Red and Yellow Dyed Box Elder

[Bob Bergstrom]

I've been dying some box elder lately that I found in the local wood dump last year. The tree trunk was about 30" across and 5 feet high with all the bark gone. It had a number of bumps on the trunk but not real burls. It did yield some good twisted and fiddled figure. This piece is about 13" across and 4" deep. The rim is beaded and undercut. It was dyed deep red and then sanded back starting with 150 grit to 600. I then dyed it with some orangish yellow dye. The are numerous coats of lacquer applied and rubbed out with rotten stone. Sorry about the reflection in the last photo. Should have turned out the lights. Box elder soaks up dye readily and sands easily. Soft maple is similar.

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[Kenny Jacobson]

Beautiful! Makes me want to leave work right now and go home and turn something.

[Scott Hackler]

Excellent work Bob. I LOVE the coloring on this bowl and the form is great as well.

[Doug Herzberg]

That's some of the prettiest dyed wood I've ever seen. I love the shape of the bowl and the rim, too.

[Tim Rinehart]

Great job on the dyeing and turning as well. Fiddleback from the dump...you just really know how to get us shakin' our heads, dontcha?

[Steve Schlumpf]

Wow - that's intense!! Love all that curl and the way your finish/color really made it pop! Very nice Bob!

[Allan Ferguson]

Outstanding in all ways.

[Marc Himes]

Wow, look at that figure! Nice work!

[Jim Burr]

That sir is amazing color!!! Super classic bowl form that really let's the color do a "Bam!" The bead...MHO takes away from a good clean inside form, maybe a bead on the outside?

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

This piece is too good not to be signed. Find a spot and let posterity know who made this lovely work.
faust

[Eric Holmquist]

There is a lot to like about this piece. The form, the figure in the wood, the color and the finish are all top notch. I think what got me is the interaction of the figure and coloring which is really spectacular.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Thanks everyone for the kind words and encouragement. Faust, it is signed and dated but between the dye, sanding and layers of lacquer it is pretty faint.

[Kathy Marshall]

Beautiful piece Bob! Great job on the dye, the color is awesome! Love the curl and figure!

[Michelle Rich]

an eye-catcher