A Maple Burl Platter: The Perfect House-Warming Gift

 

This weekend we were visited by a group of women, who were having a few days of fun and relaxation at a neighbour's cottage.  This was great incentive for Brian and me to take stock of his recent work, decide on pricing and tidy up the workshop.  It is a big stretch to make the transformation from workshop to studio and we were happy to see the quality of the pieces Brian has produced so far this winter.  Brian always enjoys giving a tour of his workshop.

The look on Beth's face tells the story of how excited she was to find the perfect house-warming gift for her daughter and son-in-law.



The platter began as a slab from a huge maple burl.  Brian scribed the circle and used the band saw to make the round.



The faceplate was screwed into the face of the burl and it was mounted on the lathe.  The slab was so heavy and large that Brian supported it with the tailstock as he turned the bottom.

Once the bottom was rough-turned, the expansion chuck was attached so he could turn the face of the platter.

The burl turned at about 800 RPMs as Brian carved the shape of the top of the platter with his gouge.  It takes a steady hand especially on the irregular bark edges.

Now it was time to turn off the bottom of the platter using the vacuum chuck to keep the platter centred.  The finishing of the piece takes about a week as coats of oil are applied, allowed to dry and then buffed to a perfect shine.  Brian's skill and years of experience create a hard and durable food-safe finish.

I called Beth and she said that her daughter and son-in-law loved their gift.  She knew that a large platter would be used often in their new home as they enjoy entertaining and take pleasure in how they present food to their guests.

This stunning platter, with its interesting grain, variations in colour and irregular bark edge will be a beautiful addition to their home.

HAS Heart Exhibition: A Broken Heart

Brian is proud that his yellow birch burl was chosen to be part of the Huntsville Art Society "Heart" exhibition, which explores through various media "heartfelt, heartbreaking and heart warming discoveries".  The show runs through February Heart Month with the opening night on Friday, February 4th from 6 pm to 8 pm at The Art Space Gallery.

A Broken Heart: Yellow Birch Burl by Brian Markham

"Just before Christmas I attended a funeral for a young man who died tragically in a fire.  I saw the family and community express profound sorrow with dignity and courage.  This heart-shaped yellow birch burl, with its flaws and imperfections, epitomizes the fragile strength and beauty of a broken heart."

For more information about the show www.huntsvilleartsociety.ca

Brian's First Burl Bowl

About twenty years ago, Brian made me this unique burl bowl and it remains one of my favourites. Burls are irregular growths that form on the side of trees in response to injury, broken branches, mould or insects which cause stress to the tree.  These rounded, bark-covered knobs are highly prized for their erratic patterns and peculiar grains.

This maple burl is very special because Brian cut it from a maple tree on my family farm.  He was walking in the bush and saw the gnarled growth on the side of a tree.  Brian was able to cut it off without injuring the tree and turned his first burl.  The result is a vessel of highly-figured unexpected beauty.  Our family farm has been sold but I have this extraordinary bowl as a reminder of my roots.

Turning Ash: Bowl and Baseball Bat

Brian has turned white ash only a few times in his life.  Ash is straight-grained, open-pored, and strong, with a high level of shock resistance.  These characteristics make it the wood of choice for baseball bats, canoe paddles and hockey sticks.

The colour of ash heartwood tends to be pale white or yellow but the dark brown sapwood of this ash bowl give it a distinctive, interesting look.

Its appearance immediately makes me think of a baseball bat. 

Brian's introduction to wood turning was in his Grandfather's workshop, where he had his first opportunity to use a lathe.  Brian was 8-years-old when he turned this baseball bat.  It was just the right size for a young fellow and both of our sons played with it when they were boys.  Maybe when our granddaughters are older they will be the third generation of Markham's to hit a home run with Brian's bat.

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.

Cherry Salad Bowl with Veneer Inlay

Back to work after the New Year's break, Brian has made a very large cherry bowl which is perfect for serving Caesar Salad to a crowd.  He turned the bowl on the lathe first, then made a recess the exact size of the wood veneer inlay.  The inlay was glued into place on the upper edge of the bowl, then sanded and oiled.

This photograph shows the bowl drying after the bottom was turned off.  It displays the grain  and figuring of the wood and the contrast of the inlaid veneer.  This bowl will become more beautiful in time as cherry develops a richer colour as it ages.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!  We have had a wonderful Christmas season with family and friends, with fun in the snow, ice fishing and skating on the lake.  2011 promises to be a year of creativity for Limberlost Woodturning as Brian continues to love his time in the workshop.