Someday I'll hopefully be as talented as most of the others here (some just seam to be well beyond where I think I'll get to). For now I'm just still working on my skills with using tools. I'm getting the hang of how to use the gouge without getting tear out so last week I decided to tackle a yellow birch log that had been sitting for over a year. It was over 8' long and about 2' in diameter. I've gotten 6 large bowls out of it and was working on my 7th when I found this.
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There was no signs on the outside of the log that there was a void in it. I'm assuming it was from a branch that broke off and started rotting and the tree eventually healed itself covering it up. I think the two dark spots are connected. The log was very wet inside and had the smell of sap fermenting but there was no rot. There's lots of spalting so I'm hoping for some interesting bowls. I used the face plate with 1 1/2" screws because of the weight and it being out of balance so I don't think I can get a platter out of it. The black area is about 2 1/2" from the face plate. I could try to keep turning it and leave the void and hope it stays together. I can take a picture from a different angle if it would help. The void is about 2" x 3" and a good 2" + deep from what I can see. I could just turn it into a small bowl but by the time I remove it there might not be much left.
From what I've found so far with yellow birch is the larger stuff has stuff, like bark, commonly hidden inside of it. But it's all be small stuff and mostly solid. But the grain has some nice patterns to it and the colors seam to range from a nice southern pine yellow to almost cherry red. With so much of it growing around me and not seeing much on the internet made from it I would like to learn how to best turn it.