I had had a pretty nice piece of highly figured maple in the shop for a couple of years. I pulled it out last Saturday and mounted it on the lathe, thinking there ought to be a nice hollow form tucked inside. Oh, did I mention the blank had some superficial cracks (I thought) on the outside? If they were more that skin deep a little CA ought to take care of them easy enough.
I began to turn the blank round, Sure enough, the cracks were more than superficial. I was able to round the blank without incident. As I began to shape the outside of the hollow form, I lost a large chunk near where the mouth of the vessel would have been. As I continued to shape the vessel, I lost a large bark inclusion which sailed all the way across the shop.
As I continued to turn past the missing bark inclusion, the blank became smaller and smaller. What would have been a 6" diameter by 8" tall hollow form was reduced to a 6" diameter bowl about 4" tall. Disappointing to say the lease. But, at least, it has some very nice figure.
Ever have a blank that seems to YEARN for the firewood box? Have I? Well, yes. Yes, I have.
Barry