Douglas Fir Burl Bowl, Tung Oil Finish

Measurements:

10.75" x 10.75" x 3"

Bowl Care:

Care of your bowl is easy, wipe the inside with a damp cloth, dry right away with a towel and allow it to air-dry before storing it. To retain the natural beauty, and prevent cracking and other damage, see the recommendations below.

Do Not:

• Rinse, fill, submerse or soak in water/any fluid.
• Expose to extreme temperatures or humidity
• Put in fridge, oven, microwave or dishwasher. 

The finishes range from Walnut oil, Tung oil, Flax oil, waxes (Bees &/or Carnauba) and Shellac which are all food-safe. You can add a light coat of beeswax, salad bowl wax or mineral oil to the inside to further protect the wood. Avoid using regular cooking or salad oils as a finish, as they may go rancid.

Wood:

The vast majority of my bowls are made from pre-fallen local trees and wood given to me by friends and neighbors. The wood is not perfect and often contains significant "defects" such as knots, spalting (dried fungus), rot and even worm holes. I am particularly interested in these defects as they give the bowls character and present more of a challenge in turning. To bring out the true nature and character of a piece requires finding just the right position to pre-cut and turn the wood. This does limit the application for my bowls.

The bowls are best suited for dry foods (nuts, chips and salad no dressing) or decoration. The defects in the wood will collect debris and be very difficult to clean. Wet food products (salads with dressing, salsa and other dips) should not be used. 

I have chosen to finish all my bowls with only natural products. This does limit the type of finish I can achieve on the bowls but the emphasis is on the natural look of the bowl. The bowls are polished to a glass finish prior to oiling so they have a gloss/semi gloss finish depending on the wood. Pure walnut oil is used to finish the hardwood bowls (birch, maple, cherry). some softwood such as Yew have this finish. Walnut oil is a thin oil and will penetrate the dense hardwood. Pure Tung oil is used to finish the Softwood bowls (cedars, hemlock and fir). Some hardwoods such as Cottonwood have this finish. Tung oil is a thick oil, like syrup, and gives the ideal penetration for this type of wood. Both these finishes are drying oils. the oils harden to a tough, solid film after a period of exposure to air.