Grape bowl

[Kelvin Burton]

I got this piece of Mustang Grape last April, roughed it out around July and finish turned it last weekend. It was soaking wet when I first turned it and it shrunk so much as it dried I was afraid the 10% thickness rule was not going to be enough, but I was just able to get it round! I filled the cracks with brass key filings and CA glue. It is finished with Danish Oil, followed by some Walnut Oil and then buffed and waxed with Walnut wax. The bowl is 5" high and 7" wide. I decided to leave the top edge the shape it dried.

[Jamie Donaldson]

Must say I've not heard of mustang grape before, but it does appear to have "character!" I'm curious about your reasoning for applying walnut oil over Danish oil, as that seems to be an unnecessary mixing of finishing materials?

[Bernie Weishapl]

I have also never heard of mustang grape but looks like a cool wood. I am curious like Jamie as to the finish.

[Marty Eargle]

I'll let those guys be curries about the finish...I'm curious as to how it smelled to turn it. For some reason, fruit woods really smell good to me when I'm turning. Last year I got a chance to turn a chunk of very old, dry wood from the root of a plum tree and I was sorry to finish it.

As for your piece. It's hard to look past the great looking wood, but I especially like the form you used. Very nice.

[David E Keller]

That's cool, Kelvin! The grape wood reminds me a bit of walnut burl. I couldn't help but notice an enormous piece of mesquite in that picture as well... Lucky dog!

[Kelvin Burton]

Regarding the mixing of oils, it wasn't intentional, I applied the Danish oil before I started filling the cracks with brass so the CA wouldn't stain the surrounding wood. I had to do quite a bit of sanding to smooth out the CA and brass so when i went back to finish it a week later and decided to freshen up the oil, I picked up the wrong bottle :eek: It didn't seem to matter and so when I buffed it I decided to use Walnut wax.

David, the mesquite (and grape) was part of this load :-)

[David E Keller]

I think Kelvin is taunting those of us who don't have mesquite... Isn't that some kind of party foul? Moderators?

[Jim Burr]

Forget the mods...all who reply as a foul get free wood!!! I love the grape Kelvin! We have lots of Thompson grape wood that make great pens and stoppers. Brass is a nice touch, but a smooth top may refine it a bit. Well done sir!

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

I'm moving to Texas. What a wood pile!!! In the East we have grape vine but I've never seen any large enough to turn. That's a interesting choice of wood but it made a unique bowl.
faust

[Michelle Rich]

never heard of the wood either, but it sure has great color and features

[Kelvin Burton]

For those who are wondering about the wood ..... Mustang Grape grows wild throughout Texas, it's a TX native. This was from an enormous vine that was growing in a grove of Mesquite and had grown up into the trees, probably 30' or more high. The "burl" was a big bulbous growth on the vine trunk a couple of feet off the ground. Most people use the grapes for wine, but you would have needed a very tall ladder to pick from this vine!