Last year (2011), my friend Jim Adkins gifted me a very large block of redwood. Somewhere around 10" cubed. Even through the chainsaw marks, you could faintly make out the distinctive appearance of figure. This block felt dry and I knew that someday I would turn it and I wouldn't have to worry about roughing and re-turning.
Now comes the stress. Time after time I would stare at this block and think " I would really like to turn this, but don't want to mess it up." And time after time I passed, afraid of ruining this giant block of a wood that is super rare in Kansas. Plus I wanted to "do it justice" and turn the largest form I could out of the blank.
Forward to last week and as I was trying to get some projects finished up for SWAT in Waco, my wife said I should make something out of the wood Jim gave me. More stress! So I picked it up .....again....and off to the band saw to square it up. I needed to slice 1" off one side and after I committed, MORE STRESS....as the figure was revealed. Little eyes and figure everywhere! This was a block of redwood BURL!!! So on to the lathe and I just decided to go for it. Here is the end result. I am very pleased on several accounts. 1st, that I didn't destroy it and 2nd that this is my largest hollow form to date.
Anyone going to SWAT, can see this one in person. Hope Jim approves!!
7 1/2" wide x 7" tall. 7/8" hole, a little less than 1/4" thick. 4 coats of tung oil finish, 5 coats of WOP, beal buffed and Ren wax.
Comments and critiques welcome, thanks.
