You may also choose to use a face plate on a flat surface and then cover the holes with felt if you feel that such a method is the only truly safe way to approach challenging material such as burl wood. I don’t see any shame in using felt in these situations, I have done so in the past, and I will do so again.
In this case the turner was able to use a screw chuck, make an external divot (which is the opposite to the way I do it. I use internal divots, the way my Dad, this turner taught me to do it, although he seems to have changed his approach recently to the external divot that allows for a smooth and complete flat surface on the reverse.
Working SLOWLY is key so that you don’t loose more material than is necessary, and don’t be a bit surprised if pieces or chunks fall or fly off. I will say it again, burl wood is often unstable and can be dangerous to work with.
Steve worked on this piece over several days and made several “repairs” when the burl wood did the expectedly unexpected and lost pieces. However, these repairs were masterfully done and are invisible to most viewers of the finished piece.
Sanding burl wood pieces is challenging because of the many voids and the natural edges, so be patient and expect your fingers to be bunged up well and thoroughly.
The final finish is usually a spray lacquer, as in this case, because rubbed finishes either cannot be applied to natural edges successfully due to gumming and accumulation.
Cherry Burl Overhead – Steve Staley
While this isn’t a “bowl” in the sense of something you could store or serve something in, it is an amazing piece of hollow form art that displays the natural beauties of cherry, of burl wood, as well as the talents and skills of a wood turner with decades of practice and experience.
I will happily feature more of Steve’s work here in the future and I have posted pieces of his in the past as well including: termite tray, natural edge bowls, and waterfall bubinga.