Walnut Root holds suprise!

[Jeff Fagen]

One of my suppliers from Kansas told me her son was cutting up osage orange to sell for firewood.I told her I would pay to get a slab of that mailed to me.
Well one day I found a large flat rate box on my porch full of wood only it wasn't osage.
I cut the blank round on the band saw getting it stuck a few times in the sopping wet wood and sealed it.
I called to thank her and told her it wasn't osage and she said no her son said I'd like this hunk of walnut root better.
While organizing my wood pile I saw this black blank that had been sitting there since last summer.
After drying out it was full of big cracks and bark inclusions so I put a face plate on to see what I had.
I thought I should share it with you before it comes apart during the hollowing process.
There sure is a mixture of color and different kinds of growth.Wish me luck...it may need duct tape. :)

[Rodney Walker]

I sure hope it holds together for you. It'll be beautiful when you're done.
Rodney

[Dennis Nagle]

sure is a pretty piece of wood. Is all the cracking and inclusions normal for root wood?

[Doug W Swanson]

Hope it stays together!

[Jeff Fagen]

I don't know Dennis,this is my first root.It sure did shrink and crack badly compaired to when it was fresh cut.

[Dan Hintz]

I like the starfish crack in the second pic... looks like a perfect piece for some colored resin inlay to hold it all together and add some fun to it.

[Paul Williams]

My first thought was that looks too unstable burn it. Then I remembered my first root ball looked very similar and came out great. It did not appear to shrink or crack as it dried. I left the sides fairly thick as there were many sections that would have come off if I hollowed less than 1/4 inch. My daughter has the piece on her desk at work. Good luck, I am sure you are going to have a great looking piece.

[robert baccus]

Walnut root can be bueatiful. It, like most trees has some very soft light shrinky wood usually really red. A heartbreaker. Most walnuthas a SG of 55 or so but I bet the red root is like 25-30 SG. Good luck

[Keith Christopher]

I would either fill those cracks with epoxy and some nice color or ground stone or put it in the fireplace. Just looks too much like it will start to have pieces come flying off. Be safe.

[Chip Sutherland]

If you start to hollow it, please wrap it in plastic wrap or like you said duct tape. It isn't worth your copay to not do something to stave off potential projectiles.

[Jeff Fagen]

I'm not so sure about the epoxy but I filled everything but the big bark inclusion.Shot it with lacquer to show the colors.

[Kathy Marshall]

The lacquer really made the color pop! I like the epoxy fill, the turquoise color is a good contrast for dark woods. I would still wrap it for hollowing just in case. Look forward to seeing the finished piece!

[Keith Christopher]

I'm not so sure about the epoxy but I filled everything but the big bark inclusion.Shot it with lacquer to show the colors.


As long as you're careful that is going to be a very good looking hollow form !! I personally an glad to see you glued it up !!!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Wow that is going to be a beauty when finished.

[Eric Gourieux]

I was going to suggest that you NOT fill the cracks, but now that you've done it, I'm glad you did. Looks great.

[Jeff Fagen]

It actually hollowed really well. It was like standing behind a manure spreader with the pulp slinging out of the side hole
like wet tobacco all over and smelling like manure.
I hollowed it to 1/4 inch with no problems mostly using my Bosch hand tools as well as a couple of home made tools.
It was very stable and didn't need epoxy fill but it was another good first exercise.
I am going to let it dry out now before I do the finish work.
What do you all think Wipe on Poly?

[Billy Tallant]

That is an outstanding chunk of root. Will be something to see when you finish it up.

[Dennis Nagle]

That turned out really well. I like the contrasting colors and the beautiful wood. I like things really shinny so maybe a number of WOP coats then wet sand to 1200, then buff to a high gloss.