Applewood bowl 8.5"

[Leo Van Der Loo]

This is a Applewood bowl that I returned after it having sat for about 8 years, nice and dry and turned like a dream.

I’m quite pleased with how it turned out, it has this real nice dark heartwood color plus the lighter sapwood, meant to be a user bowl I kept it heavier than I would otherwise.

Finished with Polymerized Tung oil but not buffed, can still do that but not something a user bowl needs IMO.

All comments welcome :)

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[Paul Hinds]

Beautiful. Nice choice of wood and really nicely turned.

[Doug Herzberg]

Very nice, Leo. Everything I've done in apple wood has cracked. Do you think the thickness helped prevent that, or perhaps the thorough drying?

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Beautiful. Nice choice of wood and really nicely turned.

Thank You Paul :), leave mother nature to it and the outcomes can be awesome, I’m just lucky to have been able to turn it, yes Apple is such nice wood 300346

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Very nice, Leo. Everything I've done in apple wood has cracked. Do you think the thickness helped prevent that, or perhaps the thorough drying?

Thank you for commenting Doug :).

Yes I hear that a lot of turners have trouble with Apple and fruitwood in general, I never had trouble with it.

This piece was rough turned and dried the same as any other wood I turn, turned to the 10% thickness for the walls and the same or thinner for the bottom, then I dry them in a brown paper bag, closed and placed in a cool place without heat and draft.

This piece and many more have been turned years ago, where I would get a whole log and would rough turn and dry all, then later some got finished but lots have just sat ever since that time, no difference with the earlier turned pieces.

This I have said many times here en on other forums, however it seems everyone tries to dry their wood fast, rather than slow, they stick it in alcohol or paint the ends with sealer, dish-soap it and or other treatments.

Here are a few more Applewood pieces I have turned before.

Here a whole log of Applewood bowls, with a couple that had defects that have CA put on it, but not a single split in these dry bowls.
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In the 3th picture where there is a knot and bark from the crotch there are no splits in that bowl either.
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[Don McLeod]

Nicely done, I especially like the rim and the foot. Apple has a lot of character and the tung oil finish brings it out. I am always fascinated by how much green apple turnings will warp while drying, unfortunately I've not been as lucky as you and have lost a few.

[Gary Herrmann]

Leo! Beautiful bowl. I envy you your Apple stash. I don't have anything over 4" wide.

Apple is such a beautiful wood. Let me know if you'd like to trade for some Pear. I've got some over 10" wide.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Nicely done, I especially like the rim and the foot. Apple has a lot of character and the tung oil finish brings it out. I am always fascinated by how much green apple turnings will warp while drying, unfortunately I've not been as lucky as you and have lost a few.


Thanks for your reply Don :).

I don’t consider it “Luck” having no or very few Splitting of my rough turnings, Apple or other species, and yes Apple like many other woods can warp considerably, though that depends a lot on how much sapwood to heartwood, and the shape of the turning and a few things like grain and knots and bark inclusion have an effect on the amount of warping as well.

Here is a picture of an Apple crotch bowl that did warp considerably, but again no splitting, even in the piths in the sides.

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Now IF you start with a piece that already has splits in it, those won’t magically disappear, like this grafting burl that a friend of mine did eventually bring along, it had a bunch of splits, but since I never turned a grafting part of Apple I decided to go ahead and still try to make a hollow form from it, the piece was opening as I was turning it, so I used a hose clamp to keep the ends together, and later used Brass wire to do the job of the hose clamp, second picture of how LOML has it prettied up :)

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[Gus Dundon]

This is definitely a marvelous bowl turning project! Such a fine wood, finishing and quality.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Leo! Beautiful bowl. I envy you your Apple stash. I don't have anything over 4" wide.

Apple is such a beautiful wood. Let me know if you'd like to trade for some Pear. I've got some over 10" wide.

Thanks for the comment Gary, the pieces I am now turning are all from my pre-turned pieces, I brought just over a thousand rough turned bowl and platters etc along to our new place here in North-west Ontario.

Up here are no fields with wild Apple trees or orchards to find, a few Crab Apple trees that people plant for the flowers and those are usually small and not cut down as it takes a long time to grow the trees, the growing season is very short up here.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

This is definitely a marvelous bowl turning project! Such a fine wood, finishing and quality.

Thanks Gus for commenting :), Applewood is a joy to turn I agree 300486

[cody michael]

I love apple wood, I made a few things just turned to final thickness, they warp some but I like that, my sister chopped down the biggest apple tree I have ever seen, it must have been 30+ inches across the base, and about 5 ft tall, I had it lumbered and got 2, 3inch thick slabs I have made one into a coffee table and one will be entertainment center top some day. I also got some more normal sized apple tree wood off craigslist.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

I love apple wood, I made a few things just turned to final thickness, they warp some but I like that, my sister chopped down the biggest apple tree I have ever seen, it must have been 30+ inches across the base, and about 5 ft tall, I had it lumbered and got 2, 3inch thick slabs I have made one into a coffee table and one will be entertainment center top some day. I also got some more normal sized apple tree wood off craigslist.

Wow that must be something to see, I can imagine the look of a piece of wood like that, would love to see pictures of it, biggest pieces I have used where something like 16 “ and not hollow, as that’s what happens often with older Apple trees that have branches broken off or removed, most of the ones I have gotten where around a foot or 14” and maybe 6 or 7 feet tall before the limbs go left and right, unlike the old orchard trees, they have very short trunks nowadays, but still enough for a couple of bowls , thanks for your reply Michael :)

[Tim Rinehart]

Love all these pieces from apple, Leo. I have only turned a little of it, but as said, it's a joy to turn and doesn't tearout unless you're really trying to!

[cody michael]

This is my coffee table

[Leo Van Der Loo]

This is my coffee table

That is some rich color Cody, thanks for showing the piece :D 300899

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Love all these pieces from apple, Leo. I have only turned a little of it, but as said, it's a joy to turn and doesn't tearout unless you're really trying to!
Thanks Tim :), yes usually you are right about the tearout, but I have encountered it a few times with softer Apple wood that was nearly in spalting condition, though not punky yet, and yes I to love turning any wood, but Apple is a favorite :)