Video: Logs into Turning Blanks.

Re: Video: Logs into Turning Blanks.

John, like everything you do this is excellent.  I always learn something from you.

 

Re: Video: Logs into Turning Blanks.

>>>John, like everything you do this is excellent.  I always learn something from you.

Why thank you Dr Perfesser Mikey, how kind! 

Although a lot of work the video was fun to make.  I even got to put in a few shots from my drone.  The video on that thing is amazing.  It may be hard to see but on the second drone shot at the beginning the wind is blowing so hard it was swinging branches even on the big trees.  The drone stabilizes the shot so well it looks like it's on a tripod.  Amazing!

 

Re: Video: Logs into Turning Blanks.

Wonderful!!  Thank you for sharing...will come back later and watch again.

OT Drones

May I ask you what model of drone you're using? I might be in the market soon. I don't need broadcast quality.

Ellis

PS I watched your video yesterday. You have a natural ability for this type of thing. Keep up the good work.

Re: OT Drones

>May I ask you what model of drone you're using?

Mine is a DJI Mavic Air 2 bought in 2020. My eldest son, a video/photo professional, also has one and uses it far more than I! These have a good camera and great flexibility in both still and video photography. These will run for about 30 minutes on one battery. (I have 3 batteries). The drone comes with a controller that works with a smart phone and most use it that way but for several reasons I don't like it. I sprung for DJI's standalone controller, not cheap but FAR better, IMO.

There is also a newer model for more money that might appeal to the pros.And there are a couple of versions of the Mavic Mini with some advantages other than the cost. It's a big subject, crowded field with models from lots of companies, and things change every year!

Much depends on what you want to do with it. There are regulations concerning the use of this in the US, especially in certain areas, and probably in other countries.

If I knew what use and expectations you have I could ask my son Ben for recommendations. I think he has 4 drones now including some new models. And he keeps up with things!

Just for fun I slapped together some clips after shooting some random video at the farm on two different days, just testing the drone. It was challenging to make it into some kind of half-way little story. And you get to see all the junk around!

https://youtu.be/NZo_qWMNm_8

If you want to see what the same model drone can do in better hands, my son shot this on a vacation soon after he got his drone. I was impressed. He "plays" at a different level!

https://vimeo.com/433783734

If you get a camera drone you might also want to get some kind of video editing software if you don't already have something. We both use Blackmagic DiVinci Resolve, a truly professional editor (and free for basic version!)

JKJ

Re: OT Drones

Ack, I see little black diamond question marks again!

Sooner or later...

...we'll find the switch that turns them off. As you know this is a work in progress, and sometimes innovations interact with each other in curious ways. We've already come a very long way since our friend Peter jumped in here. Maybe the most significant new feature is Peter's database work that includes every message available since we went to this software around 2000. I also have CD of the first three years of this site, going back to our very first 'hello world' on October 23, 1998.

Ellis

 

Thanks, John

I had a feeling it wasn't going to be cheap! With my luck, I'd be flying it into a telephone pole or something. My strategy at the moment is to find a drone that is inexpensive and doesn't require registration, just to get a feel for handling and quality,  and to see if I'm sufficiently smitten to want to pull the trigger on a fancier unit. 

Thanks for the info. Nice videos, by the way!

Ellis

Re: Thanks, John

Maybe look at the DJI Mavic Mini.  Ben has one and likes it.  About $400 for the package with 3 batteries, etc.  If a drone is under a certain weight, like the Mini, I think it doesn't have to be registered.

Re: Sooner or later...

>>> black diamond question marks

Perhaps a hint, each time I've seen those it was after a preview.  I'm using Firefox, Win10

Re: Video: Logs into Turning Blanks.

Great video. I wish I had seen it years ago when I was selling a lot of green turning blanks on Ebay. One of the first mistakes I made was trying to cross cut a round piece. Wow, the blade caught, jerked the piece out of my hands, scared the crap out of me, no injuries thankfully. It also bent the top wheel of the cheap harbor freight band saw I had. I ended up getting a pair of used Jet 16" wheels which were much heavier construction and a perfect fit from Ebay and turned it into a respectable saw.

Cross-cutting rounds

>>> One of the first mistakes I made was trying to cross cut a round piece.

Fortunately, I learned that early, cutting a dowel.  No damage to the wood or saw but it got my attention.  Then, a bit late, I started buying bandsaw books and started learning more about the machines.

 

Re: Cross-cutting rounds

As our dear departed friend Ed Moore said after he nearly cut his finger off with a band saw, "RESPECT THE BAND SAW!!!"

