material and even put some things on paper.
Holy guacamole! A design on paper! What was I thinking.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I agree with the platter idea. I think that has the best possibilities in my mind.

[Roger Chandler]

Platter has my vote, David!

[David E Keller]

I see a wall hanging in that chunk of beauty. Those recessed areas would lend themselves to 'broken' beads and details which I find very interesting. Depending on how it turns out, you could even guild some of the recessed areas. There are lots of possibilities with that piece!

[David Reed]

I see a wall hanging in that chunk of beauty. Those recessed areas would lend themselves to 'broken' beads and details which I find very interesting. Depending on how it turns out, you could even guild some of the recessed areas. There are lots of possibilities with that piece!
Gilding, now there's a nice thought. Will keep it in mind.

[Baxter Smith]

Looks like a nice problem to have! Great looking piece of wood David. I am looking forward to what you come up with!

[Dick Strauss]

David,
I'm not a chip and dip bowl kind of guy either. I'm glad you decided against it for such a promising piece of wood.

[Kevin Mitchell Casey]

Hi All
I'm new to the forum and this is my first post, but hello to you all, I'd probably flatten off the middle centre to leave a glue surface, glue in a contrasting disc of timber to become the bowl bottom or deeper if you want to sit it on a small foot, then finish the bowl as you were going to, adding another burr would make it difficult to maintain a sense of flow and would drag the eye to the join rather than the overall bowl.
Regards
Kevin

[David DeCristoforo]

I had a similar (but smaller) piece and this is what it became:

209899

Your burl looks like a prime candidate for something along these lines...