Spalted and Moldy Box Elder Beaded Bowl

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Besides the red streaking normally found in Box Elder, if you get lucky the wet rough outs will mold like crazy. When I looked at this rough out two weeks after I turned it and stuffed it in a paper bag I was shocked to find it growing hair. The mold was at least an inch high. I killed the surface mold with a bleach mix but I'm sure it kept growing inside the wood until the moisture content became too low to support life. When I turned and sanded it the final product the mold showed up gray. One coat of oil made the color explode into a vibrant black. I didn't bleach this bowl because I really like the yellowish color with the black. Bleaching would have produced a stark contrast with the black. It is meant to be a "user" so I finished with Livos oil. Livos is an all natural derivative of linseed oil. It has driers but they are somehow derived from the same oil. It dries very hard and is intended as a floor finish. I guess this is a bowl you can walk on.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Now that's different! Amazing colors throughout the wood! Nice form and I really like the bead running around the outside! Very clean detail work - looks like a separate element that has been attached to the bowl after it had been turned! Cool effect!

[Baxter Smith]

Colorful wood and a pretty bowl Faust! The bead is a nice touch.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Really pretty bowl and nice wood.

[Kathy Marshall]

Now that is a character filled bowl! Lots of color in that one and the bead detail looks great.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Well done on all aspects. Way to bring it back to a thing of beautiful

[Michelle Rich]

luv the bead..pretty markings that balance well too.

[Eric Gourieux]

Faust,
I really like the simplicity of this bowl along with the bead - great bead. The variations in color are striking. Nicely done.

[neil mackay]

Faust it sure has some character and as said simple bowl well turned and finished, well done.

[Rich Aldrich]

Really nice wood. The bowl looks good too.

[Donny Lawson]

That's a purdy bowl. The colors are amazing.

[Michael Dromey]

This is one species that I haven't worked with. I think I remember hearing that it is rather soft for a hardwood. This bowl is very stricking. Great job on it.

Mike

[Curt Fuller]

That's really a nice looking bowl. Nice shape, nice beading, and a lot of interesting color in that wood.

[francesco dibari]

very elegant shape and beautiful wood .. :)

[Michael James]

WOW! NIce job on a really spectacular chunk of wood!
mj

[Jim Burr]

How big is it Faust!? Really fond of the rim treatment.

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

12" x 5" Jim. Thanks for the compliment. I'm just putting the finishing touches on it's middle sister, 16". The bowl I showed was actually the smallest core. The big guy is still drying.
faust