Re: Video: Logs into Turning Blanks.

John, that's an excellent video. I even learned some important tricks and techniques. Thanks for making it and publishing it. The advise to watch it and heed should be disseminated to all turning organizations.

Question: Why do you wire brush the bark where the blade enters the log, but not on the other side, where the blade exits the log? It seem like there is just as much dust embedded in the bark on both sides.

You might make a note that your mantra on "where do my fingers go when the wood disappears?" is equally applicable to the table saw, the jointer and carving tools, and to a lesser extent to any cutting tool you use manually.

Re: Video: Logs into Turning Blanks.

Thanks for the comments!

>>>Question: Why do you wire brush the bark where the blade enters the log, but not on the other side, where the blade exits the log? It seem like there is just as much dust embedded in the bark on both sides.

As for brushing one side, I based that on two things.  One, it seemed to me that the teeth trapping grit between the blade teeth and both the bark and the harder wood underneath would do more damage to the sharpness than the blade moving from below the dirt and out into the air.  The second, I saw a debarker for a bandsaw mill that cut a groove in front of the where the blade enters the wood.  Cleaning the grit and such away from the top for a rip cut would be similar, but I thought even for a longitudinal cut the benefit of cleaning the leading side would be more important.  Granted, that is based only on my thinking, which may be flawed!  Cleaning both sides might be better.  In fact, I generally look the log over and knock off as much visible dirt as possible before I make any cuts, but I didn't mention that - I'll put it in my notes for if and when I do any updates!

Logs, of course, can be quite "gritty" after being skidded on the dirt and rocks.  Once I visited a huge commercial bandsaw mill down the road from me - they debarked the entire log, all the way around, as it entered the mill building.

BTW, if water is handy I often hose off logs before cutting them up with the chainsaw.  With the excavator with a thumb this is easy - pick it up, hose it off all around with a strong stream, then saw while it's in the air, or if it's a large but short chunk, before or after sitting it down on a clean spot.  I've been known in weak moments to use the pressure washer on the bark, especially for the root "ball" or wood next to the ground, often dense, burled, or highly figured!

If there is no water at the site, I still use the wire brush on the log as needed.  Having the excavator handy is wonderful!

 

JKJ

Re: Video: Logs into Turning Blanks.

Great video

Re: Video: Logs into Turning Blanks.

I think that green turing blank fully sealed in paraffin wax, which slows the rate of drying and vastly reduces the chances of checks or cracks occurring while drying. If you plan on cutting your own turning stock, you'll want to make sure you do a few things. First and foremost, the pith (centre) of the tree should be removed from your blank. Leaving the pith in a piece of turning stock will eventually cause the blank to split out from the centre and reduce the amount of usable wood you will have. Secondly, you'll want to make sure you seal the outside of your wood. Paraffin wax is by far the most effective tool for sealing, but products such as end grain wood sealers (such as Bailey's or Anchorseal) and latex paints will work effectively in most situations. Coat all outer surfaces of your turning stock, paying particular attention to areas with exposed end grain, knots or heavy figures. Areas such as these should receive extra coats of sealant to help reduce the chances of defects occurring during storage.

Paraffin wax

Anglina, can you share your method of applying Paraffin wax?

Re: Video: Logs into Turning Blanks.

Angelina,

It's been years since I cut any. I wasn't cutting blanks with as much precision as John, and  split the logs at the pith with a chain saw on a purpose made cross buck. I went with Anchorseal, and still have a couple gallons left in a 5 gallon bucket, it did work well. I discovered recently that somewhere in the past I knocked the spout off the bucket and the Anchorseal has a thick crust on top. If anyone has any suggestions how I can resurrect it to usability, I'd appreciate it. I have several old apple trees with decent sized limbs that need removed, and I may try to salvage some blanks.

 

Easy

Add Water

Anchor Seal is an emulsion of wax and water.  The emulsifier remains in the dried wax (that crust you have) and will "dissolve" when the water is replaced.  This why dried Anchor Seal can be removed from a surface (including wood) by simply rinsing it off with water.

Suggestion:  Pour a quart of water into your can, plug the hole, and let it sit for a week.  Then remove the can's lid and use a paint mixer in a drill to reblend the whole lot.  Any chunks of hardened wax left will, if kept in the can with a cork of some kind to prevent evaporation, reconstitute like new.

Very cole idea.....I mean cool......

Re: Easy

Does your explanation mean we shouldn't leave the sealed blanks out in the rain because it will wipe out the seal?

Ya Think?

:D