Here's my latest. Made outta ash. It's about 3"x3". Blo finish. It'll be a mother's day present for my girlfriend's grandmother. I'm going to try and make a duplicate for my grandmother.
One guy I visited worked with spalted a bit. He said it is a fungus of some sort and as soon as his wife found out about that, prohibited it from being in any space associated with her....(the house). Even if it was coated and treated, no place in the house for spalted wood was her rule. He still worked with it although I'm sure he had to go through an extensive decontamination process everytime he was done....
its funny how rot or fungus or any defect can demand a premium price at the hardwood dealers ,its a good thing we all find it free.
Here's the newest. Going to my grandmother for mother's day. Her original one got damaged during the final stages of finishing. This one is made from cherry.
Looking good Jeff. Cherry is great to turn out. I made a cone for forming Krumkakes. I turned it from cherry and finished with beeswax and olive oil paste. Roughed out old school with a mallet and hatchet. I think I'll make a slightly longer one with some curly maple.
Yes cherry does seem to be a good turning wood. Way easier than the ash I started out with. Thanks!!! I will continue with the pictures as I make more stuff.
Beautiful work Jeffery. I know there are a ton of issues/variables with turning - and maybe I missed things in other threads - but just got old 1950's lathe cone pulleys for speed adjustment - big question is do you turn green or seasoned wood to make your bowls. Thanks great contribution
Here's the only picture I have right now of my lathe. 1/3 horse motor with 3 pulleys on the motor and 4 pulleys on the lathe for speed adjustment. As for what kinda wood? Mainly I've turned out mostly dry wood. If i had to guess it would be somewhere in the lower 20s moisture. The last bowl i turned I did it in about 3-4 sessions. So by the finish cuts that one was pretty dry. I have tried fresh red maple. Never did get a good finish and ended up going through the side. Will be trying fresh wood again cause man did those chips fly!
It's sure ain't nothing special. Lol. And actually it isn't mine is my dad's. I'm just borrowing it for the time being. He never used it. Don't even know why he got it. I think it was part of a packaged deal with some other tools. At least now I know what I need when I go to buy one for myself.
He bought it to be used whether it is by himself or his son. Same reason I'm having a garage built. (Well, one of the reasons...)
True that. We used it some as kids when he first got it. No bowls just spindle turning at that time. Then we lost interest and it's been sitting in his barn for probably 15 yrs. Now I've got it at my house for the time being. He was pretty happy to see i was able to make some stuff with it. He said he'll probably use it when he retires. I can see he's into it but just doesn't have the time running his own business, gardening, and whatever else he can find to do.
I'm gonna have to remember to use a hatchet too. I get too hung up on using power tools all the time. Sometimes it's easier the old fashioned way. It's hard to rough out a block with a chainsaw and turning a square block on the lathe is dangerous and yields a smaller finished piece. Which isn't usually a big deal till you're pushing the size limits of the lathe.
