Frustration

A chunk of red stained Box Elder I started hollowing yesterday. I got the blank from Mike Mahoney this summer and rough turned the outside a couple months ago.











Everything looks good and hollowing was going along well until I heard the telltale tick tick tick of metal on metal. Investigation revealed that there was a nail hidden on the inside of the blank.









The nail had to have been driven into the tree and then the tree grew over the nail over many years. There was no outward evidence that a nail was hidden inside.














I set about trying to chisel enough wood from around the nail to free it. Alas it was not to be as I chiseled a hole straight through the wall (from the inside). After taking some frustration out (the rest of the marks on the outside) I decided to cut it in half, mainly out of spite.















The most frustrating part is losing a nice piece of wood like this, the second most frustrating part is the I still can't get the stupid nail out.

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Day Three: Highs and Lows

Friday night - my work week is done, Judy's at quilting until Midnight, and the kids are in bed. A little more hollowing and the Aspen hollow form from the last couple of days is ready to reverse and finish. Unless - disaster strikes. Yes, that's a crack, no it can't be repaired. It's almost never a good thing when the inside ends up bigger than the outside.







Not one to give up easily I mounted the other half of the same log and got started. This one also has a pink/purple streak plus a fair amount of very fine curl, and a pair of piths that should look fantastic on both sides of the opening.










Initial shaping is complete and hollowing has started (you can see the cutting tip on the right hand side of the photo, just to the right of the tool rest. There was a large crack in the piece, it is being filled with a crushed turquoise/epoxy mixture.









Hollowing complete, reverse chucked and finishing the final shape and cleaning up the base. I kept this a bit thicker than the first one and checked the thickness often.










Turned and ready for finish.

5 1/4" diameter, 9 1/2" tall.














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