Siberian Elm Vase

[Rick Smith]

Took a small limb stub off the Siberian Elm I posted earlier. It wanted to be a vase. Had a bark inclusion that didn't want to co-operate with the CA... 6" long, 5" diam., rough sanded with 120. I think I'm going to like this stuff. QUESTION: Do I finish and take the tenon off, or put it aside to see what it does (it's still fairly wet)?

[Stephen Hibbs]

That is some nice looking wood, and nice job on the vase. I personally prefer to turn all the way first time and let it warp to it's content. This is especially advisable if you already turned the walls pretty thin. I suggest letting it warp itself out, it might go well wtih the natural look made be the bark inclusion, and then you know how much it moves.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

What a pretty gnarly little vase! Gorgeous wood....the form is excellent in opinion!

[John Hart]

Cool lookin' Vahse Rick. The wood's got lots of character. Character that is probably going to move in a bunch of directions. My gut tells me that the lip is going to pull down near that knot....and you may not have enough material there to get it round later. Quite a crap shoot.

If it were me? I'd finish turn it thinner now....and finish her off. But then, I'm impatient and foolish.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Rick - nice looking vase! Have to agree with John - finish turn it now and let it warp all it wants. What ever you decide be sure to show a pic or two of the finished product!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Rick I agree finish it off. I would turn it as thin as you dare. The thinner the better. Keep measuring every cut so you don't blow out the side. I did a Elm HF to 1/4". Then run it thru several defrost cycles (2 to 3 minutes each cycle and probably 10 cycles less if thinner than 1/4") in the microwave letting it cool between them. I did a cherry NE that way and it came out fine. Elm is a different breed of cat and will likely move no matter what you do. I also found on Elm when you run it thru the microwave, if you put like Watco, Tung Oil, Minwax Tung Oil, etc. right away while it is warm on the last cycle it will suck up the oil and that will help to. No expert just what I have found that works for me.

[Tom Sherman]

I like it Rick, I think I would turn it to finish just see what it would do.