4 inch bowl blanks

[emabear]

I am finding it very difficult to find 4 inch thick bowl blanks Can anybody suggest suppliers.

 

[pryere]

Olivers has some 4" ash blanks but not much more in that thickness.

https://www.oliverswoodturning.co.uk/product/ash-bowl-blanks/

 

[marcros]

home of wood, maybe. or snainton

 

[Lazurus]

I would try a local mill and buy a slab and cut them yourself. Try the Arbtalk forum for local mills

 

[emabear]

Thanks for you help. It does confuse me that bowls would be limited to 3 inches by the mills. I would have thought that demand would have made this more usual but I guess that is no the case

 

[custard]

3" is about the maximum thickness that can be easily, cheaply, and reliably dried. Above 3" and the costs skyrocket, plus you'll get dramatically increasing problems like checking as corners get cut with the drying/kilning.

There's a lot to be said for buying really thick blanks direct from local tree surgeons, doing some rough initial turning to dramatically speed up the air drying process, then finishing them off after a year or two in a plastic bag with a handful of shavings.

 

[emabear]

That all makes sense. Are you able to get exotic slabs as well or are these cut in their native countries

thanks for all the input

mark

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Don't forget the design - you can always increase the height by planting a foot on your shallower bowl.

 

[clogs]

I had to drop a huge straight Cherry tree in France.....
offerd it to all the blank suppliers (UK) and was told "not interested"........

For exotics u have little or no chance from suppliers...
u need to find a couple of tree surgeons and get them to supply......a crate of beer should get them talking to u.....
Have u got somewhereto dry ur own finds.....?

I just missed out on a Monkey puzzle tree...went to fire wood....!!!!!!!!!!!!!! damm.......always wanted to turn that tree.....

 

[Blister]

Glue and clamp 2 off 2" blanks together , Sorted

 

[Rorton]

have a look on Ebay for a seller called Sherwin Timber - if you google them, you should get a link to their store.

They have some nice looking bowel blank packs, £32 for 4 bowel and 2 coaster blanks