Woodturning Spalted Bowl - Video

[@robertgabel3451]

Wonderful piece. 10 years ago we had 1/2 of an ash tree fall during a storm (large crotch in the tree about 5 feet up). Wife and I decided to start turning a few years ago and I remembered that we had the ash cut into logs and they were still down by our utility shed. Was originally going to be firewood. Went to the pile and there were several logs that were still usable that had spalted nicely. Turned some natural edge bowls, "conventional" bowls, and several twig pots from what was there.

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Wonderful find Robert! That's the best way to "make" spalt, start ten years ago before you even realized spalt is a thing. LOL ;) All the best to you and Happy Turning!

[@turningwood720]

Well done Kent. Wonderfull pattern and a stunning bowl. I turned a piece of spalted elm last week wich was looking just like your wood. I always enjoy you videos very much. Happy turning! Greetings from Germany by Egbert

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Thanks Egbert! Happy Turning! 👍

[@tomburns7544]

Gorgeous wood and a really gorgeous design which highlights the material. Well done! 👍

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@markduggan3451]

Stunning bowl, that spoilting is amazing.

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Thank you very much, Mark! Happy Turning!

[@matejoutrata5766]

Kent, your videos are dangerous. Your works are so nice and it all seems so simple ..... I looked and looked and looked ..... and bought a lathe!

[@alangibb3100]

What a lovely bowl and some amazing spalting, great job

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Thank you! Cheers! Happy Turning!

[@AllenOxendine]

Beautiful Piece and interesting process. Great instructions while working on the piece. I’m a beginner, I need all the help I can get. Full view and Like 👍

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Glad it was helpful, Allen! All the best to you and Happy Turning!

[@ronfinch5532]

I’ve turned spalted Maple and Beech. I used a lot of Minwax wood hardner to help keep it from falling apart. It also helps in sanding.

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Sounds like a plan, Ron. Happy Turning!

[@teslatesla203]

La gomme-laque est un durcisseur naturel ,effectivement mais il y a aussi le propolis des abeilles ! Ainsi que le jus de cactus mais demande plus de technique Le bois échauffé ressemble beaucoup à de l’ébène royale du Laos qui est très cher et de plus en plus rare ! Très joli bol !❤

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Merci d'avoir écrit et partagé ! Tout le meilleur à vous et bon tournage!

[@waltwhybrewwoodworking]

Thanks for the training. I like your reminders of techniques.

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Walt, Glad it was helpful! Happy Turning!

[@cobberpete1]

I love Spalted wood. It looks fantastic. By chance I have turned a small 6" spalted Marri blank today ( Australian Eucalyptus ). Not quite as dramatic as your veins, but enough to look great. My tenon was a little punky and I tightened a little too much. I had to go back and true it up. All ended well. Thanks Kent.

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Pete, you can stiffen the tenon by soaking it in shellac a couple times before mounting to the lathe. All the best to you and Happy Turning!

[@matthewchavez7668]

I love you channel. I power carve bowls and love spalted wood as wood.

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Thank you, Matthew! All the best to you and Happy Turning! Kent

[@marknienstadt6963]

I like to turn spalted wood into turned boxes and vases. If its really far gone, I'll but it in stabilizing fluid and add a little color.

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Sounds great, Mark! All the best to you and Happy Turning!

[@pauldecker60]

I just got a spalted holly log from a friend. Hopefully some day I will get a lathe

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Paul, Yes, lathe time! Happy Turning!

[@TheBill3422]

Great project. I noticed you were not using the glove on you left hand in the video.

[@davidbarnes5953]

Yes on both counts, I made 20 soup sized bowls (wanted to get better at repeatability), and a ring stacked bowls with lids, from spalted ash. Two ash trees in my back yard died and I left them standing for 3 years till I saw black and orange fungi show. Cut them down into 6 ft. lengths. Left them to slow dry in my garage 2 more years. Time well spend. I've made more than just turnings, picture frames, table tops and so on. I'm most like the orange colors, nature is real good at making magic happen.

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

David, sounds awesome! Well done. All the best to you and Happy Turning! Kent

[@chrisjohnston2449]

I am currently working on a large Spalted Beech bowl that I was able to get a core out of, so a 2 for 1 deal. Earlier today I turned the rough shape and coated it with shellac sanding sealer. It was a guess on my part at the time to try and save the bowl. So glad I watched this video to confirm my guess was a correct one. I have about 30 more bowl blanks to work that are spalted. Beech, Birch, Maple and Poplar. Can't wait to start on them

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Chris, sounds like you're on the right path. Good species for spalt too. All the best to you and Happy Turning! Kent

[@charliecrep90]

Great video, I have turned a number of spalted maple bowls and experienced many of the conditions you explained, the punkyness is by far the most disturbing, but it’s just part of nature so it’s ok. I have used the s homemade shellac to seal the wood and that certainly helps. Enjoy your videos, thanks for sharing.

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Thanks for sharing Charlie! Happy Turning!

[@michaeldennison3548]

That is a very nice piece. I have turned several spalted pieces. It’s always a challenge but rewarding. Thanks for the video!

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Thank you, Michael! Happy Turning!

[@chuckwalton2868]

I've halved clear (unspalted) maple or other plain-grain logs... and half-buried them for 3-6 months in boggy damp soil. I've covered them with oak leaves and other organic matter. This result is multi-colored (mostly earth-tones) spalting. I love the way it spreads through the grain BUT creates flowing "flame-shapes" without follwing explicitly the grain lines. The result is exotic looks from local woods. (BTW your Pinion Pine is enroute.)

