One of the members of our woodturning club passed away some time ago, and a family member offered up his stash of unturned blanks for free.  I got a few, and they have been drying out in my basement all summer.  I finally started on a new bowl last week.  My first issue is, what kind of wood is this?  At first, I thought it was spalted maple, but after working with it, now I think it is spalted hackberry.  I based my choice on some Google images I saw of wood identified as spalted hackberry.  Any opinions?

 

 

 

I also learned a couple of things while working on this bowl.  Easy Wood Tools are really sharp.  After carelessly handling the finishing tool, I felt something sticky on the handle.  Looking down, I realized I had a small cut on my finger that I didn't feel when it happened.  OK, no big deal, I'll just lick a paper towel and wipe my finger to prevent the blood from getting on my bowl.  So, straight from the "Well Duh" chronicles, I proceeded to lick the inside of my face shield which I had forgotten I still had on.  I guess that is good, in that my face shield is so comfortable that I can forget I am wearing it, but I still felt like an idiot.  I know none of you ever do anything that you are glad goes un-witnessed.    Right?

 

It doesn't look like maple to me but it sure looks like it will be pretty when it's done!

 

Steve

I hope so Steve.  The piece has evidence of previous bug and worm infestations, but nothing live now.  I haven't decided whether I am going to fill the holes and tracks with epoxy or something, or just leave them open except for the finish.  

18 minutes ago, PostalTom said:

I proceeded to lick the inside of my face shield

 

Can't say how many times I've tried to blow dust off of a piece while wearing the face mask. Doesn't work very well.

 

Those EWT cutters ARE sharp and stay that way for a long time!

26 minutes ago, PostalTom said:

So, straight from the "Well Duh" chronicles, I proceeded to lick the inside of my face shield which I had forgotten I still had on.  I guess that is good, in that my face shield is so comfortable that I can forget I am wearing it, but I still felt like an idiot.  I know none of you ever do anything that you are glad goes un-witnessed.    Right?

Look to the left, look to the right (even when you know nobody's around) while thinking jeez I hope nobody saw that BTDT 

2 hours ago, PostalTom said:

I'll just lick a paper towel and wipe my finger to prevent the blood from getting on my bowl.

Don't you have a roll of duct tape handy? No need to lick the towel, 'er face mask

 

IDK the answer to your question about the wood type Tom, but that bowl has some beautiful grain. Can't wait to see it with finish.

Don't remember hackberry having that much brown, maybe pecan.

5 hours ago, PostalTom said:

I know none of you ever do anything that you are glad goes un-witnessed.    Right?

Just yesterday I took the pulley from my band saw over to the industrial supply house and ordered a new one.  Came home after doing running some other errands.  Needed to cut a bunch of six inch pieces of dowel rod and figured the band saw would be great for that.  Got everything set up to whip them out and flipped the switch and WHIZZZZZZZZ.  That's when I remembered the guy saying he would call me when the pulley came in about Thursday.  No one was around so it's MY funny story. 

Forgot about your bowl.  Looking good so far.  Don't recognize the wood.

14 hours ago, HandyDan said:

Just yesterday I took the pulley from my band saw over to the industrial supply house and ordered a new one.  Came home after doing running some other errands.  Needed to cut a bunch of six inch pieces of dowel rod and figured the band saw would be great for that.  Got everything set up to whip them out and flipped the switch and WHIZZZZZZZZ.  That's when I remembered the guy saying he would call me when the pulley came in about Thursday.  No one was around so it's MY funny story. 

the knee bone connected to the hip bone.....

OK.  I know this is overdue, but I finally got a finish on that spalted something bowl I was asking about back in October.  Two coats of sanding sealer and three coats of spray lacquer.  We are using it in the kitchen to hold packets of sugar, sweetener, etc.  Thanks for looking.

 

 

 

7 minutes ago, PostalTom said:

Thanks for looking.

Thanks for sharing Tom...beautiful grain and work.

Thanks Dave,  I appreciate it.

Turned out really nice! Thanks for sharing.

 

Steve

Beautiful!  What did you end up doing about the critter holes?

11 hours ago, PostalTom said:

Thanks for looking.

my pleasure...

thanks...

5 hours ago, Cal said:

What did you end up doing about the critter holes?

I was going to try and tint some epoxy and fill them, but after showing the bowl to my son, I decided to leave them alone.  He commented that the hole added a bit of interest to the bowl, and when I thought about it, I agreed with him.  There were a couple of holes that I thought were too big to ignore, so I got some acrylic paint from Hobby Lobby and mixed up some epoxy.  I then proceeded to seriously over-tint the epoxy, even after throwing away the first batch and cutting way back on the amount of paint I was putting in the epoxy.  I did fill those two holes, but I'm glad I left the others alone.  I got two lessons from this:  1) Even a little can sometimes be too much, and 2) Don't trust the color swatches on tubes of paint.  Unscrew the cap and look at the paint itself.  The paint I got was much darker than the color swatch on the outside of the tube indicated.

Tom,

1  Really sorry you cut yourself!  

2.  I literally laughed out loud when I read about your blowing into your face-shield...  been there done that.  As a matter of fact several times on the same day!

3.  That bowl is really pretty...  really pretty, I can't help with the species.

4.  One of my favorite aspects of turning is exposing the beauty of God's creation, it takes my breath away.

Good job. Looks like spaulted oak before finish but after looks like spaulted pecan.