Red Keyaki Bowl

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

OK first off, I have to say, this stuff is HARD to work with, Maple etc is like butter in comparison......

43521

43522

43523

43524

About 8" x 3" the hole is a bark inclusion left in for character :rolleyes:

Love the results, but hate the process to get there..... :p

Cheers!

[Joe Fisher]

Pretty, pretty! Is it a native wood? Looks like a locust family - mulberry, osage (bodark). They're notoriously hard.

-Joe

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Nice done Stu! Pretty wood.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Thats a beauty Stu. I like the form and finish. Nice job. Could the wood be a member of the locust family? That wood is like concrete when turned.

[Corey Hallagan]

Very nice Stu! It looks great.

Corey

[Travis Stinson]

Great looking bowl Stu. It was well worth the effort.:cool:

[Tom Sherman]

Stu, it may be hard to work with, but in the hands of a budding master, it is mere putty. Looks great love the finish too.

[Barry Stratton]

Stu, it may be hard to work with, but in the hands of a budding master, it is mere putty. Looks great love the finish too.

Stu-putty, I like it!

Great job on the bowl Stu, well worth the effort!! At least you didn't keep the whole building awake turning it:)

[Jim Ketron]

Oh yea Nice bowl!
I have found one thing about hard wood, it finishes soooooo nice!

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Hey thanks guys!

High praise indeed! :o

This stuff is of the Elm family, but here in Japan, they call it "100 Year Wood" as there are signs, boxes and stuff made from it (at temples for example) that from new, were never finished in any way, but, they are in near perfect condition at over 100 years old.

The dark parts of the wood are hard, hard, hard, those thin lines, while the lighter areas are a bit (only a bit) softer, so if you sand it a lot ( :o :p ) then you get the similar effect as when you sandblast wood, you know, one area gets more removed from the other.

I'm working on it, but we shall see.

One thought I had today, was that I'm using just straight tool rests, maybe with a curved rest, I could keep the rest closer to the bowl, keeping the cutting edge supported better..........?

Some more welding I guess :D

Cheers!

[Mark Cothren]

Excellent Stu! I like the look of that wood, for sure! Looks like it polished up very well for ya?

[Joe Fisher]

One thought I had today, was that I'm using just straight tool rests, maybe with a curved rest, I could keep the rest closer to the bowl, keeping the cutting edge supported better..........?
That does certainly help. Sharp tools and light cuts, too. I've turned red elm, and it was like concrete when dry.

Keep up the good work!

-Joe

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

That does certainly help. Sharp tools and light cuts, too. I've turned red elm, and it was like concrete when dry.

Keep up the good work!

-Joe

Hey Joe, thanks, I was beginning to think it was just my lack of experience :p

I guess I'll have to break out the welder again and make some curved rests.

Cheers!

[Henry C. Gernhardt, III]

Great looking bowl, Stu, and I'm glad the new lathe stand is working well for you.

[Ernie Nyvall]

Very nice and smooth curves Stu. Good looking bowl.

Ernie

[Dick Strauss]

Stu,
I know the feeling...I turned some dry old growth (40 rings per inch) maple. I could swear I was using a jackhammer while getting the thing round and hollowing out the inside. Some woods like mulberry, locust, and black walnut get much harder as they dry.

Your bowl turned out great with a nice subtle "foot". I'm glad your new lathe upgrades are paying big dividends for you already.

Take care,
Dick