Turning of the week for May 19, 2025

[Odie]

When I first viewed Marc Banka's elegant Maple burl bowl, I was taken by surprise when I read this is actually Maple. Usually, I know instantly that the appearance of the wood in other turnings was created and not naturally occurring. This is something I may try myself someday!

It might not be nice to fool Mother Nature......but, this one fooled me.....and it has a great visual appeal!

Nice one Marc......

Question for Marc: What is your feeling about the ratio of India ink to D.O. you used?.....and what was it? Are there any words of wisdom from you regarding this technique? (Edit note: Marc answers this question in the comment section of his posting.)

=o=

Maple burl

• Marc Banka
• May 11, 2025
• 8

A new design for me. Maple burl bowl- 8 x 5 inches. The shape seems to harken back to an earlier...

 

[Tom Gall]

Congratulations, Marc. Love everything about this piece. The end result of your "finish" is similar to the usual way - apply dye/stain and then sanding back (x2 or 3 applications) and then the final finish (DO) ..... and without all that extra work!!! Hope you try this technique again with future work - perhaps with other colors.
Good choice, Odie.

 

[Marc Banka]

Congratulations, Marc. Love everything about this piece. The end result of your "finish" is similar to the usual way - apply dye/stain and then sanding back (x2 or 3 applications) and then the final finish (DO) ..... and without all that extra work!!! Hope you try this technique again with future work - perhaps with other colors.
Good choice, Odie.

Thank you, Tom! I don’t have much experience with dyeing and sanding back. I hadn’t thought through the similarities — interesting.
I was finishing a Sweetgum low calabash. The wood had spalted, not in beautiful patterns, but large areas that were bleached. Not a good look, imo. Since the bleached areas were softer than the surrounding wood, I figured something like ink would darken the bleached areas the most, but didn’t want to completely ink the harder, darker areas. The ink mixed with basically a DO would allow me to control the effect.

I’ve found it a crap-shoot every time I use it. It’s generally worked as I hoped.

This is the Sweetgum piece. It’s 17 inches across

 

[Marc Banka]

When I first viewed Marc Banka's elegant Maple burl bowl, I was taken by surprise when I read this is actually Maple. Usually, I know instantly that the appearance of the wood in other turnings was created and not naturally occurring. This is something I may try myself someday!

It might not be nice to fool Mother Nature......but, this one fooled me.....and it has a great visual appeal!

Nice one Marc......

Question for Marc: What is your feeling about the ratio of India ink to D.O. you used?.....and what was it? Are there any words of wisdom from you regarding this technique? (Edit note: Marc answers this question in the comment section of his posting.)

=o=

Maple burl

• Marc Banka
• May 11, 2025
• 8

A new design for me. Maple burl bowl- 8 x 5 inches. The shape seems to harken back to an earlier...

Odie,

Thank you so much for this honor! And thanks for your comment about the coloring, that it looks natural.
Although I’ve used the method before, with Sweetgum and Ash, I hadn’t tried it on burl. The natural maple coloring I felt would be quiet and mousy. The varying densities should take the ink as to its hardness, so should give depth and interest, I hoped. Also, I felt that the form was strong, so should be at least ok, even if I had to paint it black. Best then, to just go-for-it. I’m glad the change was positive. Our work is all just one big experiment, after all.

I think the ink ratio was about 20%, more or less.

 

[Odie]

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[Jon Rista]

@Marc Banka This is one heck of a piece!! I like the shape. That is some truly phenomenal burl. The color is amazing, too... So this was some kind of inda ink blended finish? I'm guessing the darker tones are the india ink? Heck of an amazing result!

 

[Odie]

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[Odie]

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[Donna Banfield]

That's a beauty, Marc! Nice choice, Odie.