Magnolia bowl from a really badly cracked piece of wood

[Wolf Kiessling]

The chunk of magnolia that started this bowl was cracked so badly I almost relegated it to the fire wood pile but then I decided to accept the challenge.

The piece is 9 3/4" wide by 5 1/4" tall. The diameter of the bottom is 3 1/4". That is where most of the cracking occurred and I had to turn away a lot of the wood. This is not my most favorite shape but in this case the log absoluted determined the shape. Anyhow, I added some additional "cracking" to make the natural cracks a little more pleasing, at least according to my eyes. These are, of course, filled in with a mix of turquoise colored inlace and crushed turquoise. It is finished with one sacrificial coat of fruitwood colored danish oil, a coat of cherry colored danish oil, steel wooled with 0000 steel wool, another coat of cherry colored danish oil and completed with a coat of wax. I used the colored danish oil because I absolutely do not like the natural color of magnolia wood. Also, you might be able to tell where I blew out one side of the bowl.

Oh yeah, I only turned the bowl 4" deep which means the bottom is 1 1/4" thick. This gives the bowl a nice heft and a great deal of stability.

Any comments regarding the inlay work, both negative and positive, would be welcome.

[Jim Becker]

Hey, Wolf...you done good on that one! The inlay really looks great as a "substitute for air" in those cracks!! Nice!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Wolf - very interesting bowl! Sounds like it must have been quite the challenge! I have never even attempted doing inlay but yours sure looks good! I like the color contrast of the wood and turquoise! Nice work.

[Keith Burns]

Wolf, I appreciate your persistance, it paid off for you on this one. Nice save:) :)

[John Miliunas]

Well, it's been said that, if you can eat soup out of it, then it's a bowl. If it has holes (or cracks), then it's art. Seems you pulled off a very artistic bowl, Wolf! :) Guess this one counts as both, a "save" and creative. 'Course, coming from you, this does not surprise me. Well done, my friend! :) :cool:

[Bernie Weishapl]

Wolf that is awesome. I like it. Great job.

[Wolf Kiessling]

Judging from the responses, I guess the "save" was a success. Thanks for the kind words, people.............

[Jim Becker]

Wolf...it's not really a "save"...it's a piece of wonderful art that nature just happend to provide some additional opportunites to improve! :D

[Wolf Kiessling]

Wolf...it's not really a "save"...it's a piece of wonderful art that nature just happend to provide some additional opportunites to improve! :D

I gotta say thanks but also reiterate that I blew a good size chunk out of the side that became part of the inlay process. But then again, I also have to say the chunk that blew out was probably mainly caused by Mother Nature with, of course, so help by me.........

Oh well.................