Knowledge You Can Build On — Est. 1998
Question
S Stokes
>I need help! I have only turned a few bowls, including two while spending a couple of days with Bill Grumbine.
I received a piece of wood today that I do not know how to start working with. I am not even certain of the species.
First, Does anyone know what type of wood it is, Second, what are your suggestions for maximizing the number / quality of turnings?
The piece is approximately three feet tall and two feet in width (at the widest point).
Thank you,
Stokes
Re: Question--2nd
S Stokes
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Re: Question-3rd
S Stokes
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Re: Question
Carole in VA
>Can't answer your question 'cause I am a newbie myself, but I will look forward to the answers since I have a similar crotch piece. I would think that whatever you do, you should immediately seal the ends of the log. If you already have slight checking from the pith, you might want to slice it off until you get to check free wood then seal.
Re: Question
Gary Evans, Tallassee, TN
>Hi,
I think you have a piece of maple. How big is your lathe? That info would help in deciding how to cut it up.
Gary
Re: Question
S Stokes
>My lathe can handle up to 14".
Stokes
Re: Question
JL
>How many HP? 3/4? 1? More?
Re: Question
S Stokes
>1 HP
Re: Question
Gary Evans, Tallassee, TN
>O.K., Stokes,
The first thing I would do is cut off the longer limb at the same level as the short one. Split it in half, through the pith, and you will have two pieces that could become either conventional or natural edge bowls. Depending on the thickness of each piece, they might also be candidates for hollow forms or boxes.
Now, as to the crotch itself, I have looked at the pictures several times, and I almost think that what you have are two trunks growing from the same stump. If that is the case, then you may not have any crotch figure available. There will only be bark inclusion between the two sides.
Since you can only swing 14", I would measure down about 16 or 17" from the top of the crotch and cut it in two, across the grain, at that point. Examination of the cut surface should show bark inclusion if it is two trunks. If that is the case, cut it through the plane of the inclusion, and then you can treat each side the way you did the first piece of limb. Several bowls in each side, I would think.
If you lucked out and you have a real crotch, then split it through the piths, leaving you with 2 Y shaped halves. You should be looking at crotch figure at this point on both pieces, and again, depending on their thickness, you can decide to make bowls, hollow forms, boxes, etc.
After that, you still have the rest of the bottom, maybe 12" or so? There will be bowl blanks, hollow form blanks or box blanks in there also. Just remember to cut out the pith, and seal the endgrain or rough out the pieces as soon as possible, and you'll do fine.
Two things to consider when you are worried about wasting wood when you cut up a piece like this for the first time:
1) The wood was free, you aren't burning money.
2) You can make a nice box from a 3" x 3" x 4" piece, so you are going to be able to get a bunch of good turning blanks from this section of tree.
The thing is, you may waste more wood cutting it one way rather than another, but you are still going to find an abundance of turning in a piece that size. I don't think there is any way to mess it up.
Sorry to ramble,
Gary
