Isn't it strange how two such different bowls can emerge from the same lump of timber? I recently bought a batch of burr alder ( alnus betulaceae ), a genus belonging to the birch family. Birch can be very bland, but not this stuff, it's got a rich colour and beautiful grain, especially when burr is present.
This first piece had a lot of worm in it, and some of it was still live, so it got saturated in a worm-treatment solution, which darkened the wood, rather. After a few coats of linseed oil and a good buffing, it's taken on a really rich, deep chestnut colour.
![](http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a238/lessymonds/2014%2001/DSCF5236Medium_zps38156e66.jpg)
![](http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a238/lessymonds/2014%2001/DSCF5229Medium_zpscf3321f6.jpg)
On the other hand, this next piece, which came from the same batch, had less burr in it and not enough natural edge to be worth saving, so it's a more traditional piece and is finished with a microcrystaline wax.
![](http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a238/lessymonds/2014%2001/DSCF5221Medium_zps2a9aa16c.jpg)
![](http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a238/lessymonds/2014%2001/DSCF5212Medium_zpsa1752ab8.jpg)
Les