Whenever I visit Kyle Edwards at SawmillNC in Iron Station, NC he usually sends me off with some 'otherwise would rot' burls that just don't fit the quality of the ones he sells. They are typically sitting out on the boneyard of large logs, flitch piles and other stuff in various states. This is the second one of these I've done...kind of addicting (like anything else isn't!!)
It wasn't a burl that covered a lot of area around the core of the tree, but had enough to be able to make something interesting, or at least a challenge to do so. I do like a good challenge!
This piece stands 6" tall, 4.5" wide and 1/8" thick throughout. Let me start by saying I didn't intend the piece to be that thin, especially given the overhang on top, and overall lack of material at the top. I had intended to leave at about 3/16" to 1/4", plenty light for a heavily voided piece in my opinion. Well, that pretty much changed when I failed to use my laser (or good sense) for some work near the top and it resulted in a 1/8" thin area.
I was almost ready to trash it, but decided if I could do it that thin all the way through, it would be fine. I found I couldn't keep my HSS/cobalt tips sharp for more than a few minutes, and decided to hollow the rest of it using the little 1/4" diameter carbide inserts mounted in various configs and tools. It was good practice for some hard woods I've had that I knew would be difficult with HSS tips. I used only a modest amount of malachite inlay stone and some copper dust to make some interesting areas on it, without trying to fill every crack and void.
I was also anxious to get this piece off the lathe so I could prep and turn a piece of Acacia from Kathy Marshall...I should have pics of it also soon.
The finish on this piece is two coats of AO (antique oil), hand buffed. Comments and critiques welcome.
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Originally Posted by Harry Robinette
