Huon Pine Puahala Calabash

I've turned quite a few calabashes, of this form and others, but this was one of the more stressful I've made. I had been saving the blank for over a year--turned quite thin, and no real margin for error. Fortunately, it worked out in the end.

Here are a couple of alternate views, one showing a really interesting flame-like pattern made by some undulating growth rings.




If you're not familiar with the works of Hape Kiddle and Carol Russell, follow the previous links. Eye candy and whimsy.

You did justice to that old timber Michael! Great choice of form for it.

Beautiful!

This makes me grateful for our old-growth forests; Yellow cedar looks nearly identical in color and smells good but has 100-200 growth rings per inch. The trees can be 10+ feet in diameter, but most people cut it for firewood. Our house is framed with it, it's cheaper than fir here. It turns well with a gouge, but what did you do the end grain hollowing with? I have worked with it a lot and eventually would like a hook tool.

I know next to nothing about the Calabash and all the variations on said "form(s)". But to me ... it's perfect!

Michael Anderson said:

I had been saving the blank for over a year--turned quite thin, and no real margin for error. Fortunately, it worked out in the end.

Click to expand...

It certainly did work out well in the end, Michael, very well!

I'm pleased to have given you the opportunity to turn at least one piece of Huon Pine... 🙂

Super piece Michael! The color is fantastic! That flame look on the grain reminds me of when I turn Cocobolo, like this piece. https://www.aawforum.org/community/media/cocobolo-round-edge-box.22694/

Thanks a lot everyone!

@Isaac Litster thats awesome about the Yellow Cedar. Sent me down a rabbit hole. I didn’t expect that it would be closely related to Leland Cypress. Amazingly slow-growing tree, and how cool that your house is framed with it! I need to get my hands on some now. Apparently it’s a great tonewood, too.

For hollowing these, I mainly use a 1/2” bowl gouge, and then make finishing cuts with a 3/8” bowl gouge. For the bottom, I finesse the inner curve with a left curved scraper and a hunter badger. Works pretty well. For more open forms I’ll sometimes use a ring tool. Funny you mentioned a hook tool. I have not used one before, but a few days ago ordered a couple to try out.

@Gabriel Hoff the flame!! Such cool patterns that emerge from wood grain 😃

I love the form, love your developed thickness Michael!! It’s important to remember that most wood is destined to rot so worry less about special blanks that arrive in your shop….they are the lucky ones, haha!

I knew this one was yours the second I saw it. Great job as always.

While I have you, was there a change made to posting images in replies to the gallery? I only get an option for a URL. There's no option to upload a file now.