Branch wood projects?

Re: Branch wood projects?

Mike Schwing from Maryland

>The pith does not always crack, it just _usually_ does. I have done quite a few tall vases with the pith straight down the center, and no cracking at all. For many projects, like mushrooms or natural edge bowls, pith cracks add character, and they can be filled attractively to blend or highlight them if so desired.

If I want to try to prevent a pith crack I turn the wall thickness evenly all over, and always under 1/4". Wet sand and coat the piece liberally with walnut oil before putting it inside of a few paper grocery bags for a couple of weeks. The pieces might warp a little but rarely does the pith crack. I find end grain turned work doesn't warp much.

If you're turning branch wood "side grain" expect more distortion. I don't usually turn this way with pith in the final work but I have seen many works done this way that are very attractive. Pine seems to work well from the pics I've seen.

Re: Pith

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In Jersey

>If you turn end grain with the pith centered, you can drill out the pith to 1/2" before setting the piece aside to dry. This allows the wood an air space in which to move and, in my experience, the cracking will be mostly avoided. When the piece has dried completely, carefully redrill the hole to even it out, then glue in a plug of the same or a nicely contrasting wood. This also works well for piths included in side walls of a piece.

You do, however, have to get your wall thickness fairly even or the drying will set up uneven stress in the walls and the piece will crack anyway.

As to branch-wood. Lots of people turn mushrooms and such with either cut and natural (bark-on) rims as they can be done mostly between centers. You can then just let them crack and it becomes part of the design.

Mark

-2=mail

Re: Branch wood projects?

Brad Vietje

>George,

If you go back a week or so to the discussions of Goblets, these are nice branch wood brojects. They don't split if they are turned quite thin and of pretty even thickness.

These will only work if the pith is off center, so it does not intersect the stem -- otherwise the stem will break.

Another project is to make spheres, as described in the American Woodturner a few issues ago. I also make natural-edge, end grain vases and bowls, using a hook tool, but these also have to be quite thin and even. I either turn to completion, or smear them heavily with paste wax while drying slowly in a paper bag.

That's about all the help from here...

Safe Spinning,

Brad Vietje

Thetford, VT

Re: Branch wood projects?

adrien

>Flowers: make the vase or goblet shape, drill a hole in the bottom and stick in a narrow (1/8"-3/16") long dowel for a stem. You can trim the vase or goblet with a dremel or saw to make the petals stand out

Re: Branch wood projects?

Rob in Kansas

>Adrien,

Can you point me in the direction of any photos? I think I understand the direction you're talking about, but not entirely sure. You're only turning the bloom and then cutting out individual petals from that right?

With my new to me lathe I was planning on doing mushrooms with some apple branches to start out with, but this would be interesting too!

Rob

Re: Branch wood projects?

George Van

>Thanks guys for all the information. I guess those small cherry, yellow birch and maples will not be heading for the woodshed & burn pad.

The projects mentioned will be good practice for me as I am a beginner. I am afraid to get buy hook tool as I think setting up for hollowing would empty my wallet.

George

Re: Branch wood projects?

Arch

>Hi George, Inserted bit hollowing tools are cheap, easily made and work really well. I can't post pics and won't burden your thread with specific instructions, but if you like, Darrell Feltmate and others will post sites and/or show you how to make and use these tools. There's no reason not to enjoy hollowing small end grain branches now. Arch

Re: Branch wood projects?

adrien

>I don't know how to get more than one picture on at a time....The pistil gets turned from the spigot left over from the flower part.

Re: Branch wood projects?

adrien

>Rob, here's a shot of a bouquet...Leaving the bark on the rim kind of defines the flower

a friend makes tulips by making a goblet shape and then cutting notches in the rim....He paints them

Re: Branch wood projects?

George Van

>Thanks for the info Arch, I will look at the sites you mention and maybe try to make a tool.

Nice flowers Adrian, I like the bouquet.

George

Re: Branch wood projects?

Brad Vietje

>George,

I have 2 hook tools that I bought, and while each is a different design, neither cost more than $ 30.00. Both fit into the same boring bar that tapers from 3/4" to about 1/2" at the tip (about 29.00 more), and are held in with a set screw. I turned a large Walnut handle to hold the 3/4" bar. The two hook tool designs are available in 3 different sizes.

The Martel hook tool is pretty slick because it can drill its own hole (hollowing procedes from the center outward), but its use is limited by its shape -- you usually use it with the shaft of the tool held at an angle to the work. The other that I have is made by Mitch Wolok (not sure of the spelling), and needs a pre-drilled hole, but only curves in one dimension, so it is better for deep or narrow shapes.

Both styles were quite easy to master, though the Martel tool is a little touchier at first, because it has cutting surfaces on both sides of the "hook" (one drills, the other cuts from center out), and it has a more complex shape. After 2 or 3 practice pieces, you'll have the hang of it.

Basically, hook tools aren't very expensive, even if purchased, and a lot of fun to use.

Safe Spinning,

Brad Vietje

Thetford, VT

Re: Branch wood projects?

George Van

>Thanks Brad,

I will look at some manufactured tools including the ones you mentioned also.

It�s kind of scary as I know what happened when I thought I would �look into a lathe for the shop�.

George

Re: Branch wood projects?

Rob in Kansas

>Thanks Adrien,

Very nice, something I haven't seen from the local turners. I bet using some of my apple, walnut or cedar the darker heartwood would make an interesting effect.

Just curious, is the one in the fore ground turned slightly off center so the heartwood "curves" with the shape, or is it just the way it grew?

Thanks for sharing! My list of things to do just got a little longer. :) Now if my turning tools could just get in and the temps drop below 90 degrees!

Rob

Re: Branch wood projects?

adrien

>Rob, while the branch was round, the heartwood was not. Probably because of the stresses on a horzontal growth. The sapwood was thinner in that one spot, but the turning was as symmetrical as I could make it. That's one of the serendipitous things about branch wood.

Re: Branch wood projects? *LINK*

Guest

>For small branches, a fun project is what is called an "Angel Wing" or "Flying Wing" or whatever else you can imagine it being. You can see one version of it here...

http://www.statelinewoodturners.org/images/Gallery/ahilton/Andrew_Hilton_member_gallery.htm


http://www.statelinewoodturners.org/images/Gallery/ahilton/Andrew_Hilton_member_gallery.htm