What is it? What should I do with it?

[Brian J. Elliott]

I'm new to turning. Until this recent addiction, I did mostly carveing and simple furniture. Recently we took a trip to Colorado to visit some of my wife's relatives. We visited her uncle, who has been a rockhound and woodworker for many years. He is not able to tinker anymore due to his health. He let me raid his woodpile and suggested I bring this home. He did'nt have to twist my arm. He could not recall where he came up with it.

I'm thinking it's some sort of cedar, I would love to chuck it up as is and turn a large bowl. The piece is very dry and probaly not to stable. I belive the orange is some kind of sealant. I scraped the outside with a pocket knife and the wood is fairly light. I'm thinking of making some pen blanks or bottle stops. Whaat do you think?

[James Combs]

Maybe pen blanks and bottle stoppers from the scrap left overs but that needs to be turned whole.

[Paul Douglass]

Looking at the first 2 pictures I'm thinking it is a petrified baked chicken!

[kenneth walker]

Great looking wood it looks like a human heart. I would carve the inside out by hand.

[Mike McAfee]

I have no clue what it is but I'm with Kenneth, I think I'd do some hand carving on it!

MMc

[Fred Perreault]

I'm not sure what it might be, but for sure I would keep it in a cage till you are sure that it is dead.
It does look like carving would be safer that turning. Or display it just as it is. It's kinda funky looking ....

[John Keeton]

Brian, you don't say, but looking at the pics that thing looks to be pretty large. I would be inclined to see if I could get a flat spot on the outside and glue of a tenon. Then, slowly, give it a turn and see what you have!! If it is bone dry, it is as stable as it will ever be.

[Neil Strong]

Carve it into a cat cleaning itself.

.....

[Paul Douglass]

Another thought, if you are a "biker" carve out the inside and wear it to Sturgis. Be a big hit.

It is a great conversation piece. I'd hate to see it cut up for pen blanks..

[Roger Chandler]

I like John K's idea the best .... put on a waste tenon and see what you've got stopping regularly to asses the cracking and maybe stabilize with CA glue if it is found.

That being said, I rather a bit of a purist as far a turning things, and the carving should take place after the turning if embellishments are to be added..... I know, just another opinion, which admittedly might not be worth any more than the effort used to type it down

only worth maybe $.01 of my $.02

please overlook the typos....i think faster than I type, and my fingers got tied up in knots.

[Brian J. Elliott]

Opinions are great, that's what makes this place so fun!!!

I should have put something in the picture for scale, the diameter of the chicken chunk runs from 20-22 inchs all the way around. I think if I could come up with some Buffulo horns it would make a great helmet for Sturgis.

It's going to turn into some sort of bowl.

[Prashun Patel]

I believe that's a Turnducken.

Save it for Thanksgiving and then serve it with cranberry saws.

[Thomas Canfield]

Brian,

I'd get out the largest diameter cardboard template that you can turn and see where it falls on the piece. There has to be a unique piece there. I have a large Mesquite burl that I have been looking at for a couple of years trying to make a decision on myself. That piece is already heading toward being hollow so no need to consider coring, but saving the outside surface as much as possible will add to piece in my opinion. I am not a carver, so have to let the lathe and tools do the removal work, but have been guilty of using an angle grinder with flex disk (forget the 60 grit) to work down some of my turnings, both inside and out. Good luck.

[Jacob Nothstine]

NASA would like that back please.

[Steve Kubien]

Brian, that's a neat hunk of wood you've got there. Could be truly magical on the inside. With that in mind, I would suggest you put it awat right now and let it sit for a few years.

You said you are new to turning. My advice would be to practise on less special wood. Develop better technique and a better sense of form and flow, pluss, how to make it happen. Realize how thin you can go on something but also that you do not have to go as thin as some folks do. I know this sounds condescending and I do not mean it that way. I turned some really nice wood when I started out and now wish I hadn't because the pieces are ugly, just in pretty wood.

I know lots of folks will disagree with me but that's just my opinion.