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Black Walnut Bowl

Started by Stephen1, December 22, 2010, 07:09:16 PM

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Stephen1

Hi Guys, I used my chainsaw and sander to make a wood bowl from the end of a log, then cut off the the log end.
My question is can you put food in this bowl. He wants to use it as a salad bowl. I plan on treating the inside of the bowl with Bees wax, also the bottom as it was a green log, and the wax should slow down the drying process.
The bark has been left on also, don't think it will stay on long, but the young couple like it so....
My future son-in law came up with the idea, I made him do the work.
IDRY Vacum Kiln, LT40HDWide, BMS250 sharpener/setter 742b Bobcat, TCM forklift, Sthil 026,038, 461. 1952 TEA Fergusan Tractor

metalspinner

Of course you can use walnut for food.  My cereal bowl for the past 8 years wasa walnut bowl.  The puppy has since pulled it down off the counter and broken it. >:(

The concern, however, is that when the green bowl dries, it will crack and check (probably).  If food like salad dressings and sauces get into the cracks, then bacteria and such will begin to grow if you are unable to fully cleanse the wood.

I try not to use bowls with these defects for foods to avoid contaminating effects.
I do what the little voices in my wife's head tell me to do.

metalspinner

Oh,
My finish of choice lately is roasted walnut oil and bees wax.  Mmmmm, it makes ther shop smell good. :)  The walnut oil will dry naturally.  But I'm not sure i would eat captain crunch out of it. :D
I do what the little voices in my wife's head tell me to do.

SwampDonkey

Did you stay to one side of the pith? Or a  cross section? If the later, might pull apart and warp as it shrinks across the rings and 2x in circumference. Should be fine to use for food, I use mineral oil. Should apply some after each use or your wax. The bark may very well stay on. I have dry butternut that the bark never came off and doesn't even fall off when handling. I don't think green butternut is as wet as walnut.

Since mineral has no smell, you get to smell the true butternut smell when fresh turned. ;D Have to put nose up to bowl. ;) I've not used walnut oil or bees wax, but I see Lee Valley sells these for bowls.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

metalspinner

The walnut oil is on the shelf at several of our local grocery store chains in the salad dressing isle.  Big plus!
I do what the little voices in my wife's head tell me to do.

SwampDonkey

That would be a tall order here metalspinner, to expect that in our small town stores. Wouldn't want to be spoiled. Takes about 6 months to restock a hardware shelf when the last box of nails or wire is sold. So you just order stuff if you wish to have it this year. :D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Burlkraft

Donk...You need a bigger town.
Why not just 1 pain free day?

SwampDonkey

I don't even stop in the local village because they won't have it. Woodstock ain't too bad if you don't need 5 boxes of one size screw. And it would be 1/3 price from Lee Valley if you could wait 5 days. :D I can go to Lowes in Maine and get anything as well. That place is huge for a small city like PI. ;D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

metalspinner

QuoteDonk...You need a bigger town.


...or start squishing your own walnuts. :-X
I do what the little voices in my wife's head tell me to do.

SwampDonkey

Can I borrow that new fruit squisher? ;D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

northwoods1

Quote from: metalspinner on December 22, 2010, 07:20:30 PM
Oh,
My finish of choice lately is roasted walnut oil and bees wax.  Mmmmm, it makes ther shop smell good. :)  The walnut oil will dry naturally.  But I'm not sure i would eat captain crunch out of it. :D

Walnut oil makes a real good finish and has been widely used in varnish making for hundreds of years. It is a drying oil like linseed oil, but it dries better than linseed. Walnut oil and pure gum turpentine are 2 things I always have in the shop :)

Lud

I use mineral oil and beeswax.  I hold the oil soaked rag to a fully sanded and blown off bowl while it's on the lathe turning at 100 rpm,  my slowest speed.  And ZI always reverse the lathe and spin and apply the other direction as the grain has micro openings that may load from one direction but not the other so go both ways.

Then I hold the beeswax to the bowl, still slow,  and reverse again.  You hold the wax pretty hard against the piece to force the wax into those little openings.

Then I have this piece of plastic mesh polishing stuff(replaced steel wool) and speed the bowl up to 500. This adds heat to the mix and spreads it evenly over the piece.  Again with the two directions.

I do the final buff with T shirt material,  folded into a pad, again with both directions and I crank the speed up again.  You can see the surface reflecting shop light when you have it right.

That 's what works for me.  If someone's got a better way  I'd be interested. 8)
Simplicity mill, Ford 1957 Golden Jubilee 841 Powermaster, 40x60 bankbarn, left-handed

SwampDonkey

Rotten stone in a mineral oil soaked pad with a piece of rounded wood block behind it will bring the surface like glass after all the heavy sanding is done with sand paper. Then spin it some more with just a dry rag to remove the rotten stone and then apply more oil. Will barely be able to hold onto the bowl. ;D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Stephen1

Thanks guys, we are rubbing in the bees wax now, but we are using the armstrong version. no lathe here, we carved with a chainsaw, and then used the angle grinder with a sanding disk, and finally sand paper wrapped around a base ball.
IDRY Vacum Kiln, LT40HDWide, BMS250 sharpener/setter 742b Bobcat, TCM forklift, Sthil 026,038, 461. 1952 TEA Fergusan Tractor

Mooseherder

While visiting one of the stores today I asked a Grocery manager if we had Walnut oil.
He brought me to the aisle that had it.  Walnut Oil has been mentioned in another bowl thread as a suitable alternative for finish instead of Mineral oil.  The label says also good on salads.
I took a swigg.  It tastes like walnuts allright. :D
Tastes pretty DanG good as a matter of fact.
I'm gonna sand and redo a couple bowls with it because my wife and daughter do not like the smell of the finish I have on the bowls right now.  I'm hoping this stuff doesn't go rancid though.


SwampDonkey

Well, some day I'll have to check the organic section. Wish it were butternut oil though. ;D :D

Apparently, they are either being grown in Africa or exported from the US. This study on the oil was done from nuts bought in a Nigerian market place.

http://www.globaljournalseries.com/index/index.php/gjpas/article/viewFile/96/pdf

"The oil is deep amber in color and liquid at room temperature. The oil may be suitable as confectionery fat and as a raw material for soap making, for production of lather shaving creams and as an illuminant, as indicated by its low melting point, Acid value, free fatty acid content and high saponification value. Analysis of the fatty acid composition of the butternut oil is in progress. This work serves as a preliminary study."

There's hope. 8)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

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