Can we turn firewood?

[Mrs Blackie]

Hi I know I probably sound real dumb now but can we turn seasoned firewood like the ones we buy in bags or order by the tonne?

[DavidG]

Yes. Cheap practice but could be full of splits.

[Mrs Blackie]

it is getting boring turning small bits now Im sort of over turning the same cut offs over and over again and I cant afford blanks so I came to this resort but just needed to know if it was ok to do so. Thank you.
Cheers!:)

[wheelinround]

Pen turners do it all the time :p

I am still cleaning up my stash be patient.

Is it clean up week in your area yet?? laminating or segmenting timber looks good turned do a search for Powderpost on this forum or Hardenfast even Ad-de crom:2tsup:

[Mrs Blackie]

Patient? Whats that??? :roflmao::roflmao: no its not in my area, last week they cut down some trees outside kids school I went back and they cleaned it up real good, I couldnt even get one log. You got stash? taps foot....being patient:U

[jimbur]

It can be a real nuisance. One load of firewood was from old bridge timbers mainly yellow box and ironbark. I think more ended up in the shed than in the fire.
cheers,
Jim

[powderpost]

Mrs Blackie, I have been reading the memoirs of an old professional English wood turner. He made a living from turning collar studs and shaving brush handles from bone and ivory. They turned, not a dozen at a time, but filled orders for one or two gross (144) at a time. They were very good turners.
I am not suggesting you turn 144 bits, but do turn at least 10 of any one item. This is the very best way to becoming a good turner. It will take some patience though.
Jim

[Mrs Blackie]

I hear you Powderdust and appreciate what you are advising me, Thank you:)

[Mrs Blackie]

Oh my God I am sorry Powderpost I spelt your name wrong :B I think I have sawdust in my head :doh:

[powderpost]

:oo: :D :D
Jim

[Sawdust Maker]

Oh my God I am sorry Powderpost I spelt your name wrong :B I think I have sawdust in my head :doh:

hope not :q

I doubt Jim cares what people call him, but I'm pretty sure he wouldn't want to be called late for dinner? :C

[China]

Mrs Blackie I strongly advise against it, you will very quickly run out of fire wood and only have turning blanks

[Sawdust Maker]

but we all burn our mistakes

[L R P]

Hi Mrs Blackie
old fence posts, were destined for the fire place. GO for it:2tsup:

[Ed Reiss]

Hello Mrs Blackie...chunks of wood that are classified as "firewood" can and do make for some really magnificent turnings. Here's a piece that I literally snatched from the jaws of being burnt in my brothers fireplace. Just scrub-oak but it had some nice color to it.

As far as using fence posts, the only thing to be on the look out for are staples and nails.

So go and use that "firewood"...you never know just what kind of gem you might wind up with.

[Sawdust Maker]

Mrs B

Meant to advise
If you ever hear a chainsaw being used wander around to where it is and see what you can score - most are happy to let you have some of whatever it is they are cutting, But they rarely know what it is :doh:.

For a slab of beer they will usually slice into whatever size you want

[APD]

Mrs. B

Down here in the South I go to the landscape suppliers who usually have a few tons of firewood for sale and they are usually quite happy for me to scavenge through the wood pile, pull a few pieces and hand over a few dollars, usually no more than $1 per piece.
Gives you a bit of a challenge to turn something from the raw

[Jim Carroll]

Turning timber is not classed as firewood till it actually gets put in the fire.

Have a close look at the wood before putting it on the lathe otherwise go for it.

[orraloon]

I have been known to raid the firewood pile sometimes. It can be a source of real nice bits of timber. I find most of my turning wood anywhere I can and a small chainsaw is almost an essential turners tool. Anyhoo some firewood to look at.
Regards
John

[issatree]

Hi Mrs. B,
Yes, I raid my BIL Wood Stack.
Mainly I pick my Wood up off the Ground. It's amazing what you can find if you really look.
If it is over the fence & belonging to someone, just go & ask, as they nearly always say Go Ahead.
I rarely buy wood, I just pick it up.

