Donno Bowl... Need Help!

[Ben Werner]

So I have this BEAUTIFUL bowl in donno wood from Barry Stratton.... and I'm taking away from the walls in very small cuts... trying to get to 3/16ths when I see a dark splotch appear in the center.... hmmmm what could that be?! I stop the lathe.... and touch it gently... it moves with my touch... UH OH!!!! I take it out of the chuck and hold it up to the light.... almost 100% of the light is coming through.... about the same amount as through paper.... hmmmm... funnel time? I dont think so! This is NOT gonna be "chalk it up to experience and hang it on your wall" so.... What can I do?!

I was thinking of a black walnut plug thing that you see inside the bowl, and that goes as a foot too... so its a plug + foot.... just because a plug cant be that much thicker in order to keep the curves nice.... would that be good? so it would look like a black walnut foot under the normal foot from the outside.... and a plug from the inside! (different diams though)

Any other better suggestions from more experienced guys?? or comment?? or encouragement?? or anything??


Pics:




from inside:


BTW any idea of the wood type??

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Walnut ....purpleheart.....or mahogany.....Nice work Ben....keep at it! I've had to recover a couple....that's part of the game and separates those with exprerience from the inexperienced!

[Glenn Hodges]

Ben, could be a lot of different light colored woods, starting with maple. I have saved some bowls like this by epoxing a base of wood to the bottom of a bowl like this, and finishing the base. CA glue or wood glue might work also. As you suggested a contrasting wood like walnut might add interest to the piece, good luck.

[Jim Becker]

Looks like cherry to me...

[Christopher K. Hartley]

Ben, how about a layer of some dark wood added to the base and then a matching cover? I know how this feels.

[Jonathon Spafford]

Ya... I wouldn't do a plug... I would do a bottom layer!!

[Corey Hallagan]

My guess would be Maple or Cherry. Hope you save it, looks great!

Corey

[Ben Werner]

Ben, how about a layer of some dark wood added to the base and then a matching cover? I know how this feels.

Now thats a good Idea!!!! I like it! should the lid be a tall finial one or just a shortish one with a knob?

Tha problem that I see is that when I flatten the bottom to make it able to glue I might break through.... and if I dont flatten it when I'm finishing the inside I might break through and then it wouldnt be smooth anymore....

[Jerry Clark]

Ben, Maybe pour colored epoxy inside to hid the "funnel".