Textured ash

[Les Symonds]

I've been pushing the boundaries a bit on the scorched work lately....one of my clients has commissioned several pieces and has given me a free rein to make what I like, so I'm making a series of pieces with common elements, yet all quite different. This is going to be the next piece to be delivered, and has been made from green ash. It measures about 15" x 8" (38cm x 20cm), and here's the process.....

• Wet-turn, keeping the surfaces hydrated throughout
• immediately scour the surface with a wire-wheel in a drill chuck
• dry slowly for about 5 weeks until weight is stable
• scorch surfaces until cracking just starts
• scour surfaces by hand with copper-bristled wire brush, removing all soot/carbon to leave a deep-brown surface
• scrub the surfaces with a tooth brush heavily laden with verdigris wax
• leave to dry for 24 hours, then hard-buff at high speed to remove the verdigris wax from all upper surfaces.....all deep indentations will now have hints of green behind a black foreground
• gently pat the surface with a cloth rubber (like the old French Polishing rubber) lightly laden with copper gilding cream
• leave to dry for 24 hours
• finally, apply and lightly buff a couple of coats of microcrystaline

What amazes me is the range of textures that have been achieved by the various angles at which the grain reaches the surface....the end grain is my favourite.











C&C always welcome...Les

[dubturner]

A beauty - love it.
If I was to raise a comment or question it would relate to the general issue of the transition between the texture and the untreated wood. Its a constant priority with me and I would usually have the transition on the horizontal surface or at a push on the side of the bowl not normally at an edge/corner.
Well done and the step by step guide is useful.
Well done
Pat

[Bryan Milham]

Artificially aging timber is very hard, certainly it cannot be done with ordinary stains, You've achieved it here though.

It looks like it's come straight off of a 17th Century farmhouse table. If it was not for the clean, smooth inside I's have said that's just where you found it.

[Les Symonds]

Thanks Pat and Bryan, your comments are appreciated.

Artificially aging timber is very hard, certainly it cannot be done with ordinary stains, You've achieved it here though.

It looks like it's come straight off of a 17th Century farmhouse table. If it was not for the clean, smooth inside I's have said that's just where you found it.

Bryan...I'm not happy with the inside. It's a similar texture to the outside, in that the grain has been scoured, but not scorched. The scouring seems to burn away all the loose fibers and the verdigris wax then leaves a good, smooth texture, but because the inside hasn't been scorched, the texture is such that any of the hotel's cleaners who dust the bowl will probably find that they leave lint off the duster on the surface.....there is head-scratching going on!
Les

[edbanger]

This is a stunner Les, the effect that you have created really works.

The detail you share will give others the chance to explore the endless possibility's that can be created when woodturning.

All the best

Ed 

[Eric Harvey]

great piece Les,love the look of it,cheers,

Eric.

[georg]

            You have certainly created an aged look with this piece Les ,  more importantly a very used look. Think
            the rim like you say would enhance the piece if perhaps it had the same aged look. But do very much like the
            contrast of the internal and external surfaces.
            Kind Regards Tony di
           
   
           

[Wood spinner]

Very nice , I like this , its has given the bowl an aged look