Bowl Blanks

[discdogs]

I'm just getting into turning and picked up some chunks of wood. I was wondering if I have to HAVE the center of the log as the center of the bowl or if the bowl could be turned by using any "chunk" of the log?:question: ...any direction?

Here's a couple pics of what I have. I hope to get this cut up in the next week and roughed into bowls/other soon after.

Big blocks Pic: Lower Left-Mango, small wood-plum, 2 others-monkeypod
Pic w/ v-notch limbs: mango
Pic w/ 2 pieces: both monkeypod
Size 10 slippar (flip flop) for dimension. :wink:

thanks for looking and any help is appreciated.

 

[discdogs]

okay...I found this on the web...any other info is appreciated.
http://www.ehow.com/video_4943946_drawing-dimensions-bowl-blank-log.html?pid=1&cp=1

 

[philipff]

The center of the log, the pith, must be removed from the bowl blank before you turn. If you leave it then the bowl will surely crack from that pith outward as it dries. Split your log sections down the center then turn away all the pith before you form the actual bowl. SOme folks even chainsaw the pith section away as part of the splitting process. Make sure you seal the end grain when you split the log, and when you rough turn the bowl blanks. Aloha! Phil

 

[discdogs]

mahalo! The link I found told me that...but I guess from after getting rid of the pith...then you can chose the direction of the grain from whatever you want to do w/ the log.

See attachment...so the end turned...you risk cracking...or have to wait until the log is no longer green (I'll be all grey by then).

 

[holmqer]

For the end turned, if you wait for it to dry, you risk checking in the log before you even turn it. Some woods are more prone to checking than others, I would think if you want to do end turned with the pith in the center you would need to do so with a very stable wood.

Keep in mind too that end grain hollowing is a chore. Picture drilling a hole in face grain with a Forstner bit whish is a breeze while in end grain its a mess.

When looking at the bottom of a side grain turned bowl, you are looking at face grain which is easy to get smooth. on either side are spots of face grain which required sharp tools and good technique to get to look nice.

On the end grain bowl the whole bottom is end grain and you transition to face grain on the sides, so the bottom will be tough to get smooth but the sides will be easy.

 

[gketell]

Pith keep/remove depends on the type of wood. It is always "best" to remove it but you don't always "have to" remove it. Practice or talking with others who have had the practice is the best way to figure out which is which.

If you find "green" wood (ie you go harvest a recently fallen tree yourself) then the best way to get to a nice bowl is to "rough turn" it first. Turn it to roughly your final shape but leave the walls thick (10% of the diameter of the bowl). Then prep it for "long drying", which usually involves sealing it with something and wrapping it in paper to dry. Weigh it and mark the wrapping with the weight. Once a month or so, reweigh it. When it stops losing weight it is dry and ready to final turn.

Alternatively, with some woods you can turn the green wood to a final, THIN finished thickness. Like 1/4" or 1/8". And then seal it with your finish. Then there isn't enough strength in the wood to crack itself. My mom's urn was done this way. Made out of wet Koa, turned down to 1/8" or less, then finished inside and out with spray lacquer. No cracks.

 

[discdogs]

gktell...very nice!
All---Thanks for all the info...keep posting, I'll keep reading. Looks like I have some work on my hands. If anyone is interested in monkeypod blanks let me know. I'll try to cut some so they'll fit in a med or large USPS flat rate box.