# Punky box elder bowl 🥣



## woodtickgreg (Nov 8, 2020)

I prepped this blank the same time I prepped the mesquite blank for my last turning. So now its time to do something with this one too. I cut this box elder tree down a couple years ago at a previous job, it was kinda rotten at the base and it blew over. Their loss my gain.
So there's some grubs in this one too, lol.
I cut this one in half when I rounded it on the band saw.



Pretty good size chunk of wood, about 14" across.



Its got some pretty deep checking thats going to have to be dealt with. Maybe some black CA



Measured and marked the center then drilled a hole for a wood worm screw.



Wood worm screw in the chuck and ready to go.



Now you get an idea of the size of this chunk, its probably going to be a lot smaller when I'm done turning the punky stuff away.



Ready to make chips fly! I need a new face shield though, this ones an ancient cheapie. 



I dumped about an ounce of thin CA on this to try and firm it up a bit. Im getting a lot of tearout.



Its got some nice character though so its worth the extra effort and work. It should make a nice bowl.



When I flip it around ill take a few inches off the top and try and remove some of the checking thats in the pith.
So far I have about an hour into it.

Reactions: Like 5 | Way Cool 3


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## Maverick (Nov 8, 2020)




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## T. Ben (Nov 8, 2020)




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## Tony (Nov 8, 2020)




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## trc65 (Nov 8, 2020)




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## Maverick (Nov 8, 2020)

Hope WB doesn’t run out of popcorn before Greg is done.

Reactions: Funny 5


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## woodtickgreg (Nov 10, 2020)

There's a wood muncher in this blank. It left a nice pile of frass under the bowl.



It lives in here, lol.



If I don't cut it up turning the bowl it will go in the microwave before I apply the finish to cook the little bugger.

Reactions: Like 3 | Way Cool 2


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## woodtickgreg (Nov 12, 2020)

Black CA came today so I had to try it out.



This was a really deep pith crack so I filled the bottom of it with regular med CA and then the black on top of that.



Filled a couple smaller cracks on the other side.



First time using the black, it should look cool on this lighter colored box elder with the red.

Reactions: Like 3 | Way Cool 1


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## Maverick (Nov 12, 2020)

Will be interested to see how the black works for you. I almost added some to my Starbond order earlier this week but decided my total was already high enough (even with the usual 15% off)

Reactions: Like 1


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## ripjack13 (Nov 12, 2020)

Greg how did you get that bowl in the title? 

Oh yes...And I'm ....

Reactions: Funny 1 | +Karma 1


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## woodtickgreg (Nov 13, 2020)

ripjack13 said:


> Greg how did you get that bowl in the title?
> 
> Oh yes...And I'm ....


It pops up on my phone when I type the word. Same when I type motorcycle 🏍 , or tree  or bicycle  or truck  , etc

Reactions: Like 1


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## ripjack13 (Nov 13, 2020)

aha...that's interesting.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Nature Man (Nov 13, 2020)

Following closely... Want to see what happens to the bug! Chuck

Reactions: Funny 2


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## woodtickgreg (Nov 15, 2020)

I had a lot going on this weekend and didn't get as much shop time as I had hoped for but I got a little so I'm happy.
I cut back the CA I applied to firm up the wood and refined the shape a little more. The CA made very fine wispy shavings, definitely worked to firm up the wood. I cut back the black CA that filled the cracks too, cool stuff.



Once I got the shape I was after I applied some more black CA to the cracks and filled some ambrosia beetle holes with it. Then I covered the whole thing with about and ounce of thin CA.



I'll sand this back and go through the grits to about 400. Then I'll cut a mortice recess for the chuck to reverse it. After applying the CA I had to walk away, the fumes where insane and burning my eyes.



There's a lott going on in this piece, flame, some burl, some Spalting, insect holes, filled cracks, and some live edge that I'm leaving. Even though I started out with a punky blank I think its going to be worth the effort.
This is one of the things I like about turning, you can work on a piece as time allows, walk away and then return when you can and pick up where you left off.

Reactions: Like 4 | Way Cool 1


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## Nubsnstubs (Nov 15, 2020)

woodtickgreg said:


> After applying the CA I had to walk away, the fumes where insane and burning my eyes.


That's how my condition started. Burning eyes, then months later, and months again, a very runny nose with sinus issues, and now coughing. I can go about 4 hours after getting my first whiff of CA before I start coughing episodes. 

I also get a reaction from dry CA that is being turned off pieces I added it to. Starts burning my eyes, then the runny nose and stuffy sinuses. 

BUT, whatcha gonna do when it saves your pieces. Sacrifices for a piece of wood that will only be appreciated for a short period, and then forgotten about. It is satisfying to turn a piece of junk wood into a piece that is worthy of looking at. .... ..... Jerry (in Tucson)

Reactions: Sincere 4


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## woodtickgreg (Nov 27, 2020)

Nature Man said:


> Following closely... Want to see what happens to the bug! Chuck


I found the bug when I was hollowing out the inside.

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 2


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## woodtickgreg (Nov 27, 2020)

I finally got some shop time today so I cut back the CA and sanded through the grits to 320.




I blew it off and wiped it down with denatured alcohol. I thought this piece would be a good candidate to play with some dyes a little bit. First color was called honey.



Looked pretty yellow on the box elder.



