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Laburnum - beautiful wood!

bluntchisel

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Sep 2, 2013
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Kent, UK.
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Bob
Hi, Guys,
Spent half the day in the workshop. Had a 12" "log" of laburnum left over from a tree felled last year. Have a look at the ring line - I estimate the tree to have been about 7/8 years old going by them but the tree looked much older (?)
Anyway, much lathe vibrating until the the piece was rounded off. Only then did I begin to see the beautiful swirls in the grain. Magic! I was intending to deepen the bowl a lot more but if I'd done that then the natural-edge side would have been much diminished. Grits to 600, two coats BLO, two coats Huts Crystal Coat. The pics don't really do this lovely object much justice so pop round sometime and see it in the flesh...err...I mean in the wood!
Regards to all,
Bob.

Lab1.JPGLab2.JPGLab3.JPGLab4.JPG
 

Woody

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Bob you done a good job there mate you watch the center ring (pith) will start to bow out and make it even more attractive well done mate
 

Jim

Grand Master
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Oct 19, 2011
Posts
15,617
A well turned piece Bob, with beatiful grain and a nice clean finish .. :thumbs:
 

edlea

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Blackpool
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Fantastic ,Bob........ the bowls posted on this site get better and better.:thumbs:
 

MikeD

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May 8, 2013
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237
Location
Southport, Merseyside
You certainly didn't use a blunt chisel to do that :funny:
I've got some laburnum somewhere, I hope I will be able to make something nearly as good as that :thinks:

The bowls on this forum are getting better than the pens :thumbs:
 

bluntchisel

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Sep 2, 2013
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Kent, UK.
First Name
Bob
Hi, folks,

Many thanks for your kind comments. I'm glad you appreciate the absolute beauty of wood - which is of course why we work with it, right?

Woody, are you saying that this will start to bust wide open? If it does I'll be performing hari-kari by falling on my chisel!

Yes, Ed, I agree - this is the site to see lovely bowls!

Hi, Mike, take a look at your laburnum - I dunno if I was just fortunate with my aquisitions but most of the pieces I own have colouring/grain similar to my bowl. Hopefully, you'll find yours to be the same!

Bob.
 

Woody

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Hi, folks,


Woody, are you saying that this will start to bust wide open? If it does I'll be performing hari-kari by falling on my chisel!


Bob.

No I'm not saying that Bob at the worst it may crack from the top edge down to the pith right in the middle of the rings but it may just bulge out from the pith which will just change the shape of the whole thing and you will probable like it more than you do now only time will tell mate
 

bluntchisel

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Sep 2, 2013
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Kent, UK.
First Name
Bob
Hi guys,

Thanks for your kind comments.

And, David, kindly keep your remarks re "cracking" to yourself - Woody's already put the wind up me, and now you've done it! Have you no feelings?

Bob.
 

Neil

Fellow
Joined
May 21, 2013
Posts
3,132
Location
Hitchin, Hertfordshire
First Name
Neil
Hi, Guys,
Spent half the day in the workshop. Had a 12" "log" of laburnum left over from a tree felled last year. Have a look at the ring line - I estimate the tree to have been about 7/8 years old going by them but the tree looked much older (?)
Anyway, much lathe vibrating until the the piece was rounded off. Only then did I begin to see the beautiful swirls in the grain. Magic! I was intending to deepen the bowl a lot more but if I'd done that then the natural-edge side would have been much diminished. Grits to 600, two coats BLO, two coats Huts Crystal Coat. The pics don't really do this lovely object much justice so pop round sometime and see it in the flesh...err...I mean in the wood!
Regards to all,
Bob.

Bob, don't know if you meant to write that the tree was 7/8 years old or 78, the latter is nearer the truth. There are some interesting growth lines there showing some extreme weather conditions.
 

bluntchisel

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Sep 2, 2013
Posts
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Location
Kent, UK.
First Name
Bob
Hi, Neil,

Nice to see you back. What I did was counted the lines on the piece I had - I knew the tree had to be older than 7 or 8 years old. I don't believe it to be as old as 78yrs, though, because the whole area was cherry orchards until about 20yrs ago. I suspect that the lines in the bowl represent the age of the branch from which it came. Do you agree with this possibility?

Regards,

Bob.
 
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