Red Box Elder HF

Vaughn McMillan

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ABQ NM
I'm done showing strange pieces for a while, so how about something a bit more normal? This piece of red box elder is about 5 1/4" wide by 2 3/4" tall. It has a smattering of curl on one side towards the foot, and a bonus bark inclusion, too. I'm liking this box elder stuff. This (and another box elder HF I'll show later) was real smooth-turning...a joy to work with. Nothing particularly remarkable about the form, but I'm pretty happy with it overall. My resident reviewer (the MIL) likes the blushing cheek.

Sanded to 600 inside and out, and finished with my regular Formby's Tung Oil regimine and buffed.

HF024 - 04 800.jpg HF024 - 01 800.jpg HF024 - 03 800.jpg HF024 - 02 800.jpg

Comments and opinions are encouraged...thanks for looking. :wave:
 
A very nice piece for sure, and the colors are great!

I'm not sure I like the top rim treatment, it looks to me like it is begging for a collar of some sort.

How do you sand the inside, what is your technique?

Cheers!
 
Thanks, Stu. I respectfully disagree with you on the separate collar...I think it'd detract from the markings in the box elder. But different viewpoints are always good to see. They help expand horizons.

For inside sanding on little pieces like this (where I can reach a finger all the way inside), I fold a small piece of sandpaper into a triangle so it's rough on both sides, like this:

Sandpaper Fold 800.jpg

By folding the ends over the triangle it this way, it tends to hold it together and reduce the amount of slipping and wadding up the paper inevitibly wants to do. I just reach inside and use my finger(s) to steer the sandpaper as the lathe turns. It's just a matter of being judicious about going through the grits to get all the scratches out. For bigger forms where I can't reach the bottom, I've got a 2" spinning "sandpaper on a stick" (the Monster Bowl Sander) that works pretty well. I've also got a pair of 8" surgical forceps that can hold a small piece of sandpaper and reach into tight places. Still working on getting workable results with that one, though.
 
That's a pretty one! The form is perfect too.
Just curious, where do you get the box elder. It grows like a weed here in Utah (in fact the county next to where I live is named Box Elder) but none that I've ever cut has much red in it.
 
Thanks guys. :)

Curt, I've gotten the box elder on eBay. It kind of seems to come and go in phases there, but if you keep an eye open it does show up.
 
hey vaughn how are you going to save the red? wont that turn brown in a few years?
Not sure, since this is the first red box elder I've played with. Red Sharpie pens, perhaps? :p

I wasn't aware that the red changed color over time, but I guess that's not real surprising considering how many other woods change colors. Is the change in box elder is caused by oxidation or light?
 
Vaughn...........Very nicely done!

Curt....the local box elder I've been gifted with here has red in it.....some a great deal and yet....later it fades to brown/tan.
 
Vaughan very nice work.As far as the color change I have bowls 2 years old that still have the color red, some have finish others have nothing just sanded and they are the same color. I heard if you keep them out of direct sun they will hold up??
Ken
 
Thanks for the info on the box elder, Ken. Sounds like a UV light thing. That's easier to control than oxidation. ;) :thumb:
 
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