Nested Elm Natural edge Bowls

These nested  Elm Bowls were turned from the same tree that fell in my neighbors yard a few weeks ago.  The smaller was cored from the larger one.  The natural edge (Bark) was left intact and creates an interesting profile.  They were nuked in the microwave to dry and doing so they obtain a slightly oval shape.   This oval shape is not due to the microblaster , but is a natural occurrence that happens when wood dries.  See them at 

            www.bowlweevilwoodturning.com and  www.etsy.com/shop/Bowlweevilwoodturnin

Salvaging Elm

A couple of weeks ago an Elm tree blew down in my neighbors yard.  As we cleaned up the debris my thoughts were about wooden bowls.  I had never turned Elm, so off to the computer I went.  My searches suggested that it was a fairly good wood for turning so I decided to give it a spin. (That's punny)   Elm does turn well and as it turns (punny again) out, it is absolutely beautiful wood.  Here are some pictures of the vessel through-out  the process.  Visit  www.bowlweevilwoodturning.com to see this one and more Elm coming soon.  Also keep up with my turning at  www.facebook.com/bowlweevilwoodturning

I also have my products at www.etsy.com/shop/Bowlweevilwoodturnin

Stitching up Sycamore

Stitching  up sycamore?  Yep, that's what I did on this one.    Of all the different types of wood I have turned  into bowls and vases,  sycamore seems to me to be one of the most difficult to get dried to a stable moisture content without a crack or split popping up somewhere.  I've started some sycamore bowls that would have been 8 inches tall, but was eventually whittled down to a nice platter because of this.  So with this piece I decided not to try to hide or cover up this crack, but instead to embellish it with leather stitches.  The stitches have no structural function on this 6.25 inch diameter bowl and one would not want to try to eat a bowl of cereal out of it.  Though I've patched and hidden these before,  I thought to myself this crack is what the wood wanted to do in its natural state and who am I to try to override one of creations natural occurrences.

www.bowlweevilwoodturning.com

www.etsy.com/shop/Bowlweevilwoodturnin

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