Now that I got it, what do I do with it?

[Brian Brown]

I found this spalted Box Elder burl piece in Salt Lake City. With my lack of experience, I should have just left it, because it has some very large loose inclusions. But each time I walked away, it called out "take me home with you". I brought it home and it hasn't spoken to me since. Isn't that the way with box Elder? ;) So, maybe all of you can help me decide what to do with it. It is too large for my MIDI, So it has to be cut. The dimensions are about 12" h, 9" w and 4"d. There is a beautiful pattern right above the red arrows that I would like to keep as much as possible, but otherwise I don't know where to start.:o Thes pictures show the best looking areas, and where the inclusions are located. Let me know if you have any great suggestions as to how this could be cut up, and what I might turn.

Brian

[Alex Elias]

Send it to me, I'll see what I can do. Also if that does not appeal to you you need to see what type of items you are most inclined to turn and enjoy the most, or want to give your hand a try.
If you are looking to get the biggest yield of this piece for the size of your lathe then cut the largest circle that your lathe will take keep all the corners (cutt offs) and make some mini boxes, and bases with them I've been having fun with that, pens perfume vials and the like.
The bark portion can make a nice small natural edge bowl, if that is about 4" thick that portion can give yuo about 2 natural edge bowls. A small plater or so with the larger portion that you cuted first plus the other cut offs to make little things.
The inclusions can always be filled with CA, color powders, metal powders, live them for character as well.
Have fun with it, otherwise I'll give you my address and you can send it my way I'll make a few little something for you in return. :)

[George Guadiane]

I found this spalted Box Elder burl piece in Salt Lake City. With my lack of experience, I should have just left it, because it has some very large loose inclusions. But each time I walked away, it called out "take me home with you". I brought it home and it hasn't spoken to me since. Isn't that the way with box Elder? ;) So, maybe all of you can help me decide what to do with it. It is too large for my MIDI, So it has to be cut. The dimensions are about 12" h, 9" w and 4"d. There is a beautiful pattern right above the red arrows that I would like to keep as much as possible, but otherwise I don't know where to start.:o Thes pictures show the best looking areas, and where the inclusions are located. Let me know if you have any great suggestions as to how this could be cut up, and what I might turn.

Brian
As I see it, there are two pieces:
The bowl hollow form, which if you don't mind the bark inclusions, just make as big as you can. To avoid the inclusions, the top side as I highlighted would make the best top for a bowl... Cut it a little oversize and turn back toll you are out of the bark... Taper the bottom till the bark is gone or almost so... Make a tenon and turn.
The small vase/hf "leftovers" should be nice too. Cut as close to the cracks as you can.

[Neal Addy]

Good suggestions above. I definitely see a hollow form or two if nothing else.

My suggestion would be to leave it on the shelf until you have lots of bowls and experience under your belt. The more you turn the more you'll see possibilities in this piece.

[Paul Engle]

Neal has a good idea, I had some burled maple and put it in my shop so I could look at it every day for about 4 months, then I got inspired and posted it here a while back for a juried show , which I did not get in, then I got a ton of burled maple just out of the blue , go figure. ( Thanks Mike ;))

[Bill Stevener]

OR, you can make a bunch of these. :D

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m109/nicebill/100_0330.jpg

[Tim A. Mitchell]

Brian, nice piece of wood. I would have the same question. I often have looked at pieces like that, and was stumped as to get the most out of it.

The suggestions here have helped me see how to get something out of one like that. Please show some of your finished results so I can be sure what I see comes out.

[TYLER WOOD]

Kinda like marriage, if she ain't talking you ain't touching!!!! If the wood don't speak, don't touch. I've ruined a couple o nice pieces of wood trying to force something out of it. It's a visualization thing. Let the wood speak to you on what it wants to be. I know, sounds like voodoo or some nature worship, but ti's not. The wood will show you what it wants to be with more experience. TRUST THE WOOD!!! IT KNOWS!!!:cool: