Wood to practice on...where from?

[Dave Leishman]

Obviously this is kinda area specific, but does anyone have any tips on where to economically buy wood suitable for practicing with?

I don't fancy depending on the local B&Q, and don't really know what I'm asking for if I go to a nearby timber yard

 

[Paul.J]

If you have the means/tools to cut logs up into suitable blanks than a local tree surgeon will be a great source,and cheap too.
Depending what you want to turn of course,you could just use the smaller branch wood.

 

[loz]

Hi Dave,

I read this, then your location, then coughed coffe onto my keyboard.

Found this for you =- they might put you intouch wioth a local Tree Surgeon ?

Corporate Tree Manager
Community Services
New Forest District Council
Appletree Court
Lyndhurst
Hants
SO43 7PA

Telephone 023 8028 5330

Ges

Loz

 

[Dave Leishman]

Thanks guys You know, being right on the edge of the New Forest you'd have thought this would have been a minor hive of woodturning activity.

Not so. The only shop that stocks any wood turning items carries a very poor range and is sporadic in their stock.

My nearest decent tool/timber place for turning is Yandles...2 hours away.

There's no club here (a small one in nearby Christchurch I think), and the restrictions in the forest make it a little dodgy to go around picking wood up.

It still astounds me that in an area encompassing such a historic Forest as this that there isn't a thriving community of wood turners.

 

[Dave Huxley]

Hello Dave, I get quite a lot of my wood from the local tree surgeon they are normally glad to get rid of it, he generally calls round when he's got something interesting like cherry etc, I just give give him the price he would get for logs, I normally get big pieces and chain saw it when I need it. Have a look in the yellow pages for tree surgeons and gardeners

With an address like yours there must be plenty of pruning going on in the forrest which is normally burnt, I have used old pieces of brown furniture like chair and table legs which people have given me.

I'm a member of the local wood turning club they have been great in giving me bits and pieces and putting me in touch with other sources of supply, like the local furniture factory who sell off cuts for wood burners.

Good luck Dave and happy hunting.
Dave

 

[Dave Leishman]

Ok...so to extend the n00b question a little further...

I'm guessing I don't just ring a tree surgeon and tell him I want trees!!

What's best to ask for and are there any kind of ballpark figures for what they should be asking for logs?

The wood from them will be green, so I need to seal the ends and leave for a while?

 

[loz]

With my recent issues ( do i buy a chainsaw or not ) I would suggest,

Unless you have gear to cut up logs, then ask for small dia logs that will fit between centres on your lathe - for spindle work, goblets, boxes, etc.

Small dia logs that you can almost get square if you know what i mean to mount face on for bowls, platters etc.

Branches for spindle work.

Or you will have a shed full of oversize logs, that you can barely move, cannot cut, and are sat doing nothing, and probably never will.

Try and get a variety of wood,

Don't be afraid to send the missus off to the lumber yard, they are great at getting free scraps. Mine recently got me some 2 inch x 5 inch oak planks, and some 1.5 x 4 inch mahog planks, all dry, all free,

Either that or decide which roof trusses the shed might cope without !!


Someone else might offer some good advice on sealing etc.

edit - there is a pdf somewhere that shows different ways to cut logs for particular results, eg natural edge, inclusion, sap and heartwood combinations, grain orientation. - Would be good to show a surgeon, if you find one, and ask him to prep blanks ( to suite your lathe capabilities ) for you from this guide ? - Someone on here must know the sheet i'm talking about !!

 

[user 5053]

There is an endless supply of free timber for practicing on. Trees are always having to be pruned back and thinned providing quite thick branches etc. There is tons of stuff that washes up on beaches. Then there is the mountains of reclaimed wood in skips. You can get stuff from saw mills but this can be expensive. People contact you often with interesting stuff and there is tree surgeons. You just develop a wood scavenging nose. Don't buy expensive bowl blanks etc. This is an expensive way to buy wood and takes all the fun out of it. A little like painting by numbers or microwaving a meal.
Stuff like lleyandii is wonderful for turning. Have fun and get scavenging.

 

[Anonymous]

(...) A little like painting by numbers or microwaving a meal.
(...)

mmmmm, I have this picture in my mind....

