Spalted Turkey Foot

[Allen Neighbors]

This is the last form from a trunk of Turkey Foot Pinon Pine that a neighbor gave me. He transplanted it when it was about 5 or 6 inches tall from New Mexico to Texas, 12 - 15 years ago. It was killed by a hail storm a year or so ago. It spalted while laying on a shelf in my shop. I've turned several pieces, and gave his wife a hollowform turned from it, earlier this year.
This form, turned endgrain, is about 7" tall x 5.5" wide. It's 1/8" thick, slightly thinner in the waist, and about 3/8" in the bottom. After I got it hollowed to about 3 inches depth, I had to change over to my captured rig w/laser to finish the hollowing (because I was getting it too thin in the center, due to my shaky hands).
I soaked it all day and all night in Danish Oil, then let it set all day, sanded with 600 grit, then soaked it the second night... next day sanded again w/600 grit, and then it spent it's third night in the DO. Just took it out before these pics. That's the reason the finish appears to glisten in the lines on the bottom shot. Just been wiped with paper towels, hasn't cured or been buffed yet.
Pretty wood or what?
C&C appreciated.

[Roger Chandler]

Wow Allen,

That is a striking piece, and will only get better with buffing! I had never heard of Turkey foot pine....a new one on me, but very nice work!

[John Keeton]

Allen, you almost got that Norfolk Island Pine thing going with that one!! Very nice, and beatiful wood. Shame that is the last of the pine.

[Mark Hubl]

Gorgeous. That piece is wonderful and the wood is way cool. Very nice.

[Jerry Marcantel]

That's a nice pot, Allen. The color, and grain is just beautiful......... I guess I need to be on the lookout for some of that pinion pine when I go up north for my elk hunt in Nov/Dec... Jerry (in Tucson)

[Ken Hill]

Very nice wood for sure!

[Gary Max]

Works for me Allen----but then I have always like wood with a personality.
That knot really sets it off.

[Alan Trout]

Allen,

That is an absolutely gorgeous piece of wood and the turning ain't to shabby either. Beautiful work.

Alan

[Bernie Weishapl]

That is a beautiful piece Allen. Really awesome wood.

[Wally Dickerman]

Well, I must confess, I've never heard of turkey foot pine. Much less spalted TFP.

Allen, that's one of my favorite forms. Very well done. And the wood. Beautiful from all angles. Hey, you're supposed to turn it thin to get that translucent look.

Phil Brennion used to turn a lot of dead pine that had turned blue. Phil lives in an area in Az. where a forest fire killed a lot of Ponderosa pine. He found a way to use some of it.

Wally

[Allen Neighbors]

Everyone! What kind comments! I thank you, very much.

Allen, you almost got that Norfolk Island Pine thing going with that one!! Very nice, and beatiful wood. Shame that is the last of the pine.

Thank you, John. I'm going to try to get some more of it, toward the end of August... I'll be making a trip to Colorado... they should have some of it growing there, if I can locate it.

That's a nice pot, Allen. The color, and grain is just beautiful......... I guess I need to be on the lookout for some of that pinion pine when I go up north for my elk hunt in Nov/Dec... Jerry (in Tucson)

Thanks Jerry; I don't know where you're going up North, but you'll really like it if you can get some of it. I'm hoping to find it in Colorado... just have to get a permit to get some of it.

Well, I must confess, I've never heard of turkey foot pine. Much less spalted TFP.

Allen, that's one of my favorite forms. Very well done. And the wood. Beautiful from all angles. Hey, you're supposed to turn it thin to get that translucent look.

Phil Brennion used to turn a lot of dead pine that had turned blue. Phil lives in an area in Az. where a forest fire killed a lot of Ponderosa pine. He found a way to use some of it.

Wally

Thank you Wally; coming from you it means a lot... you're a hero to most of us beginners...
It is called Turkey Foot, because of the limb ends branching to look like a turkey foot. I'd never heard of it, either, but that's what they told my friend it was when he got it.
I did want to get the thickness down to where the thickest would be about 1/8" throughout, but when I got into it, my hands shook more and more, so I decided that the old saying, "discretion is the better part of valor" would fit in this situation. I surely didn't want to blow this piece.
My friend in Del Norte, CO is like Phil... he finds burned out forests with Bristlecone Pine, and collects it to turn.

Thanks again, Everybody. Your kind comments are appreciated.

[David E Keller]

That's beautiful... It's such a striking piece of wood. Very, very nice.

[Michael James]

Hey, I live in pinon country and thought it was just good for the nuts....you know...set blankets around the ground and shake the limbs so the cones fall off??? NEVER heard of turkeyfoot. I'm gonna have to put somebody on the lookout for that.
Nice job all around!

[Norm Zax]

Very well done with gorgeous wood!

[Richard Madison]

That's a beauty mate!