Green Cherry Burl Bowl

[David Chance]

I like to throw some questions out to some of you that have some experience turning bowls from large green hurls, in this case cherry.
1. Should a Burl bowl be roughed out like a regular bowl with a 1:10 thickness to allow for drying? With the grain direction changes, soft spots and voids how should I allow for changes during the drying process? Can this be turned to the final thickness with some alternative treatment?
2. Soft spot, bark, voids and stability. I have use thin CA for some small parts in the past. What are your thoughts on wood stabilizers such as a PC Petrifier wood hardener?

I have attached my current project. I appreciate any help and advice.

 

[Dave Landers]

Every piece is different, but I usually turn burls straight to final size/thickness.
If it does move when it dries, it will hardly be noticeable against the backdrop of the burl figure.
One consideration I'd make for movement would be to have a foot on the bowl that can be sanded flat if/when/after it moves.

If I have any doubt at all about bark staying on all by itself, I'll remove it. Sometimes this requires prying or picking at it with various tools - from chisels to awls to wire brushes. I often leave bark on while turning for the tiny bit of structure it provides (unless it's going to turn into projectiles). But since I'm incorporating the bark voids into the final piece, sometimes the bark has to go early so I can see the voids developing.

I personally don't like wood stabilizers - the few times I've tried them (like the minwax stuff) I've had limited success and just felt like I was turning the wood into plastic. YMMV.
If there's small sections of soft/punky wood, I'd consider treating it like bark and removing it - in such a way that a sorta natural-looking void is left.
Bigger areas of soft punky wood - choice is to remove it (make smaller things) or do the stabilizer stuff.

$0.02 value - for free!

 

[David Chance]

Thanks for getting back David. That is what I was thinking but this is only the second fairly large Burl that I have done and it is very green where as the first one was from a tree that had begun to die so half green, half dry. On the first one I took it all the way and after sanding, saturated it with tung oil. After several coats it turned out great. Thanks again for your advice.