Pecan Burl Bowl

Dave Hoskins

Member
Messages
5,252
Location
Parker County, Texas
Finished this little critter this afternoon. Had to do a tad bit of tweaking and got it where I wanted it. The outside diameter is 8 1/2" with the lip being 6". Height comes in at 5" with a depth of 4". Gives enough weight in the base for a little extra stability which I like. When I was looking at the photos to crop them and so on I thought I had done some wrong. Looking at the inside shots it looks like there might be a rim or a tool mark or something but there isn't. Just the wood color playing some tricks on me. I filled two cracks with come crushed turquoise stone and the spider cracking I filled with superglue and pecan dust. You can still see the cracks just not feel them which is my goal. I managed to keep some of the inner bark layer on as well. As per my usual I sealed the wood with two coats of walnut oil and then used a mixture of walnut oil and shellac to finish it, the mixture being very heavy on the shellac. :wave:

 
Ooh I like that bowl Dave. Nice shape to me and wood plus orientation shows it well. For a rookie like me would love to have seen what u started with. Did you have any idea of what was inside?
 
Hi Rob. Thanks for your comments. With it being a burl, I had no idea what I was going to run into inside until I got there. I've had wood turn out like this and also run into bad rot spots. You just never know. That's one reason I love burls. Of course the wood is harder but that makes them just that more special. And, I like having a log yard so I can and pick what I want to turn and what piece of a log. On that I am very lucky. Getting ready to bring in a hackberry tree this weekend, if not before. I have a new re-seller that wants all the hackberry bowls I can get turned for him.
 
That's some pretty pecan for sure, Dave. :thumb:

... I was trying for sorta a squat looking base and think I managed it...

You indeed got the look you were after, but smoothing out the sharp corner transition at the bottom would have made the form flow into the bottom a bit more gracefully. Just a couple of quick passes with a gouge or scraper would have knocked that corner off.

And I know you like thicker bottoms on your bowls, but honestly, with this shape, you don't need the extra weight for stability. ;)
 
I appreciate the points and comments. And when I have the chance to do one like this again I will definitely take them into consideration. I have no problems learning something. But, as they say it is a moot point as the bowl is already sold and I ship it tomorrow morning. So me better leave it alone as the buyer is going by the same photos as I have posted of it here.
 
Thanks, Chuck. I wish I had more. One I got into a short time back had too much rot in it. Not even good firewood. Went to the Great Burn Pile of Junk Wood. Even though I bring the whole tree in, a lot of times the burls just aren't any good. It's a shame. I wish you had some as well. When you get a good one it is amazing how they turn out. As an idea if you have some firewood dealers around there, go talk to them as well as tree services. It can be amazing what they will have or can get ahold of for you. Give them try if you can.
 
Top