Were do you get your logs from

[El-Zilcho]

I have had great success today from a country park, a felled tree was going to be carved into a sycamore seed shaped bench by a chainsaw sculptor but it was too full of nails, and a very old sign that had been absorbed by growth. There was a 'slice' about 8" thick that I fancied so I asked in the visitors centre and they were more than happy for me to take it, as long as I promised to take in some pictures of what I make.

Moral of the story - If you don't ask, you don't get!

 

[mark sanger]

Hi Mark

I turn most of my work from wood I get from a local saw mill. It is mainly green/part seasoned but is one hell of a lot cheaper than buying wood from turning supplies.

Although there is a benifit from using prepared blanks that are seasoned and obviously the supplier has taken the time and storage hence the price.

Most of the time if you buy bows 16inch dia by around 3 ft long it is nothing more to the mill than fire wood so costs next to nothing.

try to visit a local saw mill and have a look through their fire wood pile.

This will need to be rough turned but it is cheap wood.

Take care

Mark

 

[TEP]

Hi LW.

I'm not the best at describing things to folks, in fact I frequently confuse myself.

When I say hold it on the square. This is how I do it. I use a SuperNova chuck with the 50mm jaws. Any chuck will do, you just need to cut your blank to fit.

The idea is to cut the square blank so that the corners will fit into the gaps between the jaws, and the flat end resting down on the jaw face. Round off the blank, and turn the goblet cup as thin as possible, you want as little weight as possible here.

Beneath the cup turn a deep narrow cove. Sand and finish. Now loosen the chuck and tip the work to one side on the corner as if you are tipping a diamond. You now turn another deep cove beneath the the previous one. Sand and finish.

Now loosen the chuck and tip the work back and past the way of the first tip. Again turn a deep cove, and finish.

Loosen the chuck and centre the work in the chuck. Turn the foot, sand finish and part off.

Try just tipping it off to the side once at first. Once you are happy then you can try a double cove and so on.

Good luck!

 

[Bodrighy]

Only thing I would add to Tam's description (perfectly understandable) is to bring the tail up before tightening up to ensure that the wood is as central as possible before turning it round and doing the bowl. I find that holding on the square it is difficult otherwise to get it as central as possible.

Pete

 

[Lightweeder]

Hi LW.

I'm not the best at describing things to folks, in fact I frequently confuse myself.

When I say hold it on the square. This is how I do it. I use a SuperNova chuck with the 50mm jaws. Any chuck will do, you just need to cut your blank to fit.

The idea is to cut the square blank so that the corners will fit into the gaps between the jaws, and the flat end resting down on the jaw face. Round off the blank, and turn the goblet cup as thin as possible, you want as little weight as possible here.

Beneath the cup turn a deep narrow cove. Sand and finish. Now loosen the chuck and tip the work to one side on the corner as if you are tipping a diamond. You now turn another deep cove beneath the the previous one. Sand and finish.

Now loosen the chuck and tip the work back and past the way of the first tip. Again turn a deep cove, and finish.

Loosen the chuck and centre the work in the chuck. Turn the foot, sand finish and part off.

Try just tipping it off to the side once at first. Once you are happy then you can try a double cove and so on.

Good luck!

Tam and Bodrighy - as Bodrighy says, description easy to understand. I'm game to have a go, but am not optimistic. I find, no matter how hard I tighten something into my chuck (scroll chuck), I can unseat it no bother, and with it being off centre intentionally, the chuck end is going to take a walloping - but I'll practice on some scrap and let you know how I get on. Thanks for your time lads.

