# Large Spalted Ambrosia Burl Maple Bowl



## MikeMD (Jan 31, 2014)

Steve Bellinger asked me to post some of my big stuff. Well, here's a roughout of a large spalted ambrosia burl maple blank that I did about 5-6 months ago. Blank started out at 107 lbs. Ended up (after roughing) at 18.5 lbs. Finished diameter of the roughout is 27". I ought to be able to re-turn it soon...

Reactions: Like 11 | Agree 2 | Way Cool 1


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## Mike1950 (Jan 31, 2014)

NICE bowl- 90 lbs of chips-WOW

Reactions: Like 1


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## Sprung (Jan 31, 2014)

WOW! Extremely impressive!


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## PhoenixWoodDesigns (Jan 31, 2014)

Oh man! On a blank like that, I would have been searching for someone that could core it for me! Beautiful wood, and lots of it.


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## barry richardson (Jan 31, 2014)

That's gonna be cool! I envy your wood source...


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## MikeMD (Jan 31, 2014)

Thanks for the kudos.

Ha, someone to core it for me...that would be me! I have the McNaughton knives, and do core occasionally. This piece had some punky parts. And didn't get quite this interesting until I got where it is now. So, not sure that cores would have been really impressive. That said, DKMD calls me wood spoiled. What I don't find impressive some others would LOVE to have. And I have more than I can turn, so unless it is a straight burl, crotch, full of ambrosia, whatever, I don't core.

My wood source...well, that would be me, too. The AM salad bowl that I posted yesterday fell in the woods behind my house. This wood was from a tree being taken down by an arborist from a guy's front lawn. I happened to be driving by. Asked if I could have it. Long story short, I ended up with 20' of almost 4' diameter maple with burl, curl, quilting, ambrosia, spalting...you name it. It WAS hollow, though. But all the good stuff is near the outside anyway...right? This tree is almost all gone. Sold a bunch of it locally, gave a bunch away, and turned the rest.

I just hope it re-turns well...

Reactions: Like 1 | EyeCandy! 1


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## DKMD (Jan 31, 2014)

Mike, I think both of those pictures on the wall are a little off kilter... I can't imagine you tolerating crooked art!

Nice bowl!


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## steve bellinger (Jan 31, 2014)

Yep Mike that's the one I was thinking about.:) O I think Docs right, them pics do look crooked.


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## MikeMD (Feb 1, 2014)

I think both of you are a little...off kilter!  Hehe, love it when the comments are from the anal retentive folks that look at ALL the details in the photos. I'm surprised you didn't mention that the pics matched my smile...

Reactions: Like 1


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## Dane Fuller (Feb 2, 2014)

That's super cool, Mike. Nothing like that around here.


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## ironman123 (Feb 2, 2014)

Good looking little bowl. If it was a littke deeper it would be like my cereal bowl.

Ray


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## woodtickgreg (Feb 2, 2014)

How in the heck do you dry a rough out that large? And do you have problems with checking in rough outs that large? Very cool though, I would love to turn biguns.


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## MikeMD (Feb 2, 2014)

woodtickgreg said:


> How in the heck do you dry a rough out that large? And do you have problems with checking in rough outs that large? Very cool though, I would love to turn biguns.


Hi, Woodtickgreg. I coated it with AnchorSeal. The key to minimum checking (from my experience) is to make sure that the wall thickness is consistent from rim to bottom of bowl. If anything, the rim should be thicker. Of course, it also helps to have not only no pith in the roughout, but on a piece like this, that came from a tree a little over 3' in diameter, there wasn't any pith even near the rim.

Here's a pic of the tree/logs I got.

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1


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## woodtickgreg (Feb 2, 2014)

I understand how to dry rough outs, I was just wondering if it was any different for those large ones. Thanks for the reply.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## MikeMD (Feb 2, 2014)

woodtickgreg said:


> I understand how to dry rough outs, I was just wondering if it was any different for those large ones. Thanks for the reply.


Sorry...no insult meant. No, I didn't do anything out of the ordinary for this (or the FBE of the same size that I did). Again, I really just paid attention to the wall thickness being even the whole way down the sides. And I used AnchorSeal only because my DNA vat will take only up to about 18" diameter bowls. Wish I had a liquid tight container that could take my large stuff...

Reactions: Like 1


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## woodtickgreg (Feb 2, 2014)

MikeMD said:


> Sorry...no insult meant. No, I didn't do anything out of the ordinary for this (or the FBE of the same size that I did). Again, I really just paid attention to the wall thickness being even the whole way down the sides. And I used AnchorSeal only because my DNA vat will take only up to about 18" diameter bowls. Wish I had a liquid tight container that could take my large stuff...


I wasn't insulted, lol. typed word is sometimes misunderstood. It's all good my friend.

Reactions: Like 1


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