Lets see your wood

[stenik]

Whilst holidaying in the Highlands we had a walk to the Corpach Caol ship that's resting on the edge of Loch Eil/Loch Linnhe and came across loads of drift wood. Just up the road is a sawmill and I think 1 piece has come from there and washed down stream a bit. Not very big but with all the bits we had I couldn't fit anything bigger in the car , but also a piece of driftwood that I just liked to look of. I'm thinking a natural edge bowl.

 

[Stigmorgan]

Saturday SWMBO arrived home from her volunteer work at the UK wolf trust near Reading (yes real wolves) with a boot full of wood, had she asked before loading it up I probably would have said no to it, I've so much waiting to be processed already and most of this new stuff was on a log pile and is full of bugs but not wanting to seem ungrateful I took it and spent yesterday processing it, a nice bit of yew, a couple of bits of Hawthorn that had split but got a couple of plate blanks and some spindle blanks, 2 big logs that I couldn't identify at first but as soon as I started cutting them on the bandsaw I knew the smell instantly as Ash, confirmed by the fresh cuts turning pink, managed a couple of bowl blanks, some spindles and a few box blanks theres also a cube about 6 or 7 inches on all sides with hundreds of little splits that im trying to think of a use for as it looks really nice, finally was a few bits of something I can't identify but have nice purple colouring that doesn't show well in the photos.

 

[Ed Weber]

Do you ever have the feeling that your bandsaw is shrinking?View attachment IMG_1153.JPG

 

[Stigmorgan]

Just had a closer look and the cube of wood I initially assumed was Ash is actually oak, hoping I can square it up without losing too many of the small cracks then turn the centre away leaving the outside faces flat then put a light inside, if it works I think it will look stunning, especially with a contrasting top and base

I also got a stick of oak that looks to have been outside for a very long time looking at how ridged it had become, I'm thinking of cutting it into lengths and drying them thoroughly in the oven and getting a friend who does a lot of resin casting to cast them in resin so I can then turn some twig pots/small vases.

 

[Sachakins]

Some nice stuff for next year.

 

[Nomasteralljack]

Saturday SWMBO arrived home from her volunteer work at the UK wolf trust near Reading (yes real wolves) with a boot full of wood, had she asked before loading it up I probably would have said no to it, I've so much waiting to be processed already and most of this new stuff was on a log pile and is full of bugs but not wanting to seem ungrateful I took it and spent yesterday processing it, a nice bit of yew, a couple of bits of Hawthorn that had split but got a couple of plate blanks and some spindle blanks, 2 big logs that I couldn't identify at first but as soon as I started cutting them on the bandsaw I knew the smell instantly as Ash, confirmed by the fresh cuts turning pink, managed a couple of bowl blanks, some spindles and a few box blanks theres also a cube about 6 or 7 inches on all sides with hundreds of little splits that im trying to think of a use for as it looks really nice, finally was a few bits of something I can't identify but have nice purple colouring that doesn't show well in the photos.
View attachment 179966View attachment 179967View attachment 179968View attachment 179969View attachment 179970View attachment 179971

I think that is blackthorn. Good for a live edge winged bowl with a purple centre

 

[Morag Jones]

Nowhere near as nice as that bit of oak Stig, but a neighbour has given me this. I can hardly lift it but it’s crying out to be made into something. Anyone got any ideas? It's some form of ornamental cherry. It was cut down last year. I think. Any suggestions welcomed!

 

[Stigmorgan]

Nowhere near as nice as that bit of oak Stig, but a neighbour has given me this. I can hardly lift it but it’s crying out to be made into something. Anyone got any ideas? It's some form of ornamental cherry. It was cut down last year. I think. Any suggestions welcomed!View attachment 180043View attachment 180042

Definitely cherry and I'm shocked it hasn't split more than it has, I'd be tempted to split it through the centre, rough turn 2 bowls and seal with pva then store in their own shavings for a few months to finish drying.

 

[Morag Jones]

Definitely cherry and I'm shocked it hasn't split more than it has, I'd be tempted to split it through the centre, rough turn 2 bowls and seal with pva then store in their own shavings for a few months to finish drying.

you mean slice or split end to end?

 

[Stigmorgan]

you mean slice or split end to end?

