Turn it or burn it

[Jakevh]

A few months ago a friend gave me a garbage bag with a few blocks of what she said was black walnut and now with the big 260 sitting there I had to try a block to see what the wood looked like. The wood felt way to light for walnut and when I tried to trim it on the band saw it cut like there was nothing there. Threw it on the lathe and this is what it looks like. So should I continue to try to make it look like a bowl or what do I do.

The first two pictures are the remaining blocks. I suppose it could be Walnut but the blocks are way to light in colour and weight.

Thanks for looking and any comments
Jake

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Originally Posted by Jakevh

A few months ago a friend gave me a garbage bag with a few blocks of what she said was black walnut and now with the big 260 sitting there I had to try a block to see what the wood looked like. The wood felt way to light for walnut and when I tried to trim it on the band saw it cut like there was nothing there. Threw it on the lathe and this is what it looks like. So should I continue to try to make it look like a bowl or what do I do.

The first two pictures are the remaining blocks. I suppose it could be Walnut but the blocks are way to light in colour and weight.

Thanks for looking and any comments
Jake

Hé Jake good practice wood, yes it could be anything, but that's not really important, having fun ???
Also looks like there's some nice spalting, I don't know how punky it is but it doesn't look too bad from here.
You have to watch putting wood away in a plastic bag or any other way for too long, as the fungus will get at it and just eats all the cellulose right out of there, and you wont have anything left, and yes DAMHIKT

[J.P. Rap]

If it's not too punky, turn it. I would wear a mask if I were you. Particularly while sanding. That's mold and you don't want to be breathing it.

[Jakevh]

I will give it a shot to see what comes out of it. I suspect I will need to leave it quite thick walled because of some if it being quite soft. I suspect that you are right JP and those spores could be worse the the h1n1 thing.I suppose it could be black walnut - I understand it was cut locally.

Thanks
Jake

[John-in-Abbotsford]

Jake

I would go ahead and try and finish turn the wood, you'll never know what it could have been unless you try.

Just last week I turned this piece of Birch, also HEAVILY SPALTED and quite punky ....
but it turned out very well.

Measures 8 1/2"h x 6 1/2"w entry hole is 1" across and hollowed to 1/8" thick

John

[Adrock]

Wow! John that is an impressive piece I really like spalted wood.

[Egon]

The wood blocks may feel light because they have a lot of punky looking wood in them.