Just a couple Acacia and Mesquite bowls

[Kathy Marshall]

Last night after applying some finish to my Mesquite HF WIP, I needed a quick turning fix so I grabbed a small acacia bowl blank. I turned a simple bowl then decided to attempt to dress it up with some pyro. While it was still on the lathe, I cut 2 V grooves for a border, then I took a little piece of nichrome wire and formed a V type tip for my burner. Then I burned my way around the rim, alternating the direction of the V.

It's apparent that I still need some practice with the burner and making tips, but we've all got to start somewhere.
It's 7 1/2" x 2" finished with antique oil.
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Today I decided to turn another bowl, but a bigger one this time. So I grabbed a good sized mesquite blank and turned another simple bowl form. With this one I left a wide rim and undercut it. I also wanted to dress this one up a bit and went just a step further. I knew I would be burning a border on this one too, so I started by cutting 2 V grooves for a border. Then I had a solution made from soaking steel wool in vinegar, so I decided to lightly ebonize the outside of the bowl. I had used the solution on another piece of mesquite, so I knew how easily it would go completely black. So I tried just giving the bowl a very light wipe of the solution. It still went darker than I wanted, so I sanded it back until I was satisfied. On the plus side, the grooves stayed black since they weren't touched by the sanding.
I made another tip for my burner, but this time just a straight line. Then I started burning.
I left the inside and the bottom natural and just gave it a light coat of danish oil, the outside just has a coat of sanding sealer so far. I still need to decide what I want to use for the final finish.
It's 12" x 3".
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Thanks for looking!
Comments and critiques are welcome.

[Alan Trout]

Kathy,

Those are both very nice. I really like the rim detail.

Alan

[Brian Kent]

Beautiful trim work.

[Dennis Ford]

Very nice work, the burning added just enough to already nice pieces.

[Fred Belknap]

Kathy nice bowls and wood as usual but I especially like the second one with the SOS design.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Very nice bowls Cathy, I especially like the Acacia, and the pyro on it is just real nice handwork, no CNC or whatever mechanical precision, I like it, of course the mesquite is also nice, I just like the Acacia best :D

[Jason Ritchie]

These are really nice! I really like the design you did around the rim. It really seems to fit the bowls nicely. These inspire me to try some decorating. Thanks for sharing and I always enjoy seeing your work.

[Jon Nuckles]

I like them both, but the combination of color and design on the mesquite give it a nice "ancient" look.

[Roger Chandler]

Nice work, Kathy! Everyone has to start somewhere with any type of turning or embellishment.......I have not gotten into pyrography other than burning my name on the bottom......you are ahead of me in that! This is very nice and not too over the top.........

Of course, I like the wood to speak more than embellishments most of the time anyway........that fact may forever doom me to not being considered an "R...teeest!" :rolleyes:

[mike ash]

Nice work on both bowls Kathy!! The pyro spices up the last bowl just right.

[Baxter Smith]

Very pretty bowls Kathy. There is beauty in simplicity. Both the pyro and curve don't overshadow a great piece of wood. The acacia in particular.:)

[Rick Robbins]

Those turned out nice. Rick

[Donny Lawson]

Kathy, those are some Awesome bowls as usual. You have great turning skills.

[David DeCristoforo]

Those are "just" a couple of really nice bowls! No way I could choose a favorite.

[Kathy Marshall]

Thanks everyone!
I'm sure I'll be trying some pyro on some future pieces and I'll definitely be playing around with ebonizing more mesquite to see what kind of different results I can get.