# China Berry Bowl



## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

Well hit the lathe this weekend running. Here is a china berry bowl I did today. It has one coat of General Finishes Seal-A-Cell and will get 3 or 4 coats of Arm-R-Seal. After drying for 72 hours will be food safe. It is 9 1/4" across and 4 1/4" high. I bought this of ebay and the guy didn't tell me he left the pith in it and it had some punky soft wood. Of course today nothing is open so I used the old epoxy cocktail to harden the wood and it turned out pretty well.


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## Joe Lyddon (Sep 11, 2004)

BernieW said:


> Well hit the lathe this weekend running. Here is a china berry bowl I did today. It has one coat of General Finishes Seal-A-Cell and will get 3 or 4 coats of Arm-R-Seal. After drying for 72 hours will be food safe. It is 9 1/4" across and 4 1/4" high. I bought this of ebay and the guy didn't tell me he left the pith in it and it had some punky soft wood. Of course today nothing is open so I used the old epoxy cocktail to harden the wood and it turned out pretty well.


That grain is awesome! I was trying to figure out how you got a chunk of wood like that... what part of the tree would do it?

Epoxy Cocktail... is this a thin mixture of epoxy so it can soak into the wood and really harden it?

You're really fast! 
Good looking bowl!!


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Bernie that's another nice bowl buddy. That kind of reminds me of that elm you had with the grain. A little redder but it's neat stuff!

Corey


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

Joe Lyddon said:


> That grain is awesome! I was trying to figure out how you got a chunk of wood like that... what part of the tree would do it?
> 
> Epoxy Cocktail... is this a thin mixture of epoxy so it can soak into the wood and really harden it?
> 
> ...


Joe that blank was 1/2 of the tree trunk. It start out 10" around and 5" deep. The epoxy cocktail is a mixture I use to harden wood. You mix your epoxy first and make sure it is fully mixed. 30 minute is best. Then I mix in Denatured Alcohol until it is the consistancy of milk. The wood just soaks the DNA in taking the epoxy with it. Works pretty good.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Is the mixture brushed on and how long before the wood can be worked-on.


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

harrysin said:


> Is the mixture brushed on and how long before the wood can be worked-on.


Harry I brush it on with a small acid brush. I use the 30 minute epoxy. I generally let it set for a few hours and make sure the inside of the wood is cured. I painted this one yesterday morning. Set it in the sun which the temp was 93 deg. and started finishing it around 3 pm that afternoon.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Thanks for that Bernie, but what is an acid brush? I didn't think that epoxy or alcohol were acidic.


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## Glenmore (Sep 10, 2004)

Really nice Bernie most grain I've seen in cherry. Really a nice pattern to it.


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## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

Acid brushes are small bristle brushes with a metal handle..
http://www.solobrushes.com/WebCatg1.asp?Cat1ID=11


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

harrysin said:


> Thanks for that Bernie, but what is an acid brush? I didn't think that epoxy or alcohol were acidic.


AxlMyk has it right. They are bristle brushes with metal handles. I use them when spreading wood glue, epoxy, epoxy cocktail, etc. They work great. I am not sure how they got the name acid brush but I know my mechanic uses them.


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## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

I used that epoxy concoction when I was building RC boats.. Great waterproofing..

Bernie, why are they called China Berry bowls?


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

AxlMyk said:


> I used that epoxy concoction when I was building RC boats.. Great waterproofing..
> 
> Bernie, why are they called China Berry bowls?



I was told that China Berry tree's grow down Texas way and are what they call trash trees. They are in the mahogany family. That's all I can tell you.


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Yup, birds eat the berries and spread them all over the place. The are indigenous to china but have been in the US for quite some time especially in the southwest. 

Corey


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

Thanks Corey.


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