"non-turned" natural edge

[Paul Williams]

A few years ago I saved some trimmings from a log I was cutting into bowl blanks. They were 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick. I coated two in shellac to slow drying with the idea that if they didn't crack up too bad I would sand them smooth and send to my grandson's preschool so they could count the growth rings. The second one was on the floor of my shop and I decided to put a base on it and call it a bowl. The diameter is 10 inches and in drying the center depressed 1 1/4 inches. No turning involved except the walnut ring which forms the base. I just sanded the disc and mounted the base ring so it would sit more or less level. Still have some sanding and clean up to do before finishing, but I thought it was interesting how much this moved with very little cracking. I am not sure but believe the wood is linden or basswood.

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[charlie knighton]

if the wood is basswood, coat with sanding sealer, wait two hours, sand with 120 then 240, any grit higher than 240 you get "diminishing returns", an apt description of act of wood working from econ 101

[robert baccus]

Sound like basswood. It is one of the very most stable woods around. The only wood used for drafting tables and instruments.

[Thom Sturgill]

I see basswood rounds in the craft stores, so drying without cracking seems to work with that species. Looks like the same wood, great for woodburning.

[charlie knighton]

basswood espically from northern states is the go to wood for carvers