Cherry burls are among my favorite burls to turn. A customer commissioned bowls from a 14" diameter cherry burl. The following images show the burl and how it was cut for turning two bowls. The plan was to turn two end-grain bowls. Note that there is a small branch in the side of the burl. Click on an image to enlarge it. The burl half on the left in the third figure above was turned to give a 14" diameter bowl with a live bark edge. The partly turned bowl on the lathe is sho

One of the reasons I like to turn bowls for people is learning about the origin of the wood and the connection to the people who commissioned the bowl. These stories and the people involved have significantly enriched my life. The latest story involves a large spruce burl Kim and John brought to my shop a few months ago. I don’t usually turn spruce burls since they are often sappy and don't have those wild burly grain lines. I made an exception in this case since Kim and John