# Oak Burl Prize



## Slip

Thanks bjones2571 for not burning this below chunk of wood and for Viking 48 for even delivering it to me. Went out last week to cut a bit off the bottom to square a place to chuck up to the lathe and the bandsaw tire broke apart. Ordered a new tire and got it yesterday and installed it. Cut the burl this morning and started to turn and get some basic shape and here are the results from start to current. I will use this post for progress as I go. I turned a little while and my back started aching, so I stopped for now and will continue as I go until finished. I thoutht it would be sopping wet still, however, it feels quite dry and maybe burl isn't a very wet wood? This isn't very old but sure feels dry and turns like it is dry also. Anyway, I sprayed it down with some water to give some indication of the striking grain on this burl. I believe it should give some beauty when final finish is complete unless I bugger this thing up. Hoping not anyway.


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## bill

nice start..oak burls always reminds me of hair..I don't know why lol

gold or honey finish might be interesting


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## trodery

Pure AWESOME!


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## Tortuga

Spectacular start, Slip.. Can't wait till we see the end product....'Mustard Monster' has it's work cut out for it...LOL

(also glad to hear somebody else gets the back aches from hovering over the lathe..Thought it wuz just because of the mileage I carry.. LOL.. Finally got me a tall stool with a soft seat and I can last a lot longer..LOL)


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## bjones2571

Very Cool! Can't wait to see how it turns out!


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## Viking48

Whoa, that is looking great. Take care of that back - you don't need any more problems there. Keep up the good work and keep us posted.


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## Slip

Not only my back, but chunks were also flying off at high speed and some hurt. Even got one little hit in the face that drew blood till it turned more round (yes, no face shield). This piece was a chore so far. Hope to do a little today after Church. Weather has been so good, feels grest to be outside.


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## 3192

NOW WE'RE TALKING!!
That is going to be awesome...can't wait to see the final product. Please keep us posted with picture updates. I really like that faceplate set up. It looks STRONG and safe. Also, what tool rest is that???? Thanks again for sharing. gb


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## Robert A.

Sweet looking chunk of firewood Mate!! I can not wait to see the final product!! Glad to see you feeling well enough to get th elathe spinning again!


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## RB II

That is awesome. Can't wait for the finished product.


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## biggreen

if anything happens to that one let me know. I've got enough to replace it a few times drying over two years now. It looks great.
biggreen


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## Slip

galvbay said:


> NOW WE'RE TALKING!!
> That is going to be awesome...can't wait to see the final product. Please keep us posted with picture updates. I really like that faceplate set up. It looks STRONG and safe. Also, what tool rest is that???? Thanks again for sharing. gb


I got the tool rest from possibly Woodcraft, see link
http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2000391/2071/Tool-Rest-Straight-12.aspx . Don't remember if I bought it from Woodcraft, but this one looks like it anyway. I really like it better than the stock one from Powermatic that knicks easy. This one is tough. As for the faceplate, it is also super secure and is made by Oneway. I use 1" or 1.25" screws and it is super solid. Works pretty good even without the steadyrest much of the time with no movement. It secures with about 21 screws whick should never loosen up. I feel better using it vs a chuck, myself and easy to mount up.


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## Slip

Here are a few more progress photos. I am about 1/3 of the way through the hollowing and should hopefully finish possibly this weekend. So far, it's going well. I wrapped it in duct tape but the laser doesn't show up good on the duct tape, so wrapped over that with masking tape so that I can see the laser but seems to be holding together pretty well so far. This is one wild piece as it has lots of hollow areas inside the burl also. To get the speed up, the lathe would want to vibrate too much due to the off balance of the wood, so I put 200# of play sand on the shelf under the lathe to help and it did help out some. Still can't get over 700 rpms, or it wants to shake but should get better as I hollow out more and more. Anyway, enjoy.


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## Hooked

Ok slip..........now you owe me a beer....... 
I was sitting here chuckling about how funny it looks wrapped in the tape and decided to post some smart $*$ remark. Of course, when I moved I dropped the beer I was holding so now it's all over me.
"Hold my beer and watch this".....

I'm still anxious to see the end result.............lol


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## Slip

Well, hoped to finish it tomorrow but a buddy called and needs my help fishing tomorrow and can't turn him down.......maybe Sunday or later now. And my laser is week also and hard to see and sure don'tbwant to bugger this piece up either, sobwillntry but maybhavebto wait on another laser.....or wing it as i used to do prior to high tech stuff.


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## Flat Fish

Lookin' good, but can't let work get in the way of fishing...


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## Slip

Finished hollowing it this afternoon after Church. It is a good uniform 1/4" thickness throughout with a gaping hollow spot and a piece of knot hanging down at the large opening just barely has enough wood left to hold it on. Thought it would come out prior to hollowing it.Think it came out quite well. Will let it sit for a few weeks in the house to stabilize humidity and dry out a little although it appears quite dry by the weight of it and the way it cut. May need to dry a little, but not too much.