Covered the whole thing. It really seemed to enhance the figure, flame, and spalting.



Sanded that back some to 220 by hand.



Next I applied a little burnt orange.



Just in places, didn't cover the whole thing. 



Sanded that back to 220. Y hand as well.



Then I applied my usual shellac in several coats to get a nice build up. Followed that with an abrasive paste and then wax.
The black CA looks cool I think.



I think the dyes enhanced it and made it look warmer.

Reactions: Like 1 | EyeCandy! 1 | Way Cool 2


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## woodtickgreg (Nov 27, 2020)

It was hard to capture but even this small burl patch was enhanced by the dye.



The colors seemed to make everything pop.



Here you can see the difference in the flame color plain and dyed.



Then I cut a mortice in the bottom for the chuck jaws and reversed it to hollow the inside.



I love this part, this is the fun stuff, jusst hogging material out with my own shop made tools.



It was about a 20 gallon day! 



I'll finish the inside work another day. I'll leave the inside natural, I think it will be a nice contrast.

Reactions: Like 3 | Way Cool 3


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## DLJeffs (Nov 27, 2020)

Very cool and interesting, Greg. It's a little too yellow for my taste but the way the dyes flowed together looks good.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Tony (Nov 27, 2020)

Looking great so far my brother!

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Informative 1


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## Nature Man (Nov 27, 2020)

A tad dark yellow, but I think in the end it will be super nice! Important thing is you are experimenting! Chuck

Reactions: Agree 2


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## T. Ben (Nov 28, 2020)

Looking good.


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## woodtickgreg (Nov 28, 2020)

Nature Man said:


> A tad dark yellow, but I think in the end it will be super nice! Important thing is you are experimenting! Chuck


Yup the whole dye and adding color thing is new to me, im learning as I go here. Im still all about natural wood and don't want to cover it up but maybe just enhance it with some color sometimes for more visual interest. Dyes on lighter woods and maybe some resins on darker woods. So this is my first go with dyes.

Reactions: Like 1


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## chippin-in (Nov 28, 2020)

I am also experimenting with coloring wood. I have found myself having to go back down past the color and start over...3 times on 1 piece. Yours is looking good. Can't wait to see the finished product.

Robert

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1


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## woodtickgreg (Nov 28, 2020)

chippin-in said:


> I am also experimenting with coloring wood. I have found myself having to go back down past the color and start over...3 times on 1 piece. Yours is looking good. Can't wait to see the finished product.
> 
> Robert


One thing I learned is to remember that when finish is applied over the dye after sanding it back it will darken up again. So its a fine line with the sanding, not enough and the color may be too much, to much sanding and the color my dissappear or be blotchy. I think maybe I should have diluted the dye with water instead of using it full strength. But this is my first so I'm learning.

Reactions: Like 2


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## woodtickgreg (Dec 12, 2020)

Well I got sidetracked once again by life, lol but I found some to play with this some more today. Since I did not use anything to firm up the inside of the bowl I had lots of tearout, I spent a good amount of time with the 80 grit chisel to remove it. Then I sanded through the grits to 320.
I then applied some ruby red color dye to the rim.



I built up a varnish sanding sealer, and rubbed it out with an abrasive paste and followed that up with wax.



It's a pretty large bowl still and I'm guessing it will be a little bottom heavy.



Not done yet as I have to mount the cole jaws and flip it to finish the bottom, but I want the rim to cure a little first.
I now call this piece " lipstick  on a pig"

Reactions: Like 1 | EyeCandy! 2 | Way Cool 1


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## Gdurfey (Dec 12, 2020)

From the pictures, the red is a good match.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## woodtickgreg (Dec 12, 2020)

Gdurfey said:


> From the pictures, the red is a good match.


Thanks brother, just experimenting still and playing with some color. Trying to enhance the wood without covering it up to much so the grain still shows through.

Reactions: Like 1


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## trc65 (Dec 12, 2020)

Love that rim color, really brought that rim grain to life! Sharp looking bowl with lots of interesting things to look at. 

I'm another one who wants to start playing with added color, enjoy seeing your experiments. I've got a whole stack of featureless cottonwood bowls I hope to start playing with after Christmas. Thanks for showing the products, I've now got someplace to start.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Nature Man (Dec 13, 2020)

Red rim fits very well! Where did you buy your stain? Chuck


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## T. Ben (Dec 13, 2020)

Looking good,dye is a nice touch.


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## woodtickgreg (Dec 13, 2020)

Nature Man said:


> Red rim fits very well! Where did you buy your stain? Chuck


I did a Google search and then purchased it from a place in texas.








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Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## woodtickgreg (Dec 13, 2020)

I finished up the bottom today.
This is my typical set up for turning out the mortice. The live center is just a flat face.



Just a side view with the cole jaw set up.



I was going to leave it plain but decided rings of the 3 colors used in the bowl might be kinda cool. Not sure if I like it. Its all just an experiment.



Bottom is now done, finished with sanding sealer and wax to match the rest of the bowl.



I'll post some pics in the finished project section.

Reactions: Like 2


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## Nature Man (Dec 13, 2020)

Think there are too many rings on the bottom. It is distracting from the otherwise spectacular bowl. Chuck

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Mike Hill (Dec 15, 2020)

You had me until the burnt orange. Otherwise an outstanding bowl. There will be people that will understand about the burnt orange! LOL

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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