Carved Nip Hollow Form

[Ed McDonnell]

I was looking through my woodturning pictures hoping to find a picture of the ugly spalted / stained Loquat that I mentioned in another thread. Couldn't find any, but I did find this picture.

It's a hollow form that I turned from spalted Norfolk Island Pine. Unlike Loquat, Norfolk Island Pine spalts very attractively. Although this picture isn't all that great an example of spalting. This was my very first attempt at carving a turning. Completed this back in 2007.

The ruffled rim and 3 feet on the bottom were carved by hand using a wide variety of tools. It's 14" diameter, 12" high. Finished with oil/poly.

If you've been afraid of (or never considered) carving any of your pens / turnings, maybe this will inspire you to give it a try.

Ed

 

[ironman123]

WOW!! Ed.

That is a super nice pieice. Something to really be proud of.

Ray

 

[Tom T]

Very nice, great work, thanks for sharing.
Yes I am inspired by this piece.

 

[alamocdc]

That is a truly beautiful piece, Ed! Norlfolk Island Pine makes some of the prettiest turnings!

 

[johncrane]

That's a WOW Ed great lines.

 

[brownsfn2]

omg. I am floored. That is a stunning piece.

 

[Bob Wemm]

Hi Ed,
That is a fantastic piece, congratulations, even if it is 5 years late.
I have some pieces of Norfolk pine wrapped up in plastic, and I really hope they spalt something like your piece.
Bob.

 

[OLDMAN5050]

WOW#

 

[Ed McDonnell]

Thanks everyone for all the compliments.

...I have some pieces of Norfolk pine wrapped up in plastic, and I really hope they spalt something like your piece.
Bob.

Hi Bob - I suspect your climate is a bit drier than where I live. To spalt my NIP I just put the logs outside in the landscape under bushes (shady, not direct sun). After a while the bark starts to loosen up and come off. That's when they are spalted to perfection.

If you get your NIP locally from downed trees (rather than buying it), try leaving a piece outside in the dirt in the shade rather than wrapped in plastic. I get about 60 inches (150cm) of rain annualy. You might have to water your NIP periodically to encourage spalting if you are in your dry season.

Ed

Who learned the hard way to never stand a freshly cut NIP log on end in the garage. The sap (and there is lots of it) sets like epoxy and requires a sledge hammer to break the log loose from the floor and (unfortunately in my case) may take the paint off the floor with it when it breaks loose.