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A few weekends ago I spent a pleasant morning with a new friend cutting down his diseased Ornamental Plum. He was sad to see it go as it was an old friend, but felt it best for a woodworker to make something of it, rather than burn it. And as I cut into it, was glad I'd taken the project on, because this wood is really pretty.

I spent several more hours that weekend processing the largest part of the trunk into blanks and coating the end grain with Latex paint. And then just for fun I made the first cute little bowl you see in the last three pix. It's turned really thin and so it's moving pretty good as the wood dries out and contracts.

This past weekend I processed some more of it and turned two more bowls. They are all moving delightfully as the moisture leaves and the wood contracts. The previously round bottoms are now oval shaped, and the wings are dipping down on one side, and waving up on the other.

And this wood is… well… Plum gorgeous!

About 5-7 inches wide, and 1.5 to 2 inches tall. Finished with two coats of wipe on Polyurethane.

Gallery

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Those look pretty. The grains and the color, along with the turning aspect of the project. It would be a little scary turning them, I would think.
 

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bad asssssss!!!!!!!!!!!
 

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I really like these 'bowls' Great looking wood and shapes.
 

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Nice work. They look great, and I agree, plum is beautiful wood.
 

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Great job. How do you reverse chuck these to clean up the bottoms? I don't think my wide jaws would work with a live edge.
 

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You certainly done the tree justice, gorgeous timber
 

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Those are really cool. I've got to ask also, "how did you chuck those up?"

Beautiful
 

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Those bowls are a great way to memorialize the old tree and prolong its usefullness. BTW they are gorgeous!
 

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Those look pretty. The grains and the color, along with the turning aspect of the project. It would be a little scary turning them, I would think.

- Eric
Thanks Eric.
Yes, one does learn to keep the knuckles out of the way.
One thing that helped on these is that they're not really that big. If you get a big one on, then it IS really scary.
 

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bad asssssss!!!!!!!!!!!

- pottz
Thanks!
Ha ha! I suppose you're referring to the wings slinging around like a propeller. I've had a lesson or two… It only takes one to get your attention back.
 

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I really like these bowls Great looking wood and shapes.

- socrbent
Thank you sir! I'm hoping to do several more, and maybe vary the shapes a bit.
 

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Nice work. They look great, and I agree, plum is beautiful wood.

- swirt
Thanks! When I cut these logs open, the color was just magnificent… Had some nice purple colors deep in the heart!
 

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bad asssssss!!!!!!!!!!!

- pottz

Thanks!
Ha ha! I suppose you re referring to the wings slinging around like a propeller. I ve had a lesson or two… It only takes one to get your attention back.

- Underdog
yeah that scares the hell outta me.ill do it though,someday-lol.
 

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Great job. How do you reverse chuck these to clean up the bottoms? I don t think my wide jaws would work with a live edge.

- bobasaurus
Thanks Bob!
First thing I do is to drill a hole for a worm screw on the top side. Then mount it on the chuck/worm screw w/ bark side toward the stailstock. Then I bring the tail stock center up to the bottom. Turn the tenon, and perhaps I'll turn it a couple of times without the tails stock to get rid of the bark. But then I bring the tails stock back up to make a center mark. This is important when turning off the tenon.

Once I get the bottom side shaped, sanded, and finished, I reverse chuck it with the tenon in the chuck, and turn, sand and finish the wings and inside of the bowl. A right angle drill and a hook&loop sanding mandrel work wonders to smooth it all out. Sometimes I have to stop and sand the wings down to get rid of tool marks.

I take the bowl off the lathe and the next step is to make a jam chuck to fit the inside of the bowl. I use some paper towel or foam rubber to keep from marring the bottom of the bowl. So I turn it to the previous orientation with the bottom toward the tailstock again. I get it all centered using the previously made center mark on the bottom of the tenon.

Leaving the tailstock center in place, I carefully turn off most of the tenon, until there's just about 3/8 to 1/4 inch left right under teh base. I try to undercut the rim of the foot so that the bowl will sit flat. I usually turn the ring with a tiny skew shape made from one of these mechanic picky tools.

Once that's done, I remove the bowl from the lathe, and carefully break off the remaining tenon trying to leave a little proud so I can pare away the rest with a small gouge. Sand then finish.

Clear as mud? Hopefully not and this helps.
 

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You certainly done the tree justice, gorgeous timber

- crowie
Thanks. I hope my new friend thinks so too!
 

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Those are really cool. I've got to ask also, "how did you chuck those up?"

Beautiful

- Brodan
Thanks! See my response to Bob (asaurus)
 

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Those bowls are a great way to memorialize the old tree and prolong its usefullness. BTW they are gorgeous!

- tyvekboy
Thank you! I'm going to offer my new friend first choice of several pieces made from this wood.
 

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Very cool bowls, even though I've been doing woodworking for a long time,I've just started bowl turning 6 months ago,I can imagine with a turning like this you have to be very careful not to get your hands hit by the winged part of the bowl. keep up the great work they look great.
 
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