End to end through the hearts, parallel to the ground in your 2nd pic, you'll get 2 shallow bowls, being a 3 way crotch you could get some gorgeous feathering in the grain. Similar to this eucalyptus but with 2 feather stripes-


Or you could turn a single live edge bowl like the eucalyptus but having tried that myself with cherry the heartwood shrinks and distorts heavily

 

[MF1000]

Sweet Chestnut cookie 1200mm x 700mm after flattening and first coat of finish

 

[MF1000]

Two 2400 long 40mm thick slabs of chestnut milled off on my table and a 1st wipe over with finish …trip to my mates commercial table saw ahead to trim it up/ create a centre joint line

 

[Morag Jones]

So I took Stig’s advice and split my cherry log in 2.
Cut it roughy into rounds that would fit on the lathe, but clearly unbalanced so nearly shook the workshop apart! Far too scary so stopped. The wood is pretty though…
I’ve sealed them with PVA but wondering why they should be stored in their own shavings please?
I’ve picked out the black soggy rotten bits and associated grubs, the whole thing was really wet so maybe the tree was cut more recently than I thought.
Yes you can tell, I have never done this before, but I’m going to a club on Friday so I can learn.

 

[Stigmorgan]

So I took Stig’s advice and split my cherry log in 2.
Cut it roughy into rounds that would fit on the lathe, but clearly unbalanced so nearly shook the workshop apart! Far too scary so stopped. The wood is pretty though…
I’ve sealed them with PVA but wondering why they should be stored in their own shavings please?
I’ve picked out the black soggy rotten bits and associated grubs, the whole thing was really wet so maybe the tree was cut more recently than I thought.
Yes you can tell, I have never done this before, but I’m going to a club on Friday so I can learn.

Rough turning allows the wood to dry quickly, using the wet shaving helps to stop it drying too quickly, if you used dry shavings they would draw out the moisture rapidly and increase the chances of cracks, cutting into rounds like you have and sealing should reduce the cracking but as it's cherry there's no guarantee, if it was me I would set my lathe speed to minimum (400rpm on mine) until it was balanced enough to turn up the speed then rough it out leaving the wall thickness at least 10% of the diameter, so if it's a 10inch diameter the walls should be 1 inch thick then seal the endgrain inside and outside before storing it in a paper bag/cardboard box with the wet shavings it produced.
I hope they stay in a usable state for you, that grain is seriously gorgeous

 

[MF1000]

Second slab (42mm) of sequoia just cut to size on a friends industrial table saw

 

[Stigmorgan]

Second slab (42mm) of sequoia just cut to size on a friends industrial table saw

View attachment 180940

Ooooh that's gorgeous

 

[Jester129]

Beautiful. What is it like to work please?

 

[MF1000]

On a good quality table saw it cuts very cleanly. Routing wise …a sharp cutter is best . In respect of sanding the long grain ….it can scratch easily from the edges of folded sandpaper.. I’d avoid using a belt sander.

The parts of the redwood heartwood can stand proud of the background.

 

[kinverkid]

Rough turning allows the wood to dry quickly, using the wet shaving helps to stop it drying too quickly, if you used dry shavings they would draw out the moisture rapidly and increase the chances of cracks, cutting into rounds like you have and sealing should reduce the cracking but as it's cherry there's no guarantee, if it was me I would set my lathe speed to minimum (400rpm on mine) until it was balanced enough to turn up the speed then rough it out leaving the wall thickness at least 10% of the diameter, so if it's a 10inch diameter the walls should be 1 inch thick then seal the endgrain inside and outside before storing it in a paper bag/cardboard box with the wet shavings it produced.
I hope they stay in a usable state for you, that grain is seriously gorgeous

If you didn't save your shavings or are concerned about mould/mildew/beetles creeping in from bits you cut off, consider using rice. Large bags are dirt cheap. It's the equivalent of using dry shavings though so not ideal in all situations but if you have nothing else it will do at a push. A method generally more suited to part-turned pieces. The rice can be re-used after drying it in a tray in the sun/greenhouse. Give it a quick spray with mould inhibitor if you have some. It should not interfere with the rice drying effectiveness. As Stig said, there's still no guarantee it won't split but isn't that what resin and glitter is for.

 

[Morag Jones]

Another future project is a simple console table with stick legs. I lifted the crown on a copper beech earlier in the year. The bark was removed within 24 hours and the sticks look really interesting, but not sure how long they need to dry out for. With so many things ongoing it probably won’t be an issue!

PS on a canal boat atm and loved the appearance of one of the gates (replaced last year). Hoping grey wagtails will return to nest when it ages!