Suitable woods for a Fruit Bowl

[Sandy]

Advice please.

I've been asked to make a bowl the lady would keep fruit in, approx 10" dia, in Oak.  Is that a suitable timber for a bowl containing fruit I wonder?

All advice, comments on alternative timbers etc very welcome.

Thanks

[bodrighywood]

Not sure any woods aren't suitable for a fruit bowk TBH. Even the potentially toxic ones such as yew and laburnum are fine in this case. Which other woods you can use are basically a matter of choice and what you have.I wouldn't pwrsonally use exotics mainly because of the cost and with some the environmental issue but that's me.

Pete

[michaelb]

If that what the customer wants it in, then fine. Its an old addage the customer is always right if they are paying, you can advise eg whist oak might be fine but the wood even when finished goes darker ober time.

[Bill21]

I agree. Provided they don’t eat the bowl after the fruit it should be ok … 

[Twisted Trees]

Big difference in "wet food" / "dry food" is dry food bowls get dusted and polished, wet food bowls get washed up! most of the finishes we use are not good in soapy water. Also as Pete says I personally would even use Yew as a fruit / nut bowl though of course would never recommend it to customers, just in case they eat the bowl

Also there are at least 600 different Oak's out there older traditional English Oak is better avoided unless you enjoy sharpening, did 50 for a wedding recently sure I lost ¼" of bowl gouge!

[Sandy]

Many thanks Pete, Michael, Bill and Pete (Twisted Trees) for your thoughts and advice which I will take onboard and make the bowl in Oak as the lady requested.

Ps  I'll tell her not to eat the bowl or she might develop Achecorn symptoms!

[Dave Brookes]

Sandy, would those symptoms make her Sycamore?

Dave

[bodrighywood]

Sandy, would those symptoms make her Sycamore?

Dave

 

[Sandy]

    keep 'em coming

[Wood spinner]

I advise my customers to cut out a piece of clear plastic or cling film and line the inside of the bowl ,
 Acid  from fruit can affect the wood and make it turn black , The more ripe the fruit is the more troublesome it becoms

[bodrighywood]

I advise my customers to cut out a piece of clear plastic or cling film and line the inside of the bowl ,
 Acid  from fruit can affect the wood and make it turn black , The more ripe the fruit is the more troublesome it becoms

Good point. Doesn't last long enough in our house to be a problem but can see that it could be.

Pete

[burywoodturners]

I use a bit of kitchen roll, the bowl is over 25 years ols and not stained yet, but the I eat more fruit than a fruit bat
Ron

[BrianH]

When my Mum passed away the fruit bowl I made at school came back into my possession. It has 50 odd years of staining....Patina is the fancy word!... and has every Newby mistake ever made but hey-ho it was the first step towards a lifelong obsession and I love it.
Brian

[bodrighywood]

When my Mum passed away the fruit bowl I made at school came back into my possession. It has 50 odd years of staining....Patina is the fancy word!... and has every Newby mistake ever made but hey-ho it was the first step towards a lifelong obsession and I love it.
Brian

Wish I had at least one of the pieces I made in the 6o's. Suspect some of them would be as good if not better than the ones I make now LOL.

Pete

[BrianH]

Where, it seems, you went wrong, Pete, is forgetting to make a schoolboy piece for my Mum. I'm sure she would have treasured it, and added the required patina for you.
Brian