Platter Blanks

[Shedman]

Good evening all!
I’m hoping someone out there might be able to help me with this. A friend of mine has asked me for about 24 platters. Now I can turn these, but I’m really struggling to find appropriate blanks for them, hence my message on this forum. Is anyone out there able to, and prepared to supply me with blanks to allow me to finish these off for my friend. Species is not an issue, other than they are hardwood (!). Size can vary but we’re thinking 250mm (ish) in diameter. They are for outdoor dining from BBQ/smoker. Please let me know if this is possible and the cost for this. I’m really hoping someone might be able to help. With kindest regards, and thanks in advance. Just as a thought I am Midlands based, near Kettering if that makes any difference!

 

[ChaiLatte]

What thickness?

Just an example:

https://www.englishwoods.co.uk/blank-2/olive-ash-bowl-blanks

Have a look at Chiltern timber and then call them on the phone. They sell what you want but not in the size you want from stock.

 

[Inspector]

Any reason you don't buy boards wide and thick enough from a hardwood dealer, bring them home and cut them on the bandsaw? Even without a bandsaw you can crosscut the boards with a circular saw into square and then cut the corners off to make octagons. The rest can easily be done on the lathe. Regular boards are cheaper than prepared bowl blanks.

Pete

 

[Richard_C]

The rest can easily be done on the lathe.

Yes, and with platters which are usually only 20-30mm thick you can easily work from centre outwards with a bowl gouge and round it off as you go, even with square blanks. Octagons make it easier but not essential if you don't have the right kind of saw.

I suspect 250 wide boards might be a bit hard to find in the UK, not impossible though.

 

[ChaiLatte]

Octagons make it easier but not essential if you don't have the right kind of saw.

I am struggling to think of a kind of saw that could not perform this task.

How much time and effort will you spend turning the corners off compared to buying a £5 hardpoint handsaw and cutting them off?

 

[Richard_C]

I am struggling to think of a kind of saw that could not perform this task.

Agree. Any bandsaw. schop saw, mitre saw will do it quickly. A hardpoint saw also, but you need to mark it out (although you can use the first one as a template to save time) clamp the workpiece somehow, assuming you have space on a bench and/or big vice, and move it round for each cut. OP wants to make lots of these.

Or you can do it like this person - I'm sure there are lots of others on you tube, this is just the one I found. Remember it's for a platter so much shallower than the bowl he is making so you can probably do all the outside without moving the toolrest. I would actually start with the tennon or mortice then just bring the tool round to shape the underside of the platter, the corners will cease to exist pretty quickly.



Start from about 2'40 for some talk abouit grain direction or 3'50 to cut to the chase.

Choices, choices.....none of them wrong.

 

[Paul Hannaby]

Find your nearest sawmill and buy some 1" boards. It should be easy enough to find boards wide enough for what you want.

 

[Duncan A]

Andy Harrison in Burton Latimer was always very obliging when I went to his place.
His website looks somewhat moribund but it can do no harm to contact him.
http://aharrisonwoodturning.co.uk/
Duncan

 

[Stigmorgan]

I have the wood but it's way too wet unfortunately, they would warp way too much once turned.