Figured birch platter and bowl.

[Dan Forman]

I've been lurking, not posting much lately, but thought I'd share these two pieces from the same birch crotch. They are just rough outs, but since other bowls from this batch of birch have been cracking while drying, I took the pics in case they never make it to completion. I have started to fully coat in anchor seal rather than just putting them in a paper bag for the first three weeks of the drying process, which has generally worked pretty well up until recently, so will be sitting around for quite a while before they can be finished - assuming they don't self destruct.
The platter is about 12 inches, and had a third branch coming in from what is not the bottom of the dish, making for quite a figural display.

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l279/T-Caster/DSC_1042_2.jpg

The bowl, which was going to be a platter, is 10" by 3" deep. There was a pronounced crack that I had to turn out, which resulted in the smaller diameter and bowl shape, but it still has a good bit of feather. This one has what appear to be a very thin bark inclusion running through the darker band of wood on the left side of the bowl, which worries me, as it might separate from drying stresses, but to turn that out would really shrink the bowl, so I left it and will hope for the best.

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l279/T-Caster/DSC_1060.jpg

Dan

[charlie knighton]

hope they dry well, beautiful stuff Dan

[Mike Golka]

Now that is some nice grain!! Can't wait to see the finished product.

[wes murphy]

Very nice wood right there. Hope all turns out well.

[Peter Blair]

Hey Dan. Those pieces have great feather. I am working on a maple that I cut up with several crotches as well, not as pretty as yours but nice none the less.
I too have had some difficulty with this cut in as much as I have lost quite a few as well.
I am experimenting with freezing my roughed out blanks, then rough turn them, then, well all sorts of experiments. I am doing pretty much the same as you for some, boiling, then waxing in and out and then into paper bags. I am also doing a few pieces and after boiling them I am waxing and setting under my outside deck. Here in BC nothing dries too quickly most times so this exposure should let them dry a little slower than in my shop. I have also returned rough turnings to the freezer both waxed and unwaxed and will report later on what happens.

[Jerry Marcantel]

Wow!!!!! That's some beautiful feather. I hope they stay intact..........I have looked into my crystal ball and I see no cracks in the future.Hehehe I hope that's true.... Good luck...... Jerry

[Hayes Rutherford]

Dan, you did a good job getting the figure in the right place and good luck on the drying.

[Bob Rotche]

Wow! That's about as nice of a crotch feather as I've seen. Hope it survives the drying process.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I have to agree. That is some pretty feathering.

[Chip Sutherland]

Beautiful feather figure. I did not know birch could be so figured. I have only seen paper and river birch in Texas but never turned any.

[bob svoboda]

Beautiful figure in that wood! Nice job on the bowls-will keep my fingers crossed hoping they don't crack on you.

[Dan Forman]

Thanks for the kind words. I got this work from a friend at work, she took down two trees, one dead and the other dying. Much of the wood was pretty plain; I've been saving the crotches for last, and this is the first of the larger ones. Want to try hollow forms on some of the smaller ones.

Dan

[Jim Burr]

Holy cow! I sure hope the make it Dan...gonna be amazing with maybe an oil finish? Good luck!

[David DeCristoforo]

Those are some seriously nice feathers! Not much to do with them except what you have done. A simple, understated bowl or platter that showcases the beautiful figure. Not always easy to have that much restraint!

[David Reed]

Lovely material and execution. I agree with DD on the appropriate level of restraint exercised.

[Harry Robinette]

I'm with all the others. Really hope they hold up to the drying.

[robert baccus]

Great shape and wood for sure. That figure deserves slow drying---just too pretty.

[Baxter Smith]

Great looking bowls Dan. You can't dry them too slow!

[Jeffrey J Smith]

Dan: have you tried boiling? Don't know how birch responds but the maple and madrone, even the green walnut I've been working with responds really well. Nice roiling boil for a couple of hours, quench in cool water, let dry on surface for a day or so; then arrange close to the floor spaced out with stickers (the rims down) and forget about them until nicely dry. works pretty well even for madrone that likes to turn itself into pretzls and rip itself apart when drying.

[Kathy Marshall]

Boy that is some beautiful feather Dan! Good luck with the drying, those will be some awesome pieces when finished!

[Dan Forman]

Thanks for the additional comments! I don't suppose these will be ready for final turning until the around Christmas time.

Jeff --- I'll have to look into this boiling business, have heard that it's used to stabilize madrone burls. Do you just lay them out without wrapping or enclosing in a bag? How long do they take to dry? Does it reduce the amount they warp?

Dan

[Tim Rinehart]

Dan, all I can say is that its gonna make someone very happy to get! That's some wonderful feather, I look forward to seeing it once a finish is on it.