Western Juniper Bowl Blank JS397
4" x 7" x 7.5"
4.3 lbs.
This is a high-quality, bark-on half-log bowl blank of Western Juniper. Juniper is prized by turners for its distinctive aroma, and for the contrast between its creamy sapwood and warm reddish heartwood, which often shows up as swirls, color streaks, and lively natural character. The bark on the backside of this blank is fairly tight and well attached and is 95% complete, so you have the option of turning a conventional bowl or a “barky” natural-edge bowl with the bark intact on the rim.
This blank captures a suture-crotch in the Juniper tree. See the bottom-end photo of the blank -- you'll see where two trunks sutured together with a bit of bark inclusion. This may be a bit fussy when turning and requires a careful hand and will likely produce beautiful grain and figure yet-to-be-discovered.
This is a hefty piece for its size, noticeably heavier than a typical blank of these dimensions, so expect a dense, solid feel on the lathe. If you want to keep the bark, I always recommend securing it with thin CA glue before turning, and possibly again during turning. It’s a classic half-log blank, split through the center of the log -- this piece does include the pith which was very carefully sealed and does not show any pith-associated cracks extending into the structural wood. There are one or several small exterior cracks that will probably turn off. For any persistent small cracks, I recommend reinforcing them with CA glue while turning.
This blank is fully air-dried and sealed with wax on the end grain to slow moisture loss and prevent checking.