Cored Black Walnut

[Doug Herzberg]

Life has kept me away from the shop for most of two years. Back then, my son-in-law's neighbor lost a black walnut tree to disease in Denver. She let me take the logs and I promised her a set of bowls. She wanted me to include sap wood. I cored these green and set them aside to dry. Finally got them finished, because she's been bugging my SIL about what I did with her wood. Not the best thing I've ever done, but they're finished. I don't get many opportunities to turn walnut and this was a joy. Lot's more wood, if I can get to it before it checks.

The largest is about 10-1/2 x 4 the smallest about 4 x 1-1/2, in inches. Watco DO, so far. I may just put on some walnut oil and deliver them. Thanks for looking.

353258353259

[Eric Gourieux]

Doug, these are all beautiful, and I'm sure she will love them. I like what you did on the bottoms. Well done.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Nicely done. Well centered and well turned. She will be happy with them and wondering if you could turn a few more?

[daryl moses]

Very nice. I also leave the sapwood on my Walnut bowls, I think it gives them character. I also prefer a more natural finish such as you have done. [not glossy]
I think she's going to love these bowls.

[David Delo]

I like the outside/bottom of the smallest bowl. From the pic, it almost looks like you took a beading tool to it.

[Doug Herzberg]

I like the outside/bottom of the smallest bowl. From the pic, it almost looks like you took a beading tool to it.

It was a mini spindle gouge (about 1/8" wide).

[Dok Yager]

Nicely done Doug! She should be very happy with those they make a nice little family.

[Marty Schlosser]

I, too, like them, Doug! Their profiles are nicely done.

[Peter Blair]

Doug, I have never before had a chance to core Walnut but a friend brought me a couple of pieces from a local branch that is big enough to core. My question is not really related to coring but to the lack of 'black' in the black walnut. These pieces have about 10 % black. Not sure it the sapwood is worth the effort. If not I would only get some very small bowls?

[John Keeton]

Peter, aside from the sapwood question, I think many might avoid limb or branch wood, if that is what you referenced, because of its tendency to warp. However, if you like that look then that may not be an issue.

[Doug Herzberg]

Thanks for the comments, guys. Peter, I could have gotten more heart wood by coring from the inside of the log (with the sapwood in the chuck). Is that what you mean? This is the color I'm used to seeing with freshly worked black walnut. Some of the furniture my dad made 30 years ago is much darker. I don't know if that is age or if he used a finish with some stain in it. Even though this was from the trunk of the tree, it was very wet and it moved a lot as it dried. The small bowl is thinner than the other two because I lost so much getting it round.

[Peter Blair]

Thanks Doug, what I was trying to say is that the piece of Black walnut I have is about 12" by 8" deep, but the dark color is only in about he center 4 inches! Do you think it's worth it to core this if only the smallest bowl(s) will have and black colour?

John, I understand but his piece was really quite big and I was only venturing a guess that it may have been a large branch only because it has so little black.
353504353505

[Doug Herzberg]

Peter, that's a lot of sapwood. I don't see coring more than one bowl out of that if you want all heartwood, unless we're talking really small bowls. If you went the other way, even the large bowl would look like my small bowl, with a patch of heartwood surrounded by sapwood. It's fun to turn and if nothing else, you'd get some practice coring. Like Reed says, coring is the easiest way to rough out a bowl, even if you're not trying to get several bowls from one piece.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Thanks Doug, what I was trying to say is that the piece of Black walnut I have is about 12" by 8" deep, but the dark color is only in about he center 4 inches! Do you think it's worth it to core this if only the smallest bowl(s) will have and black colour?

John, I understand but his piece was really quite big and I was only venturing a guess that it may have been a large branch only because it has so little black.
353504353505

I don’t think that is branch wood Peter, on a branch the pith would be out of center, with tension and compression wood and the dark part also out of center.

I do believe that is from a very fast growing tree, as it does take a few years for the wood to get dark, Large slow growing trees have also white sapwood, but less and also a lot less in comparison to the heartwood.

Like you can see in this picture of a tall but still smallish tree.

353526

I have also turned the Walnut sapwood, trying to keep it white, it did discolor some, but still not a bad looking wood, though not like the Black Walnut heartwood.

353528 353530

[Peter Blair]

Thanks Leo. I will core and turn it anyway. I think it might be nice to carve and add other details including color.

[Bob Bouis]

I usually try to remove the sapwood from walnut bowls but sometimes it can't be avoided. The temptation is to cut them so the sapwood is only on the outside of the bowl but if it goes all the way to the tenon, it makes them very prone to splitting at the bottom. At least that's my experience.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Thanks Leo. I will core and turn it anyway. I think it might be nice to carve and add other details including color.

The combination of the dark and light can look real sharp Peter, Ive made many, as I will not waste the wood, look at Blackwood or Ebony, it has light streaks or sapwood, people do use that also.

353545 353544