Anyway, I will be spraying it hopefully in the next few weeks and will post up when finished. This was a nice prize of a piece of wood. Thanks again for the wood and faith that something nice could be done with it instead of burning it.


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## Hooked

WOW!! Great piece slip. That is going be absolutely gorgeous with the finish on it.


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## bill

That looks very cool!!

sorry, but I doubt it will ever hold water


Can't wait to see it finished


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## Viking48

I knew you could turn it into something fantastic. Can't wait to see it with the finish. Great job.


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## Slip

Thanks all, now I need some suggestions for an appropriate name for it again. My last project was named by Tortuga as my favorite. I'm not good at naming, any suggestions? What ever it is, it will click when I see it or hear it.


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## ttufish

Looks great! Nice job!

Just curious as I'm just getting into wood turning and reading this thread, what was the tape and laser used for?


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## Slip

Welcome ttufish, The tape is to help hold it together while hollowing out. With all the holes and cracks, I taped it to insure pieces don't break off and fly. I don't typically use tape on more solid wood.

The laser is a part of the tool to help gauge the thickness as I hollow out. I set the laser to show when I hit my thickness mark. When the laser beam falls off the outer diameter of yhe wood, the final thickness is reached. Small stuff, I use calipers, but big stuff like this, I use the laser. You can go to youtube and search for dastagg and black cherry vase #2 and see a small video of the laser in action.


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## ttufish

Cool video, makes sense now. Thanks!


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## bjones2571

Very nice! Can't wait to see the finish! Looks like there is some good grain in there!


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## 3192

SK....you have yourself a heirloom there! GREAT job....can't wait to see the finish. What are you going to use???? Thanks for sharing and please keep us posted. gb


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## Slip

Not positive on the finish as of yet. May do your oil rub finish or spray laquer. Hard to decide, I just want to use whatever makes the grain pop the most. I have a couple of end slices and may experiment to see which one works best. Still have to be careful because a couple of them hanging knots are hanging by very thin wood and have movement which I hope a good finish will soak in and strengthen it up a little. My wife likes this piece better than that large Mesquite piece I made a while back which I still love. This one is a little smaller but not a lot smaller, but much lighter but went uch thinner on this one which makes a huge difference. I'm always open to suggestions.


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## Slip

OK, here is finished product. Satin finish Lacquer finish. About 13" tall and 10" wide. Sweet piece of wood and wasn't too bad turning. With this piece of wood, it is quickly becoming my favorite piece I have. Even more than that last Mesquite from a while back. Came out a little darker than I wanted (no stain, natural clear finish) but still quite nice. Enjoy.


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## bill

Very cool! Amazing it didn't come apart.


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## Slip

Thanks and yes, that piece hanging down in the second photo is fragile still.


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## Slip

The smaller file size to post here just doesn't do some of the swirl grain justice as in larger file size and in real life.


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## Flat Fish

That is one sweet looking piece of oak burl. You did good!


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## Tortuga

Beautiful piece..... Name that comes to mind is "Earth Shattered"

seems fitting for the times we live in....and what we have to look forward to.


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## Slip

Thanks Tortuga, I had asked for some name suggestions a while back but got no responce and I'm not creative enough to think of any myself. That works and you are two for two here. I like it since the last was "Fractured Earth".


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## Tortuga

I must be in a 'rut', Dale...Forgot what the last one wuz...but this one just jumped out at me when I saw your final set of pix..

Guess I might be passable at 'suggestions'...(although they don't seem to work with this old woman I live with.)

Guarantee you've got a couple of 'prize winners' with those two pieces if you ever decide to enter them into any competitions..(a little fragile for long-haul transport, though.)

Absolutely SPECTACULAR work , My Man !!!! Think now I'll take your inspiration and go out and whup out a couple of five dollar writing sticks.:biggrin:

:cheers:


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## Hooked

Absolutely beautiful slip..... It's hard to imagine when looking at the original 'chunk' what is hidden inside.

You and GB are the masters of hollowing those fragile pieces for sure.


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## bjones2571

Very very cool! Pm incoming.


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## Robert A.

Very nice work Slip!!! It is a piece of Art!!


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## 3192

OK....SK, this is the piece that is going to get me back to the lathe! What a outstanding work of art, simply amazing grain and shape! Congrats! gb


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## HEMI

very nice.had a boat i liked a lot,called her thriller might be a good name.


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## Viking48

Great job Dale - glad Bill and I didn't cut it up into bottle stoppers. LOL


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## Slip

Thanks, that name isn't bad either.......however, Shattered Earth has already been burned in on the bottom with my woodburning tool.


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## Slip

Viking48 said:


> Great job Dale - glad Bill and I didn't cut it up into bottle stoppers. LOL


Haha, i'm glad aso, however, it would of still made some good looking other stuff also. However, I really like this one myself. Just wish it would have finished lighter in color, but it is still naturally colored this way.


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