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Bark inclusions in rim, yea or nay?

Roger Wiegand

Roger Wiegand

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www.carouselorgan.com
I've got a set of cored bowls taken from a very large maple burl. Too late to go back and re-think how best to use the burl. Working on the second-largest bowl, I decided to keep the white sapwood as well as a the bark inclusions that were near the rim. I thought it looked kind of cool. DW, whose aesthetic sense far exceeds mine, says it looks like an accident to her, "the kind of thing only a woodturner would love". This one is what it is, but the largest bowl (~18" diameter) is still on the lathe and I need to decide whether to make it 3-4" shallower to eliminate the similar inclusions. It may be an instance of making the largest bowl vs the best bowl from a given piece of wood. I don't love the inclusions, but I do love the color contrast in the wood. The bowl is unfinished at this point.
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Everyone has their own tastes. Personally, I love the grain of that wood and would keep inclusions that are below the rim if I could but would strive to have a continuous rim that was not broken by bark if that were possible. I think that would mean loosing about 1"-1.5" in the pic shown. My two cents
 
I vote keep. Many of my bowls feature such unique features - it begins to straddle the lines between art and function, but the visual interest is intensified.
 
In general I like bark inclusions but this example doesn't work for me. I might try to create a "faux" continuous natural edge by carving and wood burning. If it didn't come out to my satisfaction, I would cut the rim back like Ron S. mentioned.
 
I would definitely keep it. I like the look and have found that unique, natural, beauty through imperfection kind of items like this actually sell well for me at markets. If you decide to do something then a colored epoxy fill to match the rim profile would be an option but not what I would do.
 
Roger Wiegand said:
I've got a set of cored bowls taken from a very large maple burl. Too late to go back and re-think how best to use the burl. Working on the second-largest bowl, I decided to keep the white sapwood as well as a the bark inclusions that were near the rim. I thought it looked kind of cool. DW, whose aesthetic sense far exceeds mine, says it looks like an accident to her, "the kind of thing only a woodturner would love". This one is what it is, but the largest bowl (~18" diameter) is still on the lathe and I need to decide whether to make it 3-4" shallower to eliminate the similar inclusions. It may be an instance of making the largest bowl vs the best bowl from a given piece of wood. I don't love the inclusions, but I do love the color contrast in the wood. The bowl is unfinished at this point.
View attachment 49355View attachment 49356
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The bowl is balanced in the tonal range from light to dark, so I would favor keeping that inclusion. It's a natural being that existed. It gives you a work of art that is independent of others.
 
I personally am a big fan of natural and real. However, if this is a 3 bowl set, for me anyway that means a utility project, so I'm conflicted. Also, I see the value in a continuous rim, as others mentioned.

You have an inclusion in the front right of the second picture that if 'removed' would make a very shallow, possibly useless, bowl. If that inclusion is going to have to remain, in this and the larger bowl, then perhaps it's inescapably an artistic set, and it would be OK to leave them all. You have really nice wood, so any answer is going to make a very nice result.
 
Well, for me, I figure it is when, not if, that those pieces of bark fall off. For a more decorative piece, they work. For a daily use piece, they don't work. I did do some natural edge pieces, and it seemed that some one would pick them up by the bark and break it off.... Don't do them any more.... I really like utilitarian pieces.

robo hippy
 
It’s a makers choice - please yourself.
Thin CA will harden the bark and help hold it in place.
The bark will not hold up to daily use.
If you pull the bark off you will likely have several dangerously sharp edges that can be dulled with abrasives.
You have already lost some bark on this piece - my own rule is - I take the bark off if I loose a piece sort of all or none.
 
I would take it down to the bark so the divot is gone but leave the bark that way you wouldn't loose much rim height. I would also harden the bark with ca glue. Just my opinion, everyone has different likes and dislikes. It's your's so whatever you want goes.
 
Thanks for all the thoughts! I can't say that I've gained true enlightenment, but on the bigger bowl I did turn it down to a continuous rim and saturated the bark that was left with thin CA. The bark on it was less interesting than this one. I'm going to sit on this one for a while (it's been three years since they were roughed out, so I'm not in a hurry, and perhaps see if the craft shop where I sell stuff will take it. They generally aren't big on art pieces. Right now they are a set of four bowls, but I have no market for such a set and they aren't identical in form, I'll plan on selling or gifting them individually.

I've practiced a lot more and gotten much more comfortable with NE bowls since coring this burl, I'd almost certainly go for a full natural edge were I doing it again.
 
Michael Nathal said:
In general I like bark inclusions but this example doesn't work for me. I might try to create a "faux" continuous natural edge by carving and wood burning. If it didn't come out to my satisfaction, I would cut the rim back like Ron S. mentioned.
Click to expand...
This is an interesting idea, my wife actually asked if I could burn the edge. Need to think about it!
 
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