[woodworm1]

Firewood can work a treat as do old fence posts. Be warned though cracks can cause large sections to fly off at random.

If you are not too fussy, you can end up with some very nice turned pieces with cracks, termite holes, rotted out holes etc. Gives the whole piece a rustic nature similar to rough sawn furniture. I've done a couple of lamps, vases and clocks this way.

But if you are wanting to create a piece that is perfect and crack free be prepared to turn a lot of solid to shavings. An earlier post of mine shows a vase from an old fence post.

[powderpost]

Mrs B. This little bowl, about 100mm diameter x 100mm high, was turned out of a bit of fire wood from a pile of firewood at a camp site. A friend "stole" it in South Australia and gave it to me to cut up for pen blanks. I saved it from an ignominious end.... :rolleyes: :D
Jim

[wheelinround]

I hear you Powderdust and appreciate what you are advising me, Thank you:)

He will answer to Powderpuff :U

[Avery]

I must be doing it all backwards.

My firewood pile does not appear until after the turning is done.

[DavidG]

Firewood : - The rubbish bits of wood found on the floor behind the bandsaw.

[wheelinround]

Really its hard to turn firewood especially after the event :p

[Mrs Blackie]

Hi All, thanks for the response to my thread. Well we have real wild winds right now its been like this for two days I'm loving it, been picking up bits here and there. I love the pictures guys absolutely beautiful peaces. I have been turning solid timber bead heads, dining table legs and posts lolll all recycled, I wonder if my hubby would mind if I used our bed head and legs too? and the tv unit and the corner unit all made of pine oh and I wont mention my tassy oak kitchen....:roflmao2: anyways, thank you all for your input, I drove down the highway yesterday and seen some real nice branches fallen to the side of the road so this morning I went and got them, gotta love stopping on the highway and everyones looking at you at the traffic lights so I wore my safety vest pretending I worked for the council hahahahaha loved it, well? I wasnt going to go there with high heals:roll:
Cheers All runs off to make a sign for the local shops notice board.

[Mrs Blackie]

Now thats a great idea Sawdust Maker will keep that in mind Thank You:2tsup:

[rodent]

Remember were not scroungers were wood collectors , just did a tree trim for crazyscews brother i now have a nice piece of fig in the back of the truck . Remember it's gardening time here in oz keep your eyes open on the sides of the road for branches removed for garden reno's , some rare and interesting things can be found . Just keep away from the poisonous varietes .PS microwaveing green wood is the way to go for prunings /

[vk4]

I have some timber I was given , It's been sitting in a shed for the last 6 years:rolleyes: , if it was any drier the government would declare it a disaster zone / desert.:D:D:D:D .

I started to cut a CL Butt today :rolleyes:, as SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED, has asked for a 300mm Fruit bowl.:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

It is now time to see if I can turn it into the Fruit Bowl or firewood..:D:D, After trimming on the small band saw.

Jeff

[wheelinround]

Remember were not scroungers were wood collectors , just did a tree trim for crazyscews brother i now have a nice piece of fig in the back of the truck . Remember it's gardening time here in oz keep your eyes open on the sides of the road for branches removed for garden reno's , some rare and interesting things can be found . Just keep away from the poisonous varietes .PS microwaveing green wood is the way to go for prunings /


Just don't use the kitchen microwave :no: pic and old one up :p

[Bill Travel]

...I have been reading the memoirs of an old professional English wood turner...

What is the name and author of the memoir you are reading?

Thanks.

[Tim the Timber Turner]

Mrs B. This little bowl was turned out of a bit of fire wood from a pile of firewood at a camp site. A friend "stole" it in South Australia. :rolleyes: :D
Jim

No wonder firewood is $320 a ton delivered, in Adelaide:o.

The Bananabenders steal it all:rolleyes:.

We can't afford to turn firewood, it's much too valuable:no:.


Cheers

Tim:)

[Paul39]

What is the name and author of the memoir you are reading?Thanks.

It may be The Craftsman Woodturner by Peter Child. I have the original, written in the 1970s. It shows a lot of techniques from before scroll chucks.There is an updated version, available here PETER CHILD. Tools and