A little advise please...

[Russell Eaton]

I turned a natural edge black walnut bowl. I messed up when I sanded it, and got the black bark or the heartwood dust onto the sapwood. I sanded the bark and the heartwood away from the sapwood, but still got the dust where it stained the sapwood. Here is a picture of the bowl and any help would be appreciated. I have 3 more decent size logs to do that I sealed in wax, I want to try another one this weekend. Thanks again. Russell

[Jamie Donaldson]

That is some strange looking walnut, with much wider sapwood rings than usual? It appears that the color in the sapwood was there before turning, because the wood next to the bark seems to be fine, and that is where sanding dust usually causes a problem. To avoid the color staining from sanding, I apply a thinned coat of lacquer sanding sealer to fill the sapwood, which mostly eliminates the problem of sanding dust collecting in the open wood pores.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Never seen that much sap wood on walnut. Try vacuum with a small hose taped into the bigger hose to increase the pull possibly. High air pressure may blow it out if the vacuum doesn't suck it out.

[Russell Eaton]

Sorry it took so long to reply. This is odd walnut, the sap wood is very wide. Thanks for the suggestions Jamie. I will seal the sapwood and try It again. I will post the results. Bob I did try to blow the dark dust off, but it didn't help. Thanks again for the ideas.

[Nathan Hawkes]

I turned a natural edge black walnut bowl. I messed up when I sanded it, and got the black bark or the heartwood dust onto the sapwood. I sanded the bark and the heartwood away from the sapwood, but still got the dust where it stained the sapwood. Here is a picture of the bowl and any help would be appreciated. I have 3 more decent size logs to do that I sealed in wax, I want to try another one this weekend. Thanks again. Russell


Russell, the stains on the bowl really don't look like those that come from sanding dust--it really looks more like the heartwood has stained the sapwood. How much time was between the tree being felled and your turning the bowl? I have seen similar staining before. I have had decent results concentrating on the sapwood first, then using shellac or lacquer sanding sealer, then sanding bark and heartwood, with a very light wash coat in between each grit.

[charlie knighton]

never seen anything like all that sapwood, is that a limb, or was tree in standing water?

no advise, interesting problem with several good answers

[robert baccus]

That is a puzzlement, maybe mildew--spalting??