About 50 years ago, I loved using the wood lathe in Jr High wood shop.
2 weeks ago, I decided I wanted a toy and found a barely used Rikon midi with extension bed at a good price.
Yesterday, i found a few pieces of firewood that were dry but not checked badly and sliced them into 1.5″ square by 16″ turning blanks. Poplar, birch and maple.
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Oops, premature post. Here's the question:
There is a significant limb from a black cherry tree in my back woods that was injured and is now touching the ground. I want to pull it down and slice it up for turning.
I have sliced up cherry (green) into 1" slabs for lumber, without too much checking, waxing the ends first.
What's the best way to get turning blanks? Slice it on the bandsaw while still green and maybe turn it round while green? Is a 2" x 16" round going to check much less that a 2" square by 16" as it dries?
The price is right for found wood here in NH.
Bill
Bill,
The more evenly a piece dries, the less it will check/crack. If you cut it up into say, 6" thick turning blocks and seal the ends, you may get no cracking or you could get some cracking. It you turn the wood green and dry it slowly, you'll likely get no cracking at all. When I say to turn the wood green, I mean to turn the bowl green - inside and out.
Turn it down to about a 1/4"-1/2" wall thickness if you want to end up with a round bowl and slowly dry it by placing it in a cardboard box with the green shavings from the turing session packed around it to moderate moisture loss. Once it is dry, remount the bowl on the lathe and turn it round.
If you like the look of an out-of-round "natural" bowl, turn the bowl to its final thickness when green.
By the way, limbs (especially ones growing at an angle, as yours sounds like) are classifieds reaction wood. This wood tends to be more unpredictable and move more because one side (the upper side) is under tenson and the other side (the lower side) is under compression.
Happy turning!Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
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