# Spalted Maple Bowl



## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

I'm almost finished this bowl but I have a few questions. First off here's some pictures.


















As you can see it is quite spalted and was getting harder to get a really clean cut. (Puncky) but just like with a few other things to follow I decided to keep it as is. 










This is a crack in it. This blank dried for about 8 months before i turned it and it seemed pretty dry. I sure hope it don't split are warp because I did this in one turning start to finish. I put med CA in the cracks, filled them good then made a few more cutting 
passes to finish.










If anyone has suggestions about how to avoid these issues or correct something I missed, Please don't be shy.


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

thats a good looking bowl:thumbsup:
surely its not gonna crack any more after that much drying


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## txpaulie (Jul 21, 2010)

Bueatiful stuff!

I think cracking is just warping that didn't happen, and vice versa...

I believe that we rough a form down to allow it to warp a bit before final turning, in the hopes that it doesn't check on us...

It may be that the rough form was not thin enough to warp, therefore...cracks!:blink:

Please understand that I DO NOT follow my own advice, and generally turn what I got to final shape, and often have to live with a bit of warping at the end!:laughing:

p


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## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

A bowl blank that is 8 months old is probably not dry yet and may be why it cracked. The other possibility is simply the crack was there before you started and just showed itself as you cut into it. 
Usually a bowl won't crack as your turning it unless it takes a very long time or you leave it overnight or in my case the afternoon sun hits it and kid of force dries the outside. As wood dries it shrinks, if the outside tries to shrink and the inside is still wet, well you get cracks. 
You can spray the outside with water while your turning to keep it as wet as the inside. You can rough out the bowl and place it in a paper sack and let it dry for a while. Very green bowls that are rough turned to about an inch thick will take 6 months to dry in my shop. It varies greatly with different wood species and parts of the country. Simply weight the bowl. When is stops losing weight it's dry.


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

I usually rough turn and the bag it as you said John. This one the shavings were not wet and some were hot at times. I'm thinking it's dried and very well spalted and that it shouldn't warp or crack. Well maybe hoping at this point.


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

What is the best way to get a clean cut and smooth finish with this punky wood? I sharpened me gouge, used light passes and was still getting some small tear out. I sanded as best as I could and kept it like that, a more natural look.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

The pictures don't do it justice! RR brought it by my shop this morn when he visited and I have to say it looks damn awesome! Nice work, man!

btw, the Site Visit went extremely well... I'll call you about it later...


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## Brink (Nov 22, 2010)

I can say I have 0 answers or advice.

I do think that bowl is awesome! Looks like is made of marble. I can't get over the look of that spalted maple.


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

Rr, there is no good way with wood that punky, just sharp tools, light cuts and lots of CA if too soft. Bowl looks great.


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

sawdustfactory said:


> Rr, there is no good way with wood that punky, just sharp tools, light cuts and lots of CA if too soft. Bowl looks great.


That's what I thought. So I stopped before i messed it up.:laughing:


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

Hence my signature line. ;-)


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

rrbrown said:


> What is the best way to get a clean cut and smooth finish with this punky wood? I sharpened me gouge, used light passes and was still getting some small tear out. I sanded as best as I could and kept it like that, a more natural look.


I have a couple of pieces of salted maple that I am trying to turn. I was advised to coat it with lacquer prior to doing the finish cut. There are commercial products to stabilize punky wood. One is , PolycryI have never used and it is expensive. $16.95 for a quart.
Tom


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

TomC said:


> I have a couple of pieces of salted maple that I am trying to turn. I was advised to coat it with lacquer prior to doing the finish cut. There are commercial products to stabilize punky wood. One is , PolycryI have never used and it is expensive. $16.95 for a quart.
> Tom


One of Firemedics friends told me about the Polycrylic the other day. I may have to get some to try.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

rrbrown said:


> One of Firemedics friends told me about the Polycrylic the other day. I may have to get some to try.


Didn't Hugh say you thin it with something?... Water maybe? Anyway, that would make it cheaper /vol ...?


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

firemedic said:


> Didn't Hugh say you thin it with something?... Water maybe? Anyway, that would make it cheaper /vol ...?



Yep, he did and it would.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Brink said:


> I do think that bowl is awesome! Looks like is made of marble. I can't get over the look of that spalted maple.


Goes for me too.









 







.


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

rrbrown said:


> One of Firemedics friends told me about the Polycrylic the other day. I may have to get some to try.


Let us know how it works. I may want to order a quart.
Tom


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

Ok this might sound stupid but the blank I used was marked Spalted Maple. I just turned another bowl from Spalted Oak it it looks very similar in color just without the marble look. I'm going to post a picture of it later tonight but I think this blank was marked wrong and it's actually Spalted oak not Maple.

Oh the stupid part comes from me marking the blanks.:laughing:


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## txpaulie (Jul 21, 2010)

Looks like maple to me!

I've used the Minwax wood hardener...
Works, but double the cost of the blank!:huh:

p


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

Yeah I turned the Spalted oak and there is a difference for sure. The open grain is the biggest give away. I'm not that good at telling what type of woods most of the time and I thought I seen something that wasn't there I guess.


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