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Suggestions on what to do with this

William Rogers

William Rogers

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I have had this piece of odd maple sitting in my shop for about two years. Usually I can figure out something to make, but not this time. Is this worth making something? It is hollow inside and likely hollow in the center.

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With something like that, I would usually start by cutting off the ends - get closer to that gnarly middle blob to get a better idea what's there.
Sometimes with stuff like this, I end up taking bits off till there's nothing left. Sometimes I take off some and it goes back in the "what to do with it" pile.
Just from the pics, my inclination would be to aim for some sort of hollow form, (some of the hollowing is already done for you) .... But the hollow rotted core is one problem, the gnarly (branches?) are another (are they firm enough to become something other than projectiles?).... And how firm is the wood that's not obviously rot... If nothing else, might be good practice for getting something to stay on the lathe a with tenuous hold.
 
That bit to the right of the pith might make a good tool handle or other spindle blank.
 
I agree with Hugh. Too many bug holes, too much dry rot even on the "interesting" part of it for me, if it was in my yard it'd be on the firewood pile.
I tried doing Epoxied woods, and found that I greatly dislike the mess from the shavings, so I wouldn't even consider doing epoxied wood.. but I figure, to each their own.
 
Thanks for the input. Resin would be great, but I have never done resin except small things using polyester as I don’t have a pressure pot. Firewood is another good suggestion, but for now I am going to let it sit a while longer. I’ll probably take @Dave Landers advice and see if there is anything worth continuing doing with it.
 
I do not burn wood with critters inside, maybe outside fire if not transporting to campsite.
 
I recently finished a couple of similar odd pieces that I pondered for weeks trying to decide what to do with them. In the end I did as Dave mentioned, trimmed the ends until I got a better sense of what I had to work with. Ended up with two nice hollow forms with inclusion areas. Took a bit of turn a bit, reposition, turn a bit, reposition again, etc but if you accept the cracks, knots and inclusions as part of the look you might find a treasure in there. The key for mine was to view the ends to get just enough material for a stable neck opening and a bottom, even if off center from the pith. What happens in between was going to be whatever survived the process. From the pic of the end of the piece maybe you could get something like this out of it.
 

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You could do similar to what I did with a skinny cherry trunk that had a tiny burl growing off it. Cut as close as you can to the good part and start between centers sideways. Just stop and check it often for lose parts. Here's a video I made turning it.
View: https://youtu.be/IHBOgPW3g64
If you wanted to add resin you would just need a container just big enough for it to fit in after rough turning the outside. Paint mixing containers make cheap molds.
 
That's mesquite, pith is highlight not defect in mesquite
 
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