Ornament dyed Pytlik style and some gloat wood bowls

[Kathy Marshall]

After seeing Chris Pytlik's demo I was eager to give his method a try. I thought an ornament would be a good place to start, if I didn't like it then I've only wasted a small bit of wood.
The body is maple and the top and icicle are pecan. Pecan wouldn't normally be my choice for a finial, but it was convenient and I don't think I've ever turned a sharper point. I turned it a little thicker than I normally would because I was a little impatient to get it done. I also would normally do the finial in a contrasting color, but this was just an experiment. Finish is spray lacquer and it still needs buffing.
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Got out the chainsaw this morning and cut up one of the Sissoo logs I got on Friday. All I can say is, the inside looks even better than the outside! I turned this bowl from one of the pieces, it's 8" x 2".
I also turned a few small bowls while I was at it. 2 are 4 3/4" x 1 1/2" and are Acacia (they look amazingly like the sissoo) and the smallest is 3 3/4" x 1" and is mulberry. All have just a coat of DO so far.
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Thanks for looking!
Comments and critiques are welcome.

[Roger Chandler]

Those bowls are beauties, Kathy! Such a vivid contrast of the heartwood and sapwood....................nice form on them as well........sissoo does not grow around these parts here, so the first I ever heard of it was when you started posting some of your work from them..............nice indeed.

Good lookin' ornaments...........I am getting ready to try my hand at some of these...........I ordered a set of mini hollowing tools from PSI, and they are due to arrive today! Woohoooo!

Keep 'em coming! :)

[Roland Martin]

Well done Kathy. That's what is so interesting about turning, the learning aspect is literally unlimited, and a quick learner you are. Looks like you got a really nice batch of wood, the bowls are all gorgeous.

[John Keeton]

Kathy, neat work on the ornaments, and that sissoo is something else!! Love the color and contrast.

So, how do you like the aspect of dying wood??

[Greg Just]

Very nice ornaments. I like how the dye enhances the grain of the wood. The bowls are beautiful too. Are you turning the bowls from green wood in one session? Do you get a lot of distortion?

[Michelle Rich]

I think your experimental ornaments aren't so experimental. they look super. The sisso is extraordinary wood. What a delight it must be to turn it & make such lovely bowls.

[Tom Winship]

Okay, Kathy, I've got to turn an oreo bowl from the sissoo you sent me. Hopefully I can do it justice.

[Baxter Smith]

Great looking sisso Kathy! The ornament looks great too. Has a very old look to it in the first picture. In the second picture there are some darker lines. Are those lap marks from the dye? I have only tried transtint dye on two things and had some traces of the lap marks on the second piece. Just wondering if the dye you are using is less forgiving.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Ornaments are great Kathy but that Sisso is just outstanding.

[Kathy Marshall]

Thanks everyone! I didn't turn the bowls as a set, but they sure look nice together. May have to keep them as set!

Kathy, neat work on the ornaments, and that sissoo is something else!! Love the color and contrast.

So, how do you like the aspect of dying wood??

Thanks John! I don't think this style of dyeing is something I would do alot of, but for certain things or a bland piece of wood you can get some neat effects. I tried it on a NE bowl tonight, we'll see how it looks in a few days with some finish on it (but I may have just ruined a nice NE bowl :eek:)

Very nice ornaments. I like how the dye enhances the grain of the wood. The bowls are beautiful too. Are you turning the bowls from green wood in one session? Do you get a lot of distortion?
Thanks Greg! Yes, the bowls were turned green to finish (that's how I turn about 95% of my stuff). The sissoo will probably move a little bit, the acacia very little if at all. For the woods that tend to move alot, I usually bag them after turning to slow the drying down. It won't keep them from moving, but it keeps movement to a minimum.


I think your experimental ornaments aren't so experimental. they look super. The sisso is extraordinary wood. What a delight it must be to turn it & make such lovely bowls.
Thanks Michelle! It really is great to turn!

Okay, Kathy, I've got to turn an oreo bowl from the sissoo you sent me. Hopefully I can do it justice.
Look forward to seeing it Tom!


Great looking sisso Kathy! The ornament looks great too. Has a very old look to it in the first picture. In the second picture there are some darker lines. Are those lap marks from the dye? I have only tried transtint dye on two things and had some traces of the lap marks on the second piece. Just wondering if the dye you are using is less forgiving.
Thanks Baxter! The lap lines are intentional and is part of the process Chris does. On the ornament I like the effect, I'll have to see how I think about it on other pieces.