 

[Bodrighy]

Can I suggest that you have a play at seeing just how little you can take off at a single cut. Try making some really thin splindles, like finials or something. It sounds as though you are perhaps cutting too deep if you have a problem keeping things in a chuck. I had the same problem until I started making thin stem goblets and finials. I had to learn to shave rather than cut and sincwe then the only things that come out of my chuck are where I don't watch what I am doing ad have the grain going across a tenon or something daft.

pete

 

[Lightweeder]

Can I suggest that you have a play at seeing just how little you can take off at a single cut. Try making some really thin splindles, like finials or something. It sounds as though you are perhaps cutting too deep if you have a problem keeping things in a chuck. I had the same problem until I started making thin stem goblets and finials. I had to learn to shave rather than cut and sincwe then the only things that come out of my chuck are where I don't watch what I am doing ad have the grain going across a tenon or something daft.

pete

Pete - I'll try it. You're right, of course, that I probably have been going in a bit heavily, and every day I learn a bit more, but it does sound like a sophisticated technique that maybe better left to you guys, until I can master the basics.

 

[jpt]

Just found this video of the process TEP descibed.

http://www.woodturning-videos.com/video/IW7lG_z2q1U

john

 

[PowerTool]

Nice link,John - like all these sort of videos,they always seem to find timber that cuts easier than anything I have available.. :wink:

Andrew

 

[Jenx]

You must get yours off the same trees as me Andrew ... cause I sure cant do it like that either !

2 Hours later and I might just about have the cup bit done ! :wink:

 

[Lightweeder]

Just found this video of the process TEP descibed.

http://www.woodturning-videos.com/video/IW7lG_z2q1U

john

My god. I'm absolutely stunned. The speed - the skill. It's enough to put you off altogether. Thanks for this john.

Can anyone tell me what the tool was he used to hollow the goblet ?

 

[Jenx]

L/W - it looks like a ring tool.

Devil of a thing to use, by all accounts ! ( never tried... sounds too tricky! )

 

[PowerTool]

I've got a couple of ring tools - excellent for hollowing end-grain,such as goblets (mind you,so is a small gouge)
Take a little bit of practice,as they can "bite" a bit too much if not careful,but otherwise a handy tool to have;effectively,they are a gouge turned through 90 degrees,so you are still cutting side grain.

Andrew

 

[Bodrighy]

For the outside he used a spindle gouge and a skew for most of it.

Pete

 

[Lightweeder]

Thanks. I have enough trouble with simple bowl gouge. Was just getting the hang of going in really gently at first, then tried to hollow out a bit of spalted beech yesterday, and it just didn't want to know. As gently as possible and it caught every time. Ended up taking most of sides down with a parting tool, of all things, and then a half inch gouge. I wonder if I've got my speed too slow, having seen this guy.

 

[Bodrighy]

Theoretically, the faster the speed the better the cut but in practice it also means that if you do get a catch it's more spectacular. I was doing a spalted beech bowl myself yesterda that was a bit soft. Going really carefully and had a catch. Bowl ended up at least 1/4" smaller in diameter. With me it is usually because of the way that I present the tool to the wood. Make sure that your gouges don't end in a sharp corner or point.

Pete

 

[greggy]

i get my logs from my son-in-law, he's a tree surgeon and as too
much for me.

 

[Lightweeder]

Bodrighy - is it essential to hollow the goblet first? I've been doing it the other way.

 

[Bodrighy]

If you don't you have a heck of a lot of weight spinning at the end. The centrifugal force can snap the stem. Just thought, if you mean inside the bowl before the outside....I do it the other way as well. My reasoning is that if I want to make a shape as opposed to the simple bowl in the video it is far easier doing the outside first.

Try doing this inside first


Pete

 

[Jenx]

I Agree ... for all the goblets I've done, which isn't that many, I like to do the outside of the bowl first. Then follow the shape by transferring it to the inside. ( which sounds like I can actually do it.. the reality isn't quite as accurate as the description ! 8) )

But yes, its not good leaving a big solid lump at the cup end, after you've turned a nice stem ! ..

I think the 'general rule of thumb' is.. when spindle turning, start at the futhest part away from the headstock when defining the shape - and work back towards it - thus keeping the 'bulk' of material at the headstock end to give the most strength & support for the longest possible time 8) 8)