Spalted birch bowl

2/19/05, 2:51 PM #1

keith zimmerman, Normal IL
Guest

Spalted birch bowl

keith zimmerman, Normal IL

>Greetings all,

I've just been hanging for a while, but thought I would post a photo of my latest challenge.

This is a bowl from spalted birch. I had had a heck of a time getting it firm enough to turn. It is about 5" in diameter, 2" deep, and has 3/16" walls. It was then sanded to 320 grit. So far, I have one coat of Minwax Tung Oil Finish. It will get a few more coats, then a good buffing.

This wood was extremely soft and punky, almost too much so. I first tried soaking the blank in a mixture of Elmer's glue and water, which was only marginally successful. After starting the turning, I got into more very soft wood and tried to use CA to firm it up. Big mistake...the CA reacted with the residual PVA and started foaming, like I had sprayed the piece with accelerator. I chucked it back up and turned off the foam, then soaked the bowl in Minwax Wood Hardener. What a stench!! That did the trick though.

Thanks for looking. I'm not particularly looking for critique, this is a very plain form and not completely finished yet.

keithz

Re: Spalted birch bowl

2/19/05, 5:09 PM #2

Barry Irby
Member
Offline
13,125 posts

Registered: 1/27/05

Re: Spalted birch bowl, Interesting

Barry Irby

>I am about to cut some river birch for lumber. The spalting is interesting. It does not look heavily spalted enough to be that punky. HMMM.

I have used lacquer and CA as a wood hardener and tehy worked well. I have a can of Minwax wood hardener, but have not tried it. Did not know it stinks.

Did you "spalt" it yourself or find it that way? What was your technique if you did and how long did it take?

Barry Irby

Re: Spalted birch bowl

2/19/05, 5:18 PM #3

keith zimmerman, Normal IL
Guest

Re: Spalted birch bowl, Interesting

keith zimmerman, Normal IL

>I know it doesn't look like it should be that soft, but it was. I could have torn the wood to shreds with my fingers.

This wood came to me this way. It sat in a firewood pile for several years before it was given to me.

keithz

Re: Spalted birch bowl

2/19/05, 10:50 PM #4

Jennifer@Indy.USA
Member
Offline
4,681 posts

Registered: 1/5/04

Re: Spalted birch bowl

Jennifer@Indy.USA

>Hi Keith,

I've tried to tackle the same beast a few times. It can be frustrating when you have a nice piece of wood and you discover that it's riding that fine line between too punky and okay to turn. I've found that it affects everything from tool control to sanding etc. It looks like your perseverance has paid off with this one.

Jennifer

- - -

Hello Everybody! I figure I've been hanging around WoodCentral for a few years now so I might as well officially post a Bio. I'm Jennifer and I reside in the heart of the Midwest in Indianapolis. You'll usually find me hanging out on the turning side of WoodCentral, but I check the Main forum too. I started woodworking about 25 years ago mostly interested in flatwork; small furniture and other items to use around the home. Then I discovered the lathe and became obsessed with it. I've been turning for about 23 years now. My love and excitement for turning has taken me into the world of teaching and frequent demonstrating. Lots of experimenting with textures, color, burning over the past several years. I've recently begun dabbling in metal clay work and have started incorporating it in to my turnings too. It's another toolbox full of toys! When I'm not turning, I'm hanging out with the love of my life and most honest critic, my husband Clay. In order to keep the lathe spinning and the lights on I spend the other part of my day at an ABC television station directing the evening newscasts.

Re: Spalted birch bowl

2/20/05, 1:11 AM #5

Terry Quiram
Member
Offline
517 posts

Registered: 1/3/04

Re: Spalted birch bowl

Terry Quiram

>Nice bowl dude. Glad you got the lathe fixed. Don't forget the presidents challenge. You have a month to make a bird house.

Terry

Spalted birch bowl

Posts