Hickory Salad Bowl

[Ed Scolforo]

Well, here's that hickory bowl I've been cussing about. That wood is like a rock! It took me a LONG time to get the tool marks out where the harder wood and softer wood weren't cutting evenly and needed alot of 80 grit gouge to look decent. And John is right, this stuff likes to warp on ya a bit. In spite of it all, I was satisfied in how it came out. It really is a pretty wood, too bad it's so tough to turn. This one is 11 1/2" diam. x 6 1/2" high. Finished with 2 coats of Walnut oil. Thanks for looking.
Ed

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Ed....Well done! Hickory is known to be tough! Fantastic figure in that piece!

[Keith Burns]

Ed, I must say that is one great looking bowl. You must have a lot of stamina to stick with it. I gave up on one and threw it away swearing never to touch hickory again ! Great job:) :)

[Steve Schlumpf]

Absolutely beautiful bowl! Love the color, grain and finish! Nice work Ed!

[Lisa Gilbert]

We put hickory window sills in our boys' new bedroom. The next day, boy #2 fell and smacked his forehead on one and had a huge goose-egg. So he would agree hickory is really hard. We've already sworn off it forever and made the rest of the trim out of alder (we know when we're licked). I admire you for sticking with it! Lovely bowl!

[Christopher K. Hartley]

Ed, thanks for the warning I have two nice size blanks to turn. You did a great job. Let's see if I can do just half as good. It really does have nice grain.:)

[Mike Ramsey]

That's why they made axe handles out of it...it's hard! Good looking
bowl Ed!

[Christopher Zona]

I've never turned hickory but have turned crab apple. Even green, I have to keep the tools sharp. I was just wondering how the two compare?

[Pat Doble]

That piece has some beautiful grain - glad you stuck with it. Great job on the bowl - and walnut oil is one of my favorite finishes (at least so far in my short turning 'career').

[Jim Ketron]

Nice Bowl Ed!
Beautiful wood and Form!

[Joash Boyton]

When turning soft, and hard timber in the one bowl, use a flat surface, with sandpaper on top, sort of like a small block of wood, with the sandpaper on toop of that, that way u sand the end grain and side grain evenly. Use a round piece of stock in the same process for inside a bowl.

Nice bowl BTW!!

Joash

[Glenn Hodges]

I tip my hat to you Ed, I have turned my share of hickory, and have no plans to turn any more. You did a very nice job with a tough wood. This one should last a long, long time.

[Ed Scolforo]

Thank you for your comments. I still have one to finish turning for a friend and several good sized blanks in the woodpile. I probably won't get to those in awhile:( .
Ed

[Jonathon Spafford]

Hey, you did an awesome job on this one... very pretty! I like the soft finish on it!

[Bill Boehme]

Thank you for your comments. I still have one to finish turning for a friend and several good sized blanks in the woodpile. I probably won't get to those in awhile:( .
Ed
Ed,

If you can get some freshly cut hickory in the early spring after the tree has fully leafed, you will find that it cuts like butter. It will also be dripping wet so be prepared for a refreshing bath. Instead of roughing it and then letting it dry, I turn it to final size in one session. This will work fine if the wood is turned to about 3/16" or less thickness. I follow this with microwave drying using the preceedure described in the microwave drying tutorial (http://www.wntx.org/tutorial/tutorial.html) on the Woodturners of North Texas website.

Bill