Willow bowl from Robert Mickley

[John Timberlake]

Ok, the blank was from Robert. Got this a few months ago when John Hart and I took a road trip to Robert's place. I have been so busy with bookcases that I had not turned much since then. Decided to go down last night a say hello to my lathe. Thanks for the blank, Robert.

The first picture is the blank mounted on a screw chuck and the next one is roughed on the bottom. Then a top, bottom and side view of the "finished" bowl. Still may do some more work on the bottom.

Willow blank web.jpg Rough out web.jpg Willow top web.jpg Willow bottom web.jpg Willow side.jpg

Can't say this is my favorite wood to work with, but it had a lot more character to grain than I expected. It cuts easily, but gives a lot of fuzzies up to 1/8" long in some places. Even sanding with 80 grit did not get rid of all of them. Just put a coat of linseed oil and then paste wax for a finish which came out OK. First time finishing willow, so I was not sure what finish would be good. Critiques welcome.

[Ed Scolforo]

John, that's some beautiful wood. The form is very nice. Keep 'em coming!
Ed

[Ernie Nyvall]

That wood does have some nice grain in it, and you did a great job on it John.

Ernie

[John Hart]

Nicely Done John! Beautiful form too. Robert's gifts to me are safely packed away...waiting for another day.

[Dick Strauss]

John T,
Really nice job on that willow!

I had the same issues with fuzzies no matter how sharp the tools were. I have only turned one piece of willow. I thiunk that is enough for me. It took me too long to sand it. It did turn a little cleaner after it dried

I recently had a 4'x5'x30'+ willow tree to take down. I didn't keep a single piece of the tree because of the difficulties with my first bowl. Even my chainsaw blade caused so many fuzzies that it bogged down my little saw a few times.

I soaked it in DNA to help dry it and didn't bag it because I was so frustrated with turning the wet thing. It didn't move at all or crack, even though I left it over 1" thick! On a positive note, the willow did turn a little cleaner after it dried.

[Corey Hallagan]

SWEEEEET! Awesome!

Corey

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Excellent bowl! I like that form and the wood!

[Doug Thompson]

John, you did a very good job turning such a difficult wood. It must be in the same family as cottonwood. The bowl did turn out very nice with a good color.

Good Job,
Doug
BTW your shop is to clean

[Keith Burns]

Very nice John, great form

[Erin Raasch]

Very nice - that willow has some really nice grain. Good to hear some comments about turning willow, 'cause I've got several blanks from a willow that was downed by a storm recently in a nearby park. It's still practically dripping wet, I may try roughing out a couple of bowls and letting the rest dry before I try to turn it.

Erin

[Dick Parr]

Wonderful job John, I am working on a willow HF and I know what you mean about the fuzzies. Have spent almost 8 hours hand sanding it so far.

Hope mine comes out half as nice as yours did. Love the grain markings in it.

[Mike Ramsey]

Looks like you did a great job on it John! lots of figure in it!

[Bernie Weishapl]

John you did a great job on that piece. Like the form and finish.

[Jim Davenport]

That is a great bowl. The grain is beautiful. It was well worth the battle with "the fuzzies".

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Very nice looking form, and wood, too bad about the fuzzies.

I've read, but yet to do this, that when you have the "Fuzzies" problem, you should put a sanding sealer, or some other type of finish on the bowl and let it dry HARD, then sand it again, the hard finish will hold the fuzzies up to be cut off.

Dunno if it works, just repeating what I read about finishing hard to handle woods.

Cheers!