Can't remember if I posted it here or not but a local wood cutter dropped off a piece of Norway maple trunk at my house about a month ago. Said he thought it was the kind of wood I like. He has helped me in the past and I have made sure to gift turned items to him for his help. Anyway, finally got around to turning a little bowl from a section of the log and I'm a pretty happy camper just now. It has naptha on it in these pictures as I'm looking for scratches and/or tool marks. It's drying in a bag of shavings now but I won't do much more to it except to remove the tenon. Don't normally leave such a small bowl this thick but with the integrity of the wood and the grain it just felt right. Kept this one spinning pretty slowly, less than 800 rpm but it was still kind of a nervous turn.

 

 

 

 

 

That is absolutely gorgeous! Great job on the turning too Steve! Many opportunities to catch a tip in those crags, I have never turned anything with splits and crags in it like you and the others around here do, I can only imagine it gets nerve wracking after awhile, all it takes is that one millisecond catch right? I love the delicate shape of the bowl already, and yes, that figure incredible, my goodness!

Wow Steve ! Nice piece of wood.

Paul

SWEET!!

I think leaving the turning thick was the best way to take advantage of the grain. 

Nice work turning it.  That has to be the some of the wildest grain I've ever had the chance to view.  Just gorgeous.

That is a beautiful piece of wood with all that figuring in it.  NICE!!! 

Don't you just love those tree guys that look out for you!

 

I love the shape and the thickness. Not enough adjectives to describe the grain and overall beauty of this piece. I surely hope the rest of the log yields as much beauty.

18 minutes ago, lew said:

Don't you just love those tree guys that look out for you!

 

 I surely hope the rest of the log yields as much beauty.

 

Thanks everyone.

Lew, that is a return on investment. Anytime someone gives me wood I make sure they get something back. When he dropped this chunk off he also left with one of my birdhouse ornaments for their Christmas tree. This isn't the first time he's done this and it won't be the last I'm sure. Unfortunately, I already know, this is the only bowl I'll get out of that log, even the other half of this section was too far gone. I did slice the rest of the log into smaller blanks and those should make some really nice ornament globes and birdhouse ornaments next Season.

Wow that is beautiful. Just curious why you use a tenon? I have had better luck with a mortis myself and the best part is there is nothing to remove after.

10 minutes ago, RustyFN said:

Wow that is beautiful. Just curious why you use a tenon? I have had better luck with a mortis myself and the best part is there is nothing to remove after.

 

Rusty, I guess it's just personal preference. I feel a tenon gives me much more flexibility as far as form is concerned. Aside from that, this piece of wood had cracks running all through it. No way was I going to do anything to force one of those to open up.

For some reason every time I use a tenon it comes flying off my lathe.

18 minutes ago, RustyFN said:

For some reason every time I use a tenon it comes flying off my lathe.

 

Hmmm. That seems strange to me. I would say that 99% of the bowls I've turned have been with a tenon with no problems except in the case of a severe catch. Early on I had a cheap Penn State chuck and it was problematic that way. Since I invested in a better chuck it hasn't been a problem. I do use a mortise for plates and/or platters just because there usually isn't enough material to use a tenon.

That is some awesome grain.  It very much reminds me of burl and yet it doesn't.  Are you going to fill the voids with something to make it all smooth or leave it the way it is?  I was thinking of something clear epoxy.  

WOW, at least I think that is sufficient to describe it.

 

@John Morris it is not so much catches as it is when we turn some of these irregular pieces we are turning a lot of air and you have to have a steady hand and a gradual approach to be a success.

 

@RustyFN I too have been using more recesses lately but there are times when that does not present the best result and for me irregular wood is one where I too would use a tenon. When using  tenon and get a failure it is easy to glue on a sacrificial face plate, but break a recess and it is a big redesign if you have enough wood.

That looks awesome Steve.

That has to be classified as a big WOW!

That is Friggin AWESOME grain~!!!!