Black Walnut

[Mark Cothren]

16-1/2" wide and 7" tall at the tips. Opinions and critiques welcomed.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v684/markfromark/woodturning/blackwalnut1002.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v684/markfromark/woodturning/blackwalnut1004.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v684/markfromark/woodturning/blackwalnut1003.jpg

[John Keeton]

Mark, I love your NE walnut bowls!!

[Ron Bontz]

Just beautiful. I really like the way the sap wood encircles it.

[Bill Bolen]

I can't even imagine spinning a 16"+ NE. You are the master of ne's in my humble opinion! A real beauty Mark.

[Ted Calver]

Mark,
This is a great shape and I really like the sapwood contrast. I am going to try and emulate this shape on the next piece of walnut I can find.

[Roger Chandler]

A beauty ..........as always, Mark!

[Jay Rasmussen]

Outstanding Mark, do you have any “in process” photos? I would love to see how this started out.

[Mark Cothren]

I don't have progress shots for this bowl, but I have a few for another walnut NE that I turned a while back.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v684/markfromark/NE%20bowl%20progress/100_1189.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v684/markfromark/NE%20bowl%20progress/VaughnChunk2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v684/markfromark/NE%20bowl%20progress/100_1190.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v684/markfromark/NE%20bowl%20progress/100_1192.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v684/markfromark/NE%20bowl%20progress/100_1195.jpg

[Joe Cunningham]

Being a new turner, I wondered how the natural edge bowls were done. Thanks for the progress pics, very helpful, and such a beautiful bowl.

[Jim Burr]

Joe...there is none better. You just saw a lesson from the Boss!

[Curt Fuller]

Mark, you make it look like a walk in the park. Another beautiful Cothren style bowl!

[Scott Hackler]

Just great, Mark. That walnut is perfect for a NE bowl and wow that dude is a big one!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Mark that is another beauty and a big one at that.

[Billy Tallant]

Wow!!! Amazing work...

[Ken Hill]

Very nice!

[Michelle Rich]

A#1 very appealing.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Classic Cothren!!

[Harvey Ghesser]

wow...beautiful...

[steven carter]

Typical, just typical, and by that I mean fantastic as usual. I never tire of you NE bowls, I hope someday that mine will approach the quality of yours.

[Johnny England]

Just beautiful!!!!! Someday I hope to be able turn one like that.

[Thomas Heck]

Nice bowl. Thanks for sharing.

[Russell Eaton]

That is a beauty! I have a question, do you turn it wet to the desired thickness and let it dry? Or do you leave it thick and return it after it dries? Thanks, Russell

[Mark Cothren]

Russell, I leave it thicker and then re-turn it to final thickness after it dries. A couple of folks on another site suggested turning it to final thickness while still green and then letting it dry (that's the way they do it). Next batch of green wood I get I'm going to give it a try. It's a lot easier turning it green than it is when dry.

[Jay Rasmussen]

Outstanding Mark, do you have any “in process” photos? I would love to see how this started out.

Thanks Mark, the final product is beautiful but for me just getting started in the art of turning how you got there is fascinating and inspiring!
After 25 years of flat work I’m hooked.

[Thomas Canfield]

Russell, I leave it thicker and then re-turn it to final thickness after it dries. A couple of folks on another site suggested turning it to final thickness while still green and then letting it dry (that's the way they do it). Next batch of green wood I get I'm going to give it a try. It's a lot easier turning it green than it is when dry.

What thickness do you rough turn? That piece looks thinner than the 10% or about 1 1/2" thickness that you would normally rough turn. It would seem that the oval rough would have a lot of distortion, from my experience with some smaller NE bowls. What about holding on the bark or is that just a whole lot of CA ? The time of harvest has a lot to do with the bark holding, but I have made several barkless NE bowls.

[Pete Jordan]

Well done Mark!

Always nice to see your work.

[Mark Cothren]

What thickness do you rough turn? That piece looks thinner than the 10% or about 1 1/2" thickness that you would normally rough turn. It would seem that the oval rough would have a lot of distortion, from my experience with some smaller NE bowls.

I just eyeball it, to be honest. The walls are 7/16" right now, so was probably around 1" when I roughed it out. In my own experience with Arkansas Black Walnut, the thinner it is roughed out the less movement there is while drying.



What about holding on the bark or is that just a whole lot of CA ? The time of harvest has a lot to do with the bark holding, but I have made several barkless NE bowls.

No CA used on this bark. You'll just have to take my word on this, but I honestly don't remember the last time I used CA on a bark-edge bowl. I can also tell you - again, in my own experience - that time of the year when the tree is downed has no effect on the bark. This particular tree was cut middle of the summer (I believe it was in July - I do recall the temperature being over 100 that day) and I've already turned several NE bowls and have about 3 more waiting to finish, and none of them have even hinted at losing bark. Maybe it is a geographic thing - I dunno.

[Kathy Marshall]

Another beauty Mark!