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Hackberry Bowl Blank Hk-440 3" x 6" x 8" 3.3 lbs. This is an irregularly shaped quarter-log of slightly spalted Texas Hackberry. It has very pretty grain that is mostly straight to slightly curving. There are some eye-catching black line spalting fronts visible in the blank, gently cross-cutting the grain. The colors are a cool gray-brown, with darker brown to black spalting features. This block has only part of its bark -- some has fallen off. You can turn a barkless natural edge bowl from this blank. Hackberry is not a very hard wood and tends to be fibrous, so sharp tools are most effective. Spalted, Hackberry can be a beautiful wood and is well suited for decorative turnings. However, I recommend that you do not choose Hackberry for any projects requiring heavy use (such as utility bowls, knife handles, game calls, etc.) unless you have plans on some type of "hardening" procedure. I also recommend that you take light cuts with sharp tools to avoid the tear-out problems common with spalted woods. This blank does have some minor drying cracks that you will likely want to fill or reinforce with CA glue prior to turning. This is a GREEN to partially air-dried bowl blank, meaning that it still retains a lot of its original moisture from when it was a living tree. It has been well-sealed on end-grain surfaces with Anchor Seal and is in the process of slowly drying. It has been heat-treated to eliminate any gnawing critters. It was measured at ~25% MC in May 2022. If you need a current moisture content, please message us and we'll check its status for you. Please scroll through the photos to see all of them, if you wish -- there are more than the 3 that first display on the page. About the Tree This Texas-grown Hackberry tree was removed from a Brangus cattle ranch in Pattison, Texas in 2021. Hackberry is a common fenceline tree in Texas, and it tends to disrupt the fence as it grows. This particular tree was removed by the rancher when it interfered with his fenceline. It was saved from the rancher's burn pile and carefully sealed and dried. It was milled in early 2022, and it is now ready for a trip to your shop for the next stage in its life. We hope you will turn it into a cherished keepsake. |