'The Locks at Bow' by E T Crawley

 

[Woodmagnet]

Dave, try asking on your local "freecycle" group,
i have had lot's of free timber that way. :wink:

 

[Dave Leishman]

Lots of good ideas there - thanks all I've found two local freecycle groups, so I'll try them, and I know of a local tree surgeon, so I'll give him a ring too.

Now...if I get all this green wood, what do I do with it?

I know I can turn green, but as it dries it'll deform, so for practice that's fine.

I know I can dry smaller bits in the microwave, although without a means of measuring the humidity it'll be a guessing game! Cue bonfire in the microwave...

If I get some stuff that's 'good' wood, with interesting features, I think I've seen I can paint the ends with oil based paint...then leave it for ages?

I could do with a dummies guide to wood foraging and aftercare

 

[big soft moose]

Now...if I get all this green wood, what do I do with it?

1) I know I can turn green, but as it dries it'll deform, so for practice that's fine.

2) I know I can dry smaller bits in the microwave, although without a means of measuring the humidity it'll be a guessing game! Cue bonfire in the microwave...

3) If I get some stuff that's 'good' wood, with interesting features, I think I've seen I can paint the ends with oil based paint...then leave it for ages?

I could do with a dummies guide to wood foraging and aftercare

1a) if you are turning all the way green , turn the walls thin (1/4 ins or so) then just let it distort - you wind up with some interesting pretzel shhaped bowls and vases doing it like that.

1b) alternatively part turn it to the point where the walls are about an inch thick - then wax it all over and pop it in a paper bag with some shavings and leave it to dry - after about 4-8 weeks you can rechuck it and turn away the distortion.

2) The best way to check the moisture content is with a moisture meter (30 quid from toolpost) - failing that get a cheap set of kitchen scales (under a fiver in woolies etc) , part turn the bowl, stick some kichen paper in it to soak up the moistuer then give it a burst of 30 secs to a min on low power, let it cool weight it again, and repeat - when the weight doesnt change its as dry as its going to get - then just leave it for a while to finish drying

two points on this - a) it makes the microwave smell funny so its best to get an old micro for the workshop and not risk the wrath of swimbo and b) you can also turn a bowl thin (1/4 ins) then zap it for 2-3 mins until it is nice and hot - then wearing gloves you can mould the wall into funny shapes.

3) Natural drying - leave the bark on, seal the ends with pva glue or paint or similar then leave for several years.

another way

4) Dehumidifier kiln - build an insulated box , get a dehumidifier (80 notes on screwfix), stick it in the box with your wood (weigh the wood first), turn it on , close the box and leave for a week or two then weigh the wood again and repeat.

note on this - remember to either empty the dehumidifier regularly or bodge a hose from the water tank to the drain. You can also put a time switch on the dehumidifier so it only runs at night when power is cheaper.

hope this helps

 

[Vulthoom]

Get an open fire!
You always have a ton of firewood to practice on and, if it goes horribly wrong you can throw it on the fire!

Seriously though, ask around to see if any of your friends and colleagues have an open fire and ask if you can root through their wood pile. Its amazing what you can turn up.

Actually, this is what really started me towards woodturning - seeing all these beautiful bits of wood thrown on the fire. A year or two back (only got the lathe recently) I started putting some of the more interesting pieces aside so I now have a small supply of nicely dried material.

 

[Woodmagnet]

For between centre turning practise, you can get
bags of hard wood logs at your local garage
forecourt. Cost is about £3.50 i think. :wink:

 

[Bodrighy]

Try scavenging the woods, hedgerows etc. Also look for cheap solid wood furniture in junk shops. Surprising how much oak, mahogany, beech and even elm (old chairs) there is around despite Antiques roadshows etc. Driftwood if you go to the beach, freecycle, ask for offcuts etc, B&Q sometimes have bags of hardwood firewood which can have nice bits in it. Don't forget that to practice you don't need 20" diameter logs, mushrooms, night lights, weedpots etc can all be made with really small pieces. Also, using small pieces have a go at miniature things. I have made loads of bobbins with hedge trimmings, weedpots from small lumps of wood that are useless for anything bigger. Egg cups, small goblets, are great for practicing both facework & spindlework and working small give you a gentle touch which is useful.

HTH

Pete