Discarded Piece of Oak.

[Bob Bergstrom]

A couple of years ago two other Windy City Woodturners and I cut up a 5' oak log with two large burls. When we divided up the wood this was a piece that was left over. I threw it in with the rest and took it home. Noticing the large inclusion down the middle I wasn't in a hurry to turn it. Well, this was the only piece left from that log that produced some very nice burl wood. I finally decided to give it a "spin". I forced shavings and bark into the openings in the bowl as many places as possible. I then used a mixture of 5 minute epoxy and brown chalk to fill the remaining voids. The slivers of curls and pieces of bark helped hide the epoxy patching. When I turned the tenon off the bottom the inclusion reappeared. The finish is a mixture of danish oil, polyurethane and a small amount of Japan dryer. It drys in about 2 hours.

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[Brian Kent]

Bob, can you show a side photo? The grain is so wild and beautiful that I my brain can't register what I am seeing. Is the left the bottom and the right the top of a shallow bowl?

[Bob Bergstrom]

Brian, here some more. It measures about 12" across and 3" deep. Close up shows the crack in the bottom and the pieces of wood and bark super glued into it.
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[Olaf Vogel]

Personally, I like the crazy, rustic pieces like that.
Nice work!

As long as I think it will hold together...I'll give it a try.

[robert baccus]

Ooooh--very nice wood and shape--love it.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Pretty grain! Really nice job on the fill! It saved a piece that normally would have been tossed. Thanks for sharing!

[David Delo]

Quite a save Bob. You made some lemonade out of a lemon.

[Wayne Jolly]

This is the turning that really like. Taking something like this that a lot of people wouldn't even bother throwing into the fireplace and making something fantastic out of it.


Wayne

[Bob Bergstrom]

Here are some examples of why the piece was turned last. Beautiful wood.

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[Steve Mawson]

Great timber, that kind does not come along every day.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Great timber, that kind does not come along every day.
Took three hours to cut up a 5 foot log and it gave my Stihl 362 all it wanted. Had sparks coming out of the cut. Once on the lathe it turned well. There is some patching of crackes, but overall beautiful heavy oak. Thanks to all for the comments. Hope others can enjoy this type of adventure in woodturning!