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Thank you, Chuck! All the best to you and Happy Turning!

[@qapla]

Nice bowl, Kent. I do like the spalt - I have a bit of spalted pecan and like the look of the turned pieces. I have tried some different finishes and they all enhance the spalt. Happy turning from your neighbor up the road.

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Thanks 👍

[@waltwhybrewwoodworking]

I just finished several bowls using almost too far gone carrotwood. The final results have been very nice.

[@jonlanier_]

If the wood is tender at the tenon... you can also stabilize it with thin CA. I've turned just over 100 spalted bowls... and when they get soft ... that is my go-to.

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Good point Jon. Thank you for writing and sharing! Happy Turning!

[@barry.w.christie]

A truly stunning piece, the wood was extremely punky ... I think I'd have doused it entirely in sealer just to give it some stability ... beautiful ... and your commentary throughout the video was exemplary in explaining why you did what you did 👍

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Barry, Thank you very much! Happy Turning!

[@loucinci3922]

Turned out real nice. Well done. Thanks for sharing

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@lewisgreenway5065]

The Craft Centre I worked at had some spalted wood but not as dramatic as that, from what I remember Sycamore was one if the better species to spalt. Very nice piece.

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Lewis, spalted sycamore can be very nice as well. Happy Turning!

[@vernsteinbrecker3759]

Very nice

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Thanks

[@jenw9361]

Spalding is so beautiful, I do wish the wood wasn't punky. But what can you do.🙂

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Jen, thanks. Try to turn the wood a little sooner and you will see less punkiness. Happy Turning!

[@johnbruhnke6349]

Nice job. I really enjoy spalted woods as well.

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Thanks, John 👍 Happy Turning!

[@tielkgate]

Kent - great job! I have some pieces drying that have some spalt in them and I'm really looking forward to seeing if there is something as dramatic as this. I love the shape of your Ogee bowl, very nice. Keep up the great turning! Lowell

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Thanks, Lowell 👍 All the best to you and Happy Turning!

[@henniebasson515]

Nice bowl (and nice KZbin channel - I subscribed). If I may ask - is there any reason for NOT using a little faceplate in the beginning? Kind regards,

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Hennie, Thank you, and welcome! A faceplate is fine, by the drive center allow me to move the position of the blank as needed, and it's a bit quicker. Happy Turning! Kent

[@howiedalious4531]

Very nice bowl!! I've turned some smaller spalted bowls, and I have a log waiting for me to turn that I plan on gifting to the friends that gave it to me. I do have a question: would a wood hardener work as well as the shellac (for any punkiness), or would it be more detrimental?

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Howie, I've not used a wood hardener, but the shellac helps greatly. Happy Turning!

[@wantlessobject]

Could you offer a clear explanation as to why you say that spindle gouges are not to be used for large amounts of stock removal on bowls (cross grain)? I'm self taught. And I see other professional turners doing this. I understand not using the spindle roughing gouge on bowls. But the regular spindle gouges. Mine are very similar to my bowl gouges. Meaning solid straight tangs.

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Sure, here you go kzbin.info/www/bejne/oHScZpyHhNmChLM

[@wantlessobject]

@@TurnAWoodBowl thank you for that. However, I have already watched that video. A few times actually. What I'm interested in is your statements about the spindle goug. Is it just your opinion or have you found specific information backing you up? I'm not poking at you. I'm serious. I consider you one of my mentors. When I decided to start woodturning. I found your channel and subscribed immediately. I think you are very talented. And very knowledgeable. Also, I dont like to just call it gospel. Meaning where does the reasoning come from. So could you possibly provide that info? It's actually quite the subject across the turning world. Thanks.

[@ericbrown9251]

I made some Shellac out of unwaxed flakes and DNA. It was very sticky. I could barely get it applied before it was too sticky to use. I had to add some BLO to make it usable. Did I do it wrong? I used your formula, even added extra DNA.

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Eric, it sounds like you could add more DNA to thin the mix.

[@easproul]

Love the piece, I'm a big fan of spalted wood. The ethanol you linked to also contains "n-heptane" which sounds like some kind of oil. You said you didn't like the DA's that are sold as "fuel" for this reason. Is the linked product really what you're using?

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Yes, they've started adding oil to make it "fuel." You're better off using straight ethanol, which can be expensive. Happy Turning!

[@jrneff9773]

is there a test to send to a lab and tell you what wood it is?

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Not that I'm aware of. There's a book that shows the end-grain wood cells. Each tree species has a different signature. Happy Turning!

[@BobBlarneystone]

Ethanol is the only alcohol that solubilizes shellac. Other alcohols (methanol & propanol) do not, but they will evaporate. The Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) states the composition.

[@bwrightaway2877]

👍 #157

[@davidanderson5767]

Boy. You aren't kidding about the spalt being dramatic.

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

David, I know right?! ;) Happy Turning!

[@jarmstrong2843]

FUNGI ( spalting)Humor / Pun: A Boy toadstool asked a girl toadstool out on a date. She turned him down. He asked Why? I'm really a fungi.😱

[@neekniggit3606]

There's a fungus amongus.😅

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

LOL

[@AndrewOvenden]

Whose. Sorry, I had to.

[@TurnAWoodBowl]

Ah, yup. I see it now. ;)