Newbie Question

[THarvey]

Last Winter, I cut some small burls off a dead fallen tree at my FIL's farm. We thought it was a white oak tree, but after cutting the burls, I think it might have been a hickory.

One or the burls had some insect infestation.

After insecticide and drying for a few months, I cut one in half yesterday. There is a fairly large, oddly shaped void.

I would like to fill this void and make a small bowl from this burl.

Is polyester resin (crafting resin from Hobby Lobby) dense enough to hold in place and turn? If not, what would you suggest?

Sorry for the dumb question. This is new territory for me.

Thank you.

 

[Craftdiggity]

I don't know the answer to your casting question, but why not turn the bowl with the void? There are some really cool pieces that people have turned with the voids and natural edges, etc. Think about it before you go filling it in with an unnatural material.

Chris

 

[KDM]

Yeah. I, too, wonder why you'd want to fill the void just to turn it out? Unless you're thinking of turning it back-to-front as it were, cutting into the wood part, leaving the resin as the "bottom" of the bowl? That would be kinda cool.

 

[seawolf]

Some turner use epoxy and add pigment or crushed stone to fill the void. Check with turning clubs in you area many people do this and might show you the tips and tricks.
Mark