• The forum upgrades have been completed. These were moderate security fixes from our software vendor and it looks like everything is working well. If you see any problems please post in the Forum Technical Support forum or email us at forum_moderator (at) aawforum.org. Thank you
  • Congratulations to Bernie Hyrtzak, People's Choice in the January 2026 Turning Challenge (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Matt Carvalho for "Red Mallee Folded Form" being selected as Turning of the Week for February 9, 2026 (click here for details)
  • AAW Symposium demonstrators announced - If the 2026 AAW International Woodturning Symposium is not on your calendar, now is the time to register. And there are discounts available if you sign up early, by Feb. 28. Early Bird pricing gives you the best rate for our 40th Anniversary Symposium in Raleigh, North Carolina, June 4–7, 2026. (There are discounts for AAW chapter members too) For more information vist the discussion thread here or the AAW registration page
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

Small rhododendron NE hollow form. PICs

Joined
Dec 29, 2004
Messages
67
Likes
0
Location
Longview, WA
Website
www.woodnheart.com
Rhododendron burl from wood I was given in August. The tree had been down and cut into firewood lengths for about a week before it was given to me. The waxed blank sat outside my shop until early November when I roughed it out. I wrote the date on the bottom with a new gel pen and it disappeared while soaking in alcohol. Not all gel pens are created equal. The roughed out hollow form soaked about a week before I had a chance to take it out. It was roughed out to about 1/4". Top through the neck is 1/16" thick. Thickness increases midway through the body to 1/8" at the base.


Nice eyes on the low side. Base 1 1/4". Body 2 1/4 maximum and neck 1 3/4".

[url=http://www.woodnheart.com]

Some flame figure on the high side. Height is 3 7/8".



The data card for the hollow form. I took the piece out of the alcohol on the 12th and wrapped it but didn’t take the first weight until 24 hours later. All weights are in grams. The piece was effectively dry on the 17th when I took a long weekend. It only lost 3 grams over the next week before finial turning it on the 24th. Finished piece weighs 33 grams.

The number (224) is the sample weight of the soaking solution when I took the piece out and corresponds to 92% alcohol.

Sanded to 600 initially and between coats. Finished with 2 coats of Rockler’s Gel Polyurethane. No buffing.

I asked about turning rhododendron a couple months ago and the advise was it will crack and split no matter what I do. I beg to differ with the advise. I also have two crotch bowls that also dried without cracking or excessive warping.

Comments welcome.

Dave Smith

I can turn most anything no matter how long it takes in Longview, WA.
 
Back
Top