Yellow Birch Burl-From Burl to Bowl

The process of making a bowl is most rewarding when it begins with cutting the burl from the tree.  A call from a woman in Novar about a dead yellow birch tree with an enormous burl on it was followed up with Brian's visit with the chainsaw.  This 3 foot section is just part of the total burl.



The burl was too large to turn on the inner section of the lathe so after the faceplate was attached, it was mounted on the outboard side of the lathe.  It weighed about 100 pounds.

With a very sharp gouge, Brian turned off the outer bark and shaped the bottom of the bowl.

The figuring and spalting of the bowl was revealed as it was shaped and buffed.

Burls are irregular growths that naturally occur on trees with variations in colour, grain and bark inclusions.  Brian turned the inside of the bowl, buffed it and gave it many coats of a food-safe finish.



Yellow Birch Burl Bowl

The finished yellow birch bowl is exceptional with a natural edge, beautiful figuring and a graceful shape.  The original owners of the tree visited Brian's workshop and decided that it must return to their home.  Their excitement as they left the workshop with the finished bowl was satisfying as they could truly appreciate the process from burl to bowl.

Box Elder Burl Bowl

The process of turning a beautiful burl bowl begins with a chainsaw.  Often the irregularly shaped knob from the side of the tree sits in the workshop for years until it is dry enough to turn.  Brian studies the burl and shapes it so that he can mount it on the lathe and sculpt it to its final form.

The grain of a burl is unknown until the tools begin to carve away the bark and the intricate patterns and colours are revealed.  Box elder has a very fine texture and often produces beautiful coral-coloured streaks.

Brian decided to create a bowl shape from this burl and used a very sharp gouge to make a graceful rounded form.

Brian then flipped the burl and attached a chuck to the bottom so that he could carve out the top.  He drilled a depth-finding hole and as the lathe rotated the burl, he turned out the interior of the bowl.  Already the bark inclusions, spalting and red streaks are visible.

A few inches of bark were left on the edge of the burl and the final sanding, oiling and buffing were completed.

The finishing process can take up to a week as the bowl is allow to dry between coats of oil and then mounted on the lathe for further applications. The result is a lustrous food-safe finish that enhances and protects the wood.

The final box elder burl bowl is a delight to behold.  The character of the forest is evident in the bark live edge, the intricate figuring and the dramatic natural colouring of the wood. 

This final photograph, taken by Kelly Hollinshead, demonstrates the inherent beauty of this rare and unique piece.

http://www.kellytheshutterbug.com/

Quilted Maple Platter

This beautiful maple platter has incredible texture, character and rare figuring.  What sets it apart from other wood is that it is quilted maple which has a wavy pattern, like ripples on water. Brian never knows what lies within the slab of wood until he turns it on the lathe.  The highly prized quilting, the variations of colour, the spalting and the bark edge make this an exquisite piece.

Keely called today, looking for a gift for a friend in Banff after visiting with her for a week.  The friend is an artist and Keely is pleased that she can show her appreciation by sending her this special quilted maple platter.

Spalted Maple Tray

A few weeks ago Brian & I walked into the curling club and saw this slab of spalted maple leaning against the wall.  Brian loves when people approach him with logs, burls and interesting wood and ask him if he can do anything with them.

When the dead limb of the maple tree in Deane's back yard fell, it was cut into pieces.  Most were stacked for firewood but this one was set aside because of the interesting, contrasting colours of the decaying heartwood. As wood sits in damp conditions, an organic process occurs where dark lines run though the material.  The spalting process ceases when the wood is dried.

Brian wasn't sure if the maple slab could be turned, as the decaying process may have been too far along but he attached the circular faceplate and screwed it onto the lathe.

As the maple slab rotated on the lathe, Brian used a very sharp gouge to shave away the layers of wood and establish the final shape of the bottom and top of the platter.  The centre was a bit soft but with careful, thin shaving and buffing, a smooth finish was achieved. 

The first application of oil is always fun because the contrasting colours and spalting in the wood become very evident.  The oil is applied on the lathe as the tray rotates to evenly coat the surface and allow the heat of the friction to force the oil deep into the wood.

The bottom of the tray is very distinctive with a small round base and contrasting colours.  Many coats of oil were applied with time for them to dry between applications.  This establishes a very durable, food-safe finish.

Deane and Wendy were amazed with the beauty of the finished tray.  They do a lot of entertaining and look forward to serving cheese and crackers on the platter made from the branch of their backyard maple tree.