Catalpa NE bowl

[mike fuson]

This one is Catalpa, known around here as a cooby worm tree. This stuff turns great but is hard to sand, I won't turn anymore of it for sure. Measures 12 wide and 5 high. Wax finish.

http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u31/MikeFuson/catalpaface.jpg

[Dennis Ford]

It really looks good, must have been a big PITA if you won't turn it anymore.:confused:

[Ben Gastfriend]

I'll echo what I said in your previous thread- great job (keeping the bark on). I can't do that! Well, it comes with experiance. Looks great as usual!

[Greg Just]

Beautiful bowl - love the wide grain

[Steve Schlumpf]

Beauty Mike! Love the even growth rings and color! Did a good job with the bark, form and the even thickness. The bowl really seems to flow.. I don't knwo anything about this type of wood. What makes it so hard to sand?

[William Bachtel]

It is a (hardwood tree) but is soft in texture, summer wood is hard and spring wood is soft, one growth ring is real hard and the other real soft. Use new paper and don't press hard. Kind of like Sassafras.

[charlie knighton]

Kind of like Sassafras.

i usually spray sassafras with sanding sealer before sanding, if ya would send me a piece of that other pretty wood i will be happy to try the sealer on it:D

nicely done on the bowl

[Bernie Weishapl]

Beautiful bowl Mike. Nice form and finish. Well done.

[Jim Becker]

You picked a nice piece of catalpa for that one, Mike...great ring pattern that makes this NE turning work very well. Nice!

[Paul Engle]

Nice piece Pastor, I got some from Kentucky last yr and could not get past the odor ......

[Allen Neighbors]

It may be a pain to finish, but you sure did a good job on this one!
I used a piece of Catalpa tree to make a bandsaw box once. The sappy stuff gummed up my new bandsaw blade to the point that it burned through the wood. Never again. I guess I won't try to turn any of it, either.
You'd better hang onto this nice bowl. It may be the last of it's type to ever darken your door. :)

[steven carter]

Nice NE Mike. I have turned catalpa and found the grain to be hard to get smooth also. The catalpa I turn doesn't have any odor. I have noticed in some of the posts in the past that there may be some confusion about catalpa. There is a tree called Kentucky Coffewood that may be getting mistaken for catalpa. I went hiking the other day in a forest, and at the entrance was a listing of all the trees found there, and it listed both catalpa and coffeewood trees.

[John Bartley]

Very nice!! The form, the proportions, the complete bark edge, the flowing symmetrical grain, the colour ... everything. It's a beauty!!

cheers eh?

[Dennis Peacock]

Love it..!!! Beautiful grain and form. :D

[Glenn Hodges]

Mike you have captured the essesense of a natural edge bowl. The lines are of perfection, great job.

[Dan Forman]

Wonderfully done, worth whatever frustrations it created.

Dan

[Pat Doble]

Nice bowl Mike. I'm usually not much of a fan of NE bowls, but I really like this one - the growth rings and overall lightness really stand out.

[Allen Neighbors]

Mike, after reading what Steven said about the Kentucky Coffee tree, it made me take another look... my Catalpa box was a lot darker than this, and the growth rings didn't look like these, and this looks exactly like a piece of Kentucky Coffee tree that I received from Carole V. and Barb G.
Just thought I'd throw this in the mix. :)

[John Grabowski]

I MUST reply to this one...First of all, I have to say the bowl is definitely a beauty!! I have two Catalpa trees in my yard. We live in a neighborhood where a rod was named after this wonderful tree. I REALLY dislike these trees. Have you guys ever seen the leaves on these things? It makes cleaning up in fall a daunting task. Also, they leave behind the "fruits" of the tree which are long cigar looking pods.

Sorry for the rant. Anyone want a very large Catalpa tree to test sanding sealer on???

Just kidding, I cut that tree down and I take away all my shade. Its a darn shame though, the grass would grow so much better with that lumber on spinning on my lathe : )

John G

[Tony Wheeler]

Nice job Mike I have not had such luck keeping the bark ont as you I have got a piece of this wood on the shelf for a year now maybe I should leave it longer Do you know if this was cut in the summer or winter I have been told the the bark will stay on better if cut in the winter or late fall

[Bill Wyko]

Like I said before. If I see a post from you I know it's gonna be great. Once again, fantastic job.:)

[Paul Heely]

Nice job Mike. I like the way the growth rings stand out. Too bad its a pain to turn.