# Ugly Little Jewelry Dish



## rocky1 (Jan 25, 2018)

Back there somewhere about shortly after Christmas, @drycreek offered up a nifty little 3 burl assortment pack, that he was practically giving away. Wasn't sure why, but I decided it was speaking to me, so I took it. Package arrived a whole lot quicker than the previous one, I grabbed it at work and tossed it in the back seat of the Durango, where it has resided until Monday, when I drug it and several others out to put in the shop. 

https://woodbarter.com/threads/three-small-burls.33644/ 

Opened the burls from Larry and looked at them a minute and decided I had to do something with the ugliest one of the bunch, so I studied it for a minute or two and decided it would make an interesting little Jewelry Dish for someone's nightstand. As one might imagine looking at the raw piece on the above link, it appeared to present a challenge as far as mounting it in the lathe, but honestly it wasn't too terrible bad. Tried mounting it centered but the one leg sticking out so far hit the motor on my Grizz, and I didn't want to take the legs off, so I scratched that plan and decided to mount it a little off center. 

Slowed her way down, just in case things got interesting, which they eventually did. Tenon on the tailstock had a crack in it when I got this deep, and it parted a bit prematurely as I was trimming it down trying to get a little more depth. Ran through one side of the dish and opened up a little hole before I realized it, which was unfortunately on the bottom of the dish where it would prove aggravtin, so I had to fill it. After it parted prematurely, I tried remounting it to get a little more depth, but that didn't even work, so I gave up on that idea and turned to the moto-tool to finish it out. 

Divine intervention took over there. Grabbed the Dremel and said, "Nawww... the Craftsman might be handier." It has a little gooseneck LED work light on it, and it's newer so it works a little better. Opened the case, and lo and behold, there was the 8 pack of Dremel sized die grinder bits I purchased some time back and had forgot all about. And, a whole stack of 220 grit sanding disk. So clean up was a breeze!! 

Didn't sit quite as level as I wanted, so I set it in the miter gauge track on my bandsaw, and marked the one leg in the back to trim it, took a second look at it and trimmed a little more. From there went to the belt sander to flatten everything out a bit on the bottom. Little punky on the horns on the side, stabilized with CA. Glued the tip off the back leg over my hole, sawdust from the moto-tool finish job on the bottom filled the void very nicely! 

Finish is Minwax Polycrylic - Water based Poly, brushed on; really couldn't imagine trying to find all the angles with rattle can and not having runs everywhere, and foam would have been hung up everywhere on little knobs and punky spots. Contemplated leaving it natural, but cleaning it up, colors started showing, and I figured the poly would make them pop so it just had to be a little shiny. May take some steel wool to it and dull the shin a little on the high spots and see what it looks like, if I don't like it, I'll just brush on another coat. 

It's interesting to say the least. Not sure if it's ugly, or sinister looking, or kinda Texican, or what, but someone will love it I'm sure.

Reactions: Like 3 | EyeCandy! 2 | Way Cool 13 | Creative 1


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## Schroedc (Jan 25, 2018)

I dunno where you get "Ugly" with that piece. I think it's inspired!

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1 | Agree 3


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## rocky1 (Jan 25, 2018)

Well if you tip it up on it's side looking at the horny side of it, it looks like some sort of evil creature from a horror movie. Almost scary looking!!

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1


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## Schroedc (Jan 25, 2018)

rocky1 said:


> Well if you tip it up on it's side looking at the horny side of it, it looks like some sort of evil creature from a horror movie. Almost scary looking!!



So don't tip it on it's side. Duh.

Reactions: Funny 6


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## lvstealth (Jan 25, 2018)

i like it! and i think it looks spooky! not at all ugly, just uniquely inspired (but it makes me worry about you! hehe)

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## rocky1 (Jan 25, 2018)

Schroedc said:


> So don't tip it on it's side. Duh.



