Hoping it wouldn't break apart-SJPT

[Roger Chandler]

I took a rough-out bowl from the Stonewall Jackson Prayer tree [350+ year old white oak] that I had roughed out back the last part of August.........from a burl the lady who owned the tree wanted something made from it.

It stopped losing weight this week so I felt it was ready to re-visit and turn into a bowl for her. when I got it open, I found cracks galore and punky wood........of course I knew they were there, but the DNA soak and the bag drying really caused them to open up.

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more pics on the next post..............

[Roger Chandler]

I turned it, and it really had a lot of punky-ness and I had to turn away a lot of this rough out. It really vibrated on me a lot as well, and the rim area just gave me fits, and I am likely going to have to do some sealing and then a little light passes with a very sharp gouge..........

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What in your opinion is the best way to proceed from this point in order to get the best finished result? Currently the form has a coat of antique oil on it.

[Scott Hackler]

If your getting vibration now, I don't know if I would attempt "that one last cut" without a stead rest supporting it.

[David E Keller]

Not sure if you've got the wood to work with, but the lower portion of the curve could be brought in another inch or two... I think that would make the finished piece more graceful and less 'heavy' when sitting on a surface. It sure is pretty wood!

[Roger Chandler]

Not sure if you've got the wood to work with, but the lower portion of the curve could be brought in another inch or two... I think that would make the finished piece more graceful and less 'heavy' when sitting on a surface. It sure is pretty wood!

David,

I don't have much wood to play with at this point, however, I am planning on thinning the center of the bottom a little more, and that should allow me to blend the curve a little more, and not have as wide a flat on the bottom..............It would be interesting to have you over my shoulder and see what you would do........or me over yours watching to see how you would handle this piece of wood..........

This SJPT, just has a mind of its own ............I guess being 350+ years old, it just is at the point it is not very forgiving as to the stresses in this wood. I think this particular piece is like a lot of this tree.......has literally centuries of wind shake and separation of layers and fibers............no telling what this tree endured over the centuries........and now us upstarts are trying to have our way with it! HA!!! ;)

[Sid Matheny]

I think I would put on a good coat of sealer and do light cuts after it dries. Looking good so far! Wish I would look as well at 350!:p

Sid

[Jamie Donaldson]

You were smart to cut a larger diameter tenon for the larger chuck jaws with unsound wood. Your wall thickness at the rim looks fine, so if the best of the wall is similar I would apply a coat of sanding sealer and finish the finish on the inside, reverse and finish the outside. Too much power sanding on the inside will result in an uneven surface with that punky wood.

[robert baccus]

Relly nice bowl. call it rustic and charge extra for each blem.--------------old forester

[Rick Markham]

That's a tough call Roger! The part of me that likes to "touch" things one too many times (the "whoops" I regret doing that part) says "yeah, one careful pull cut will clean it up nicely" just before the "told you so" part of me says "DAHMKIT, I knew I should have just left it." Scott is right if it's vibrating now, a steady might be the only way to pull that operation off.

Hand sanding the inside might work, to help avoid getting any funny waves from the unevenness of punky wood. Sometimes the 80 grit gouge is called for. Again it's a risk.

I like Robert's idea the best, it's got character, it's 350 years old it shows in the wood, both grain and stresses :) I'd finish up your transition and tidy up the inside bottom, and call it finished. It's a fitting representation of a tangled, old, and gnarled tree IMHO. The wide bottom simpley makes it more of utilitarian shape, which also suits the rugged look IMHO.

I think it's beautiful, and I think you've done a wonderful job with it so far!

[Roger Chandler]

Thanks everyone! Rick, the lady who owned this tree spoke up and wanted this particular burl when we began cutting the tree up............I told her I would turn something for her............she is so nice and is excited that this tree will live on in a second life as useful things...........some of which will be passed on to members of her family as heirlooms.

I have already put Jeff's steady rest on the lathe to support this bowl and it did help.........I took one more pass, and the vibrations were less. I think I am going to finish off the bottom today.

Jamie and Rick, you are correct about sanding punky and solid wood.........it will leave waves. I like the fact that good folks here at the "creek" are willing to share knowledge and confirm the things I thought about.........the steady rest was one thing I was intending to do anyway for the last few passes.........you all just confirmed it.

The sanding sealer is another thing I was going to do.............you all confirmed that as well, so it looks to me like I am on the right path with this.

Thanks everyone!

[Jeff Fleisher]

Roger,
If you use a couple of coats of General Finishes EnduroVAR on it you will eliminate the punky wood. Try putting on a coat, let it dry (which is very fast) and sand lightly. Then repeat. I've done this with a spalted maple bowl and it finished up solid as a rock.

[Roger Chandler]

Hey Jeff,

Good to see you post! Everybody, Jeff is the President of our club, and a woodcarver who does exquisite work! Jeff, I do not have any enduro-var on hand..........I will need to pick up some at our Saturday meeting if you have it available.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Can't add much more than has already been said Roger but that bowl is going to be outstanding.

[Roger Chandler]

I took a rough-out bowl from the Stonewall Jackson Prayer tree [350+ year old white oak] that I had roughed out back the last part of August.........from a burl the lady who owned the tree wanted something made from it.

It stopped losing weight this week so I felt it was ready to re-visit and turn into a bowl for her. when I got it open, I found cracks galore and punky wood........of course I knew they were there, but the DNA soak and the bag drying really caused them to open up.

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more pics on the next post.............. updating with pics ......see latest post.........this one has just a bit of sanding and one more coat of WOP.........then that is it!

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An old punky, cracked, and hard to get along with 350 + year old white oak burl that did not want to co-operate.......this is about as good as I could get this one..............

Comments welcome!

[David E Keller]

Nicely done, Roger! Beautiful wood and nicely finished. The foot is a nice touch... I'm afraid the piece would appear a little 'heavy' without it. I'm betting the owner is going to be tickled with this piece!

[Curt Fuller]

That's a beauty Roger. That wood even looks old.

[charlie knighton]

as long as the cracks have black in them, manmade or not, its fine

i like picture #5

[James Combs]

Roger do you have a vacuum chamber setup? If so and if it were me I would Cactus Juice the next one after rough turning it. That would stabilize the punky wood and also ensure internal cracks were filled. In any case this one really turned out nice. I think the lady is going to be ecstatic.

[Roger Chandler]

No James, I don't have a vac chamber.............I think I might have to try Wally's soak in glue/water mix.........that kind of thing is not what I wanted to have to get into...........I am just going to have to find me some wood that is solid and not 350+ years old!

I will say that putting on the coating of shellac did stiffen the fibers up a good bit, but I should have done that early on before I got to the sanding.........that would most likely have made this one turn out better than it did , although it is pretty good..........

You know what they say.........hindsight is 20/20!

[Baxter Smith]

Well done Roger. Thats a good example of the value in spending some extra time on a piece of wood worth saving.

[Primvs Aebvtivs]

I'd just read most of the thread, and got to the finished pictures... When the wife walked in, I asked her what she thought of it, and she said "oooooh, that's beautiful, don't give it to the lady, tell her it broke"...!!! I'd be immensely proud to have turned that bowl personally, and think it looks darned fine Roger. Thanks for updating the pics.