Mulberry Vases

[Toby Bouder]

Here are two vases made from a Mulberry tree that my brother had cut down. The first two photos show one that is 7 inches tall by 3 inches wide the third photo shows one that is 5.5 inches tall by 4 inches wide. Finished with walnut oil.

[Paul Williams]

Very nice. Will they retain the bright color or like so many woods slowly turn to shades of brown as they age.

[Toby Bouder]

Very nice. Will they retain the bright color or like so many woods slowly turn to shades of brown as they age.

Pretty sure they will turn a reddish brown over time. Not sure about the sapwood though.

[Allan Wright]

They look very nice. What tools/techniques did you hollow out the insides?

[Toby Bouder]

They look very nice. What tools/techniques did you hollow out the insides?

Thanks Allan, I usually just drill out the center and then use a bowl gouge to remove the rest, cutting from the center toward the outside. 7 or 8 inches is about the deepest I can go using this technique though.

[Allan Wright]

Thanks Allan, I usually just drill out the center and then use a bowl gouge to remove the rest, cutting from the center toward the outside. 7 or 8 inches is about the deepest I can go using this technique though.

They're end grain so scraping cut with the gouge I assume?

[James Tibbetts]

The grain reminds me of ash. How does it compare for density?

[Randy Red Bemont]

Beautiful vases. Love the wood.

Red

[Toby Bouder]

They're end grain so scraping cut with the gouge I assume?

Yes, but I turn the flute slightly upward to get more of a cutting action. On the smaller one which has a mouth wider than the bottom, I used a finish cut the full length using the left wing of the gouge. It makes a pretty smooth cut.

[Toby Bouder]

The grain reminds me of ash. How does it compare for density?

Not sure but I assume that mulberry is more dense, it is closely related to osage orange.

[Allan Wright]

Yes, but I turn the flute slightly upward to get more of a cutting action. On the smaller one which has a mouth wider than the bottom, I used a finish cut the full length using the left wing of the gouge. It makes a pretty smooth cut.

Thanks I'll give tilting the gouge up a try. Sort of a shear scrape. Great idea.

[Wes Ramsey]

Mulberry turns a mature brown over time. It has the feel of a dense wood, but is much lighter than you'd think. The mulberry I've messed with turned okay. I had quite a bit of tearout at first, but I was also a newbie turner at the time and was still working on my technique. The really dry wood I've turned did much better and turned easy.