Ambrosia Maple Bowl — Natural Grain, Satin Finish

Species: Ambrosia or Silver Maple Dimensions: 10” x 4” Finish: Two coats of Tried and True Varnish Oil Tooling: Bowl gouges and scrapers

About Ambrosia Maple

Ambrosia maple is silver maple that was attacked by ambrosia beetles, which tunnel into the wood and introduce a fungus that stains the surrounding fibers gray, tan, and sometimes blue-green. The result is a species that looks almost painted — sweeping streaks of color radiating through an otherwise pale, creamy background. Every blank is different because the beetle activity is random, so no two ambrosia maple bowls ever look alike.

This particular blank had streaking concentrated on one side, which created a natural focal point as I shaped the form. I turned it to a fairly open, shallow profile to let the figure read clearly across the full width of the bowl.

Keeping the Pith

Including the pith — the very center of the tree — is always a gamble. The pith is the weakest point in the blank and prone to cracking as the wood dries and moves. I usually remove it, but this blank was dry enough and the pith was small enough that I decided to leave it. It made it through without a crack, which gave the finished bowl a natural center point that I think adds to the character.

The Finish

Tried and True Varnish Oil is a simple, food-safe finish made from linseed oil and resin with no solvents. Two coats wiped on and buffed off give a low sheen that looks natural and doesn’t obscure the figure. For a wood as visually busy as ambrosia maple, a low-build finish is usually the right call — you want the wood to be the thing people notice, not the finish.

Explore More

The streaking in ambrosia maple comes from beetle activity — related to the same world of “character figure” as spalting. What is Spalted Wood? →

See how maple compares to cherry, walnut, and ash: Wood Species Guide →

Browse all my maple turning projects →

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