True... But I had to tip it up to finish the bottom side. And, it was like... 



lvstealth said:


> i like it! and i think it looks spooky! not at all ugly, just uniquely inspired (but it makes me worry about you! hehe)



It's purty in a sinister sort of way. It kinda depends which side you look at it from. The first couple pictures kinda give it a western flare. Really sorta looks like a bulls horns and hump over the shoulder, until you tip it. I know... Don't tip it up!

Figured the horns were functional as well, you could hang a bracelet over it, slide your rings on it, save the dish for earrings/necklaces.

Reactions: Like 1


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## DKMD (Jan 25, 2018)

Too cool! It looks like some kind of mutant toad with its mouth open toward the sky... maybe a mutant horny toad.

I think it’s awesome! Such a cool way to incorporate all the natural features!

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## drycreek (Jan 25, 2018)

Beautiful job, I knew somebody was going to get a bargain and make them look good.

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1


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## Tony (Jan 25, 2018)

Awesome Rock! I remember when you bought those thinking you would come up with something good and you surely did!! Makes me think of a catfish surfacing for a low flying bug! Tony

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1


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## NYWoodturner (Jan 25, 2018)

I like it! It looks great on its own but I can also see it incorporated in a table center piece. Nice job.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Smitty (Jan 25, 2018)

Way cool looking.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## CWS (Jan 25, 2018)

rocky1 said:


> Back there somewhere about shortly after Christmas, @drycreek offered up a nifty little 3 burl assortment pack, that he was practically giving away. Wasn't sure why, but I decided it was speaking to me, so I took it. Package arrived a whole lot quicker than the previous one, I grabbed it at work and tossed it in the back seat of the Durango, where it has resided until Monday, when I drug it and several others out to put in the shop.
> 
> https://woodbarter.com/threads/three-small-burls.33644/
> 
> ...



Looks like the intestines of an alien. I love it. I really wondered what you were going to do with that. I am just glad it lives far away from me.

Reactions: Funny 2


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## barry richardson (Jan 25, 2018)

Oh it's ugly alright..... and I love it! Right up my alley, any idea of the species?

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## rocky1 (Jan 25, 2018)

Maybe Larry knows, I have no clue Barry! 

@drycreek - Any idea what species this burl and that other bigger ugly one was?


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## ripjack13 (Jan 25, 2018)

Very creepy. Looks amphibian...

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Lou Currier (Jan 25, 2018)

Awe inspiring...you out did yourself  I like the shine don’t matte it.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## drycreek (Jan 26, 2018)

rocky1 said:


> Maybe Larry knows, I have no clue Barry!
> 
> @drycreek - Any idea what species this burl and that other bigger ugly one was?



Don’t have a clue they were part of a wood deal that I bought at an estate auction.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Mike1950 (Jan 26, 2018)

Looks almost alive!! Nice

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## sprucegum (Jan 27, 2018)

Outstanding job. It sort of looks like something that washed up on the beach that the seagulls somehow missed. If I had it I would put candy in it and see if my 3 year old grandson who is deathly afraid of anything that looks yucky would reach inside. All kidding aside beautiful piece.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Nature Man (Jan 27, 2018)

Absolutely original and one of a kind! You obviously have one creative mind! Chuck


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## d242 (Jan 27, 2018)

I looked at those 3 burls and thought what would someone even do with them? great vision

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## rocky1 (Jan 28, 2018)

d242 said:


> I looked at those 3 burls and thought what would someone even do with them? great vision



Honestly... I bought them for the piece of Buckeye, I had absolutely no clue what I was going to do with the others!


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## Michelle+Wood (Dec 30, 2018)

I think it looks like something from the ocean. Some designer would probably pay big bucks to put it in a seaside home.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## rocky1 (Dec 30, 2018)

Thank you Michelle... if you happen to know of such a designer, please point them in my direction!


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## Rocking RP (Dec 31, 2018)

I think it's a little alienish myself, but WOW what a job you did on it. Great work!!!! Very impressive

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Herb G. (Dec 31, 2018)

Kinda looks like an alien turd pile if you ask me.


EDIT: I meant the raw blank, not the finished product. I'm sure someone will see pure art in the finished piece.
People are strange & there's no telling what they will like.

Reactions: Funny 2


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