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Crazy mulberry

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Aug 4, 2020
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I got this mulberry wood today for free via Craigslist. I’ve never seen these red patterns before. Is this common in mulberry?

Edit 2020-08-07: Sorry, everyone! I didn't read the rules about image posting, and posted those pics to the gallery. They were rightly removed. Here's the original photo:

IMG_4285.jpg
 
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Joined
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Martinsville, VA
a green bowl will wrap....hf green will hold its shape as long as opening smaller than width.....pretty much all woods except that Texas wood
 
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Box elder turns very easily, is soft, and not prone to cracking. It can be a little stringy when turned wet, so a shearing cut is required. That little hollow form I posted just weighs ounces, wall thickness of 3/32, turned from green to finished in one session.
 
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Location
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Box elder turns very easily, is soft, and not prone to cracking. It can be a little stringy when turned wet, so a shearing cut is required. That little hollow form I posted just weighs ounces, wall thickness of 3/32, turned from green to finished in one session.
Good to know. I rough-turned the first piece, but I think I'll fully turn the next one and see how it turns out.

IMG_4289.jpeg
 
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Larimore, ND
Bleach in box Elder will Take out the yellow and turn it white which makes the red pop.
These were bleached and then finished with a water based poly with uv inhibited added.


I have a shed full of box-elder, love the color! When you say bleached, how do I go about that? I want the red to pop and the rest like your examples, white. Full strength or diluted, soak it, how long? I have some Elm with coloring, would it also work for that species?

I've found when using this wood, if I turn small bowls/boxes, I can microwave for 1.5 minutes and it dries out pretty good with little to no warping (saw it in a video). Wife will make comments about the smell so I do it when she's off doing her thing.
 

hockenbery

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When you say bleached, how do I go about that? I want the red to pop and the rest like your examples, white. Full strength or diluted, soak it, how long?

I use 2 part wood bleach by Klean Strip. There was an article in the AAW journal on making you own.
Pretty simple. Part A Is mostly lye and part B is mostly hydrogen peroxide.
Klean strip is hard to get now. Home Depot stopped carrying it a long time back.

I Wear goggles and nitrile gloves.
I mix the two parts and use a foam brush to wet the whole piece. When it dries it bleaches.
Putting the piece in the sun on a nice day can speed. Takes about an hour to dry.
A second bleach coat is seldom necessary but can be done as soon as the first is dry if you think it needs it.
 
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I went back for one piece of box elder that was left. What would be the best way to process this for bowls and/or platters, given the shape? I've really only processed much rounder stuff so far.

(Human added for scale.)
 

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hockenbery

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I went back for one piece of box elder that was left. What would be the best way to process this for bowls and/or platters, given the shape? I've really only processed much rounder stuff so far.

(Human added for scale.)

Darrel , these buttresses/ lobes offer some excellent natural edge opportunities. The oval ness of the one at the top will give really high end wings for a dramatic rim.

piece A on the right will have a really cool lookin rim on the end facing. If the indent goes to the other end that would be extra if not you will have terrific NE Rim with a more regular rim on the other end sort of a heart shape.

all the other lobes offer similar rims. These are rims you rarely get from logs.


0375B4BF-942D-48C6-B3C9-FC530C580DEB.jpeg

This bowl about 12” diameter came from a beech tree with a similar base to you box elder.
Something like piece “A” but a deeper notch than yours appears to have. This piece looks so much better without the bark.

36C9C221-ED54-47FF-B563-A02341395F25.jpeg
 
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Joined
Aug 4, 2020
Messages
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Location
Kingston, NY
Darrel , these buttresses/ lobes offer some excellent natural edge opportunities. The oval ness of the one at the top will give really high end wings for a dramatic rim.

piece A on the right will have a really cool lookin rim on the end facing. If the indent goes to the other end that would be extra if not you will have terrific NE Rim with a more regular rim on the other end sort of a heart shape.

all the other lobes offer similar rims. These are rims you rarely get from logs.


View attachment 34520

This bowl about 12” diameter came from a beech tree with a similar base to you box elder.
Something like piece “A” but a deeper notch than yours appears to have. This piece looks so much better without the bark.

View attachment 34521
Thanks a lot, Al. I need to get tools for hollowing so I can advance to vases and hollow forms. For now, I’m making NE bowls from this box elder and it’s lovely.
 
Joined
Aug 8, 2020
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Location
Kokomo, IN
yep mulberry is positively bright yellow for a while after it is fresh cut. like all wood will darken in time. I have a bowl I did years ago in now a light brown. I turned it green, few days later took in the factory and sand blasted it in a cabinet sand blaster. tis a neat effect. a wire wheel will do the same but limited. you got a better deal with the box elder, but NOT all Box elder has the red.
 
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