Turning logs

Re: Turning logs

John Allman(Toronto)

>I use a circle cutting jig on the bandsaw to cut my blanks round. I suppose it depends on the size with which you are dealing. I go up to 16", the swing of my lathe.

John

Like John said...

Mike Schwing from Maryland

>I cut'm round on the bandsaw first. If you don't have one, aim to take as much as you can off first with the chainsaw. Draw a circle a little larger than the finished size you seek and cut to that line with the chainsaw. Careful though, small cuts on small workpieces is not best left to a chainsaw.

Rounding up a blank on the lathe is no fun and the less you have to the better. Also kind of dangerous to have hard/sharp corners flying around near your hands. If you have a medium sized lathe, like me, you'll be able to swing a larger workpiece if its balanced before it goes on the lathe.

I find that my "freehand bandsaw cuts are easier than that with a circle jig on all but the deepest blanks. others find their circle jig to be most efficient.

Re: Like John said...

Donna

>If you don't have a bandsaw, and the cuts you want to take are small (not advisable with a chainsaw), another option is to use an angle grinder with a lancelot blade.

After you mount your blank, lock your headstock, and shave off the corners of the log, until it's fairly round. When you finish, make sure that the angel grinder and blade are done rotating before you put it down. That tool can be as deadly as a chainsaw.

Re: Like John said...

Joe Petecki

>Donna, I was looking at one of those lancerlot cutters today for that very reason.

Re: Turning Logs *LINK*

Darrell Feltmate

>Joe

I like to round them with the chainsaw. Use a good buck to hold the piece in place and knock off the corners with the chain saw. Band saws are okay for small blanks but a chainsaw is easier for the large ones. Check out my web site under roughing a bowl for a few hints.


Wood Turnings by Darrell Feltmate

Re: Like John said...

Arch

>Just some mild reminders to consider:

The lathe is a machine designed to make things round. It probably is no more dangerous than chain saws, band saws or high speed cutting tools. The cutter is in your hands, not the machine's. Roughing & rounding the sharp corners of a blank on a lathe can have its advantages. Remember to avoid the bumps & bangs that result from cutting perpendicular to the lathe axis. Not a good place for a roughing gouge here. Remove the corners by cutting at an angle to the axis from the face with a long edge gouge. Advantages? Saves time. As safe and no more stressful than chain saws etc. Allows you to begin shaping as you are rounding. AND It

Is Turning! I say all this because I can't get my chain saw to start today. ;) Arch

Re: Turning Logs

Joe Petecki

>I went to your sight Derral, and now I understand the steps to follow a little better. Thank you all very much.

Re: Turning logs

Tug Fork Bob

>I clamp my half-log blanks in a 10" woodworking vise with the flat side against the fixed jaw & use a sawzall with about an 8"?? long coarse blade to round most of my blanks--works pretty well if you don't have a bandsaw. I use a chainsaw though for blanks that will be over about 8-10".

Makin do with what I have

Bob

Re: Turning logs

Dick Hines

>I very seldem cut the blanks round. I just put a face plate on the flat sied,except when making a nat. edge bowl, and using my bowl gouge I start at the center and work out to the outside. You need to turn slow and be careful at the outside edges until you have the log trued up.

Cuts down on time and my band saw on;y have a 6" cut for now.

After you get the log trued up you can crank the lathe up to 1000-1200rpm and let the chips fly.