The past two day I started to carve a burl bowl first I squared the burl's edges on the table saw so it would clamp snugly in the vice. Then the hammering of the chisel begins, I Hammered in the morning, I hammered in the evening, I hammered all day long. Hammer, hammer hammer, starting in the middle I make a deep dish and work my way to the outside of the burl's out side shape.
I leave a good inch thickness when hammering out the bulk, this piece was red cedar and very dry, so when I start to carve the last inch I soaked it over-night in water. Working with a freshly sharpened large gouge chisel, I like the eadge razar sharp, after the I get it sharp I buff it with rubbing compound to a mirror finish.
The blade of the chisel easily cuts eighth of an inch shaves of wood, I can easily feel the direction of the grain, which tells me the direction to angle my chisel on the cut.
Different chisels are used to get it as flat as possible on the inside, then it will be sanded with different power sanding disks then bye hand. Once it's dryed out I finish the last two sides last, after the vice is no longer needed along with the finish sanding. Day three was spent sanding, starting with 30 grit and working down 60, then 80 grit all bye hand to remove my chisels marks. Another day of sanding with 120, then 220 grit and it will be ready to be finished.
