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Knowledge You Can Build On — Est. 1998

Alcohol Bowl one year later

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Alcohol Bowl one year later

#1

Alcohol Bowl one year later

Bill Grumbine, Kutztown PA

>Good evening all

I did not have opportunity to participate in the alcohol thread as it was developing, but I wanted to post one of my results. Those of you who have been here more than a year might remember the bowl pictured below. Of course if you don't, you can always search the archives. ;-) One year ago I was working on Dave's secret alcohol drying project. This was a very attractive option for me, since I do not believe in voodoo, and I am always running behind when it comes to getting stuff done.


I needed to make several of these bowls from this wood for customers, and the time was very short. I had done some experiements with alcohol and this wood already, so I was confident in my plan. This particular specimen is approximately 11" in diameter and 5" high. As you can see it is filled with wild grain and sap pockets, knots, and bark inclusions, all of which contribute to cracking in this species.

The reason I am posting this bowl again, and one year after the fact is, I had opportunity to speak with the person who purchased it last year. She came to the same show at which she bought this piece, and so I asked her how the bowl was holding up. "Wonderful!" she replied. Now, I did not get into any technical discussion with her on this, and I did not ask her if it cracked, but I am assuming that it did not, since customers do not usually associate cracked bowls with wonderful, at least if the crack develops after the purchase.

Anyway, this is my contribution to the discussion. I have had several of these bowls out there for a while now, and none have come back to me with problems. You may take this for what you think it is worth.

Bill

Re: Alcohol Bowl one year later

#2

Re: Alcohol Bowl one year later

Mike Rubes, Apex, NC

>Hi Bill,

Thanks for the followup. That's a nice looking bowl. Just curious, how wet was it when you started? Wet like "there's still a green leaf attached" or wet like "felled within the last few months"? Also, did you, or anyone who's tried this, see any more/less warpage than you might have expected if dried by more "conventional" methods?

Thanks,

Mike

Got some great prospects for this method in Apex, NC...

Re: Alcohol Bowl one year later

#3

Thanks for your help Bill.

Dave Smith, Longview, WA

>Hi Bill,

First, congratulations on the publication of your first CD. If it is half as good as I anticipate it will be worth the money I spent.

I have bowls and other turnings from over 3 years ago that were processed using the alcohol soaking method. I can say anything I want about them but people would have to take my word for it. It will take time for the final verdict. You and the other testers have ensured that there will be enough time for a gathering and weighing of evidence before a lynch mob strings me up for heresy.

I have thanked you privately for helping me test the alcohol drying technique and I have noted your contribution publicly. However, I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledged how supportive you were when I asked you to consider investing your limited time and money in an unproven process proposed by a relatively inexperienced turner. As I noted in the article I had met all but one of the people I asked to test the process because I assumed there would be apprehension accepting such a proposal from an unknown turner.Your ability to transcend the gap of knowledge and experience between us and consider the possibility that there may be merit in the proposal is exceptional.

I like to tell the story of why I flew across the country to take turning lessons from you. When I am asked why, my response is, "I knew Bill." The next question usually is, "Where did you meet him." My response, "I had never met him personally but I had known him for years on Badger Pond." My money and time were well spent because I already knew you when I arrived for lessons and we could go directly to turning without any inhibitions. My experience has lead me to recommend your turning instruction to many people over the years.

There are few people who will step forward and say they tried the new snake oil remedy and that it works for them. It was important that I had at least one person too big to argue with to do that for the alcohol soaking process. In all accounts you fit the bill. Thank you Bill and all the other people who helped.

Dave Smith

It helps to have big friends in Longview, WA.