Crusty Oak Bowl from the firewood pile

My first turning on the new Grizzly 733 lathe. It was a split oak log in the firewood pile my dad brought over. It was extremely dry, crusty piece of oak full of worm holes and cracks. I wanted to make the rim rounded but it did not want to be round so I made it flat. Sometimes wood makes up it's own mind as to what it wants to be. I sanded with the sand paper I bought out of the Klingspore scrap bin. This stuff is my new favorite. Once off the lathe I hand rubbed it with micromesh then finished with Mahoney's Oil then followed it up with Mahoney's wax. It's not my best piece because the wood had such a strong mind of its own so I just went with it and just enjoyed myself without worrying about it being perfect.
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I like the heartwood/sapwood combination along with the wormholes and bark inclusions. It has a nice rustic look to it.

Can't you just see this bowl on an old plank table in a settlers cabin...with M&M's in it? Really cool rustic bowl Jason!!

Pretty nice Jason.........worm holes and all.........gives that one character. Looks like you and that 0733 will get along fine. How do you like Mahoney's walnut oil as a finish?

Thanks for all of the nice comments! Yeah, I think me and the 733 will do just fine. Roger, I love the Mahoney's walnut oil finish. I bought it just to do food safe finishes on utility pieces but I really like the ease of use and nice soft sheen it gives.

Jason, very nice work on this one, and that oak has loads of character! I agree with Jim's comment about seeing the bowl in a settler's cabin - to the point where he suggested M&Ms. Jeremiah Johnson didn't have any M&Ms, to his disappointment!:D How about some hickory nuts??;) Jim just wants his rustic nostalgia accompanied by current day luxuries - not that there is anything wrong with that!

Nice work on the oak Jason. Lots of character! I roughed out a couple white oak bowls this winter with similar looking sapwood sides that have started to decay. Wasn't sure if I like them enough to do more or not.

Really nice bowl Jason. Lots of character.

I like your rustic bowl..now just turn some rustic legs for a table & you are set!!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Michelle Rich

I like your rustic bowl..now just turn some rustic legs for a table & you are set!!!

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LOL Did my wife put you up to this post??? She has been bugging me all week to build a small rustic table for our new photography studio! I keep coming up with excuses to put it off while I play with my new lathe! I told her I didn't have any wood for the legs! I guess the next project you see from me may be a small rustic table! lol

Thanks again to everyone for the nice comments!

Pretty nice rustic bowl Jason! Love the rich color!

Looking forward to seeing your rustic table project!!

Jason, I really like this bowl. The reason I got into woodworking in the first place was because I wanted "rustic" looking furniture, so this really appeals to me. I also have some gnarly, wormeaten oak that I've made a couple of small bowls from, with similar finished appearance to this (still working on the forms, though). Good to know I'm not nuts for liking this stuff!

Lee

Definitely "value added" firewood!