20-inch Burl | Woodturning

A beautiful bowl came out of a 20-inch maple burl. The challenge with this project was the very soft and loose heartwood, which made the outcome far from guaranteed. After six months of drying in a bag filled with oak shavings, I decided it was time for the final shaping. The exterior wood had hardened enough, and the only real question was how attractive the grain would turn out. I sanded the outside from 120 to 4000 grit. I didn’t want to apply oil or wax to the outer surface—it felt more appropriate to emphasize the natural beauty of the burl itself. The inside, however, was a different story. To avoid excessive tear-out and surface pitting caused by the unstable grain structure, I had to resharpen my NRS constantly and remove only minimal material with each pass. My goal for the interior was to bring out the depth and warmth of the wood’s color, to contrast it with the lighter tones of the exterior. I sanded the inside from 80 to 180 grit and applied linseed oil, which gave the wood a soft yellow tint. Despite some micro-defects in the grain, the interior surface came out beautifully. Under close inspection, you can still see fine sanding lines—unfortunately, no trick could fully eliminate them, though I did my best to keep them minimal. A special charm comes from the spalting, which runs in fine, delicate patterns across the entire surface of the bowl. CAUTION: In the video shown, using gloves on lathe IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED for safety reasons! I'm forced to use them because of my skin allergy to wood dust. Therefore, I have to work slowly and with my fingers at a distance than when working without gloves. In responsible and dangerous situations, I work without gloves. ALWAYS FOLLOW SAFETY PRECAUTIONS! #WoodturningForBeginners #WoodturningArt #WoodCraft #Woodworking #LatheTurning #WoodworkingTechniques #woodturning #diy #woodworking 🪵Patreon:   / woodenboy   📸Instagram:   / woodengoldenboy