Project #3 - Calabash bowl from Blue Gum log (Part 3)

After doing some further hollowing out of the bowl and some sanding, this is what the piece now looks like.

The inside of the bowl, showing the knots

The outside of the bowl

The drying cracks

Some more drying cracks

I am still deciding on how to deal with the cracks, whether to leave them, or fill them in with something.

Project #3 - Calabash bowl from Blue Gum log (Part 2)

I have started to hollow out the inside of the calabash.

Hollowed out inside of Blue Gum calabash

Because this came from a branch, it has many interesting cracks and knots.

Big knot from an offshoot branch

Cracks from the wood being dried out

Knot from the other side

Project #3 - Calabash bowl from Blue Gum log (Part 1)

We recently felled a Blue Gum tree that was growing in our garden. After letting the wood dry out for a while, I found a log that I thought I would make a nice Calabash style bowl.

Log of Blue Gum

Once the log was selected, I needed to debark it and cut it level so that it could be turned on the lathe.

The log after being debarked

After some work on the lathe, the outside is taking a nice shape.

Outside shaping of the Calabash

Now comes time to hollow out the inside.