Unusual Bowl

[Keith Burns]

When in Colorado after Thanksgiving I picked up a bowl blank from SMC member Joe Melton. It is Aspen that was dyed while alive in the ground. I understand the guy that did this process had to quit doing it for health reasons. This one is 7-1/2" dia. by 2-1/2" tall and contains one piece:D . It only weighs 5.5 oz. Being so soft it took a lot of sanding. Finished with deft spray and will try buffing after it cures. Thanks for looking.

[Jim Ketron]

Keith thats just Awesome!:eek: :eek: :eek:
I can remember them going out of business a while back, and was selling all there stock.

[Travis Stinson]

I've read about the guy dyeing the live trees. That's a very cool bowl Keith.:D

[Bill Stevener]

They grow that way on Mars :D . Sure would be hard to convince average Joe American that's the way the wood comes.
Getting pretty hard to find that stuff anymore. Really a unique bowl.
Very nice.
Bill.>>>>>>>>>>>>>:)

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

That is an Awesome effect......................... Great execution, too, Kieth.

Bruce

[Michael Stafford]

That is quite unbelievable. I think it has lots of potential but I guess you are still at the mercy of the tree somewhat. Very nice!

[Carole Valentine]

I remember reading about that. Sure makes for a cool looking piece!

[Andy Hoyt]

Wicked Awesome!

How about calling it - Purple Haze?

[Bob Noles]

That is a slick idea and makes for a fantastic piece.

[Chip Sutherland]

That was a quote from my 11 year old daughter when she saw the pics. I wish I could get some of it to make her a bowl for her purple/aqua bedroom.

Nice wood and shape.

[Sparky Paessler]

Very unusual Keith. I love the color in it.

[John Hart]

Whoa! Is that cool!!! Beautifully done Keith! You have a nice eye. Hey, by any chance do you, or anyone else know the dye process? Sounds fun to me!:)

[Mark Cothren]

Now that is unique! And I like it a lot!

Thanks for the pictures!

[Dick Parr]

Oh now that is Nice Keith.:cool: I love the shape and the little flare you did on the sides. Beautiful job.:)

[Ernie Nyvall]

Is that cool or what. Good job on that there colorfied wood Keith.

Ernie

[Bernie Weishapl]

Way to cool. Great Bowl.

[Keith Burns]

Thanks guys for all your kind words.

Andy, it is now named "Purple Haze". Thanks

Chip the guy I bought the blanks form is Joe Melton. He is a member here and you can access him. Look in the member list under Joe. He is Colorado Springs and has a pretty good stock of blanks at a good price. As with all SMC members he is easy and good to work with.

John, like I said the guy is out of business. His web site is still up, maybe he would help with the procedure. www.aspencolor.com (http://www.aspencolor.com)

[Harry Pye]

Keith,

You nailed the grain on this one. It seems to be perfectly centered. I also like the "eye" looking out at us on the third picture. Maybe that is the spirite captured in the wood. It sure is purty!

Harry

[Dennis Peacock]

Very nice Keith!!!! Wonderful color and shape. Thanks for posting the pics.

[Joe Melton]

I was out of town and missed this thread; thanks to Keith for telling me about it. That's a very nice bowl, Keith. Sort of fun to see those colors flying around the room when turning, isn't it?
I do have a few more blanks. Tom is still dying trees, but absolutely will not tell anyone how to do it. He worked years to perfect his process, and turning was his life. He developed an allergy to sawdust, if you can imagine, and his doc told him to quit woodworking or die. Yeah, I know that would be a tough decision.
So far, I have the only blanks that he is selling.
I have these in various colors from about 5" in diameter to 13" or so. Prices vary by size and quality, and start at about 24 dollars.
Tom sold bowls to boo-teeks in New Yawk and places like that, and they sold his bowls for 250 to 350 bucks a whack.
I had a blank at a craft show for show and tell, and had just told a young woman about the dying process. She looked real concerned, and asked "Doesn't that hurt the tree?" I told her it didn't matter because the tree was cut down soon after it was dyed, and she looked relieved. I wonder if she empathizes with her broccoli.
Joe

[Richard Stewart]

If i got a peice of wood, and put it in a bowl full of dye, would it come out like that after a long time? (say 1-3 years)

[Ron Ainge]

I don't know the exact dying process but as I understand it. Guy lived in Pueblo, Co. and he did this for years. He put some chemicals on the ground around the tree as it was growing and then when he thought he had the amount of dye he wanted in the wood he would harvest the tree. I have seen some of the work that he did and he had several colors on display. I wonder if this would work with other type of trees besides Aspen.

[Gordon Achterhof]

Great work. The second picture looks as if there is a face looking back at you.

Now I'll go back in my cave.

Cheers
Gordon

[Frank Chaffee]

Wow Keith!
What a wonderful series of vessels!

I will strive to keep the hate mail cleared out of my PM box so I can receive confirmation of the completion of the original “Purple Haze” covered hollow form that you posted and which I spoke up for.

Frank