Thanks Gil. It generally gives a nice satin finish and good water resistance. Unlike the friction polish which gets water marks when it gets wet.
I kind of wish I went thinner on this bowl. I was in a rush and my lighting isn't that great in the shed. Love the grain and I probably could have made the bowl more elaborate, but was worried about putting too much effort into it. Apple usually cracks on me and deforms in weird ways. This bowl was cut and sealed green and left in my house for only a month and a half. It warped terrible out of round. It dried in that little amount of time. I guess the air in the room here is really really dry. This bowl has hardly moved since turning.
Looks good. Something youmight try on the next piece is to reduce the foot to 1/3rd the rim. On this piece that would mean a foot of only 2". I think you'll like the difference it makes in the appearance of your work. 8)
I generally follow the 1/3 rule except on a few pieces where my eye just doesn't agree. Sometimes I think that the stability of the bowl suffers. I envision alot of my bowls being used. This is why I go with mineral oil and beeswax finish. I was thinking of this more as a candy type dish. I've seen a few with this design. I am more unhappy with the rim, but the grain does please me. You're right though...on alot of pieces the 1/3 guideline makes a big difference.
Aside from all that...I've noticed that these big pieces of apple really smell bad. Almost fermented. And they have these dark patterns that remind me of the patterns and colorations left by the ambrosia beetle. There are really small bug holes through the parts with the dark patterns. Not sure what kind of insect left them, but it is interesting.
I have to agree with you on the smell of the wood, although maybe it's only certain kinds of apple. The smoke from apple must be an entirely different matter, since it's popular for smoking meats.
I think if you plan on your bowls being used, a little extra "heft" is probably in order just so they'll hold up better. Skinny is pretty and impressive, but not very sturdy.
Love the grain and I probably could have made the bowl more elaborate, but was worried about putting too much effort into it. Apple usually cracks on me and deforms in weird ways. This bowl was cut and sealed green and left in my house for only a month and a half. It warped terrible out of round. It dried in that little amount of time. I guess the air in the room here is really really dry. This bowl has hardly moved since turning.