More mid-week musings

These are from Wednesday evening, when I also started another project someone has commissioned. Does this make me an official “artist” when people commission work? I suppose if someone can call a dirty unmade bed and soiled underwear art, then why not?
I had a beautiful piece of spalted beech sitting in my seasoned pile. This has become a pair of egg cups. Simple shape, easily cleaned, and lovely grain.

These have been put to use already. Those eggs are soft-boiled.
I also turned a natural edged bowl from some cherry I have had drying for over a year. I love the wonky shape of natural edge stuff, but until recently had no luck getting the bark to stay on. I’ve recently started rough turning bowl blanks, then caking the bark in super-glue. Capillary action seems to draw the glue into the bark which then sets it rock hard when the glue cures.

There was quite a bit of tear-out on the end grain. This is completely smooth to the touch, but still looks like it has a massive texture. A lesson learned from Cap’n Eddie – soak it with finishing oil, then take very light cuts. The oil makes the grain stand up and allows tiny shavings to be taken off. It comes off like a sludge, and possibly fills some of the pores so it dries when sanding.
Bring on the weekend. I have some ideas I want to try out, so the silver birch will be attacked in style. It’s not the nicest wood when finished, and I have plenty, so if things don’t turn out I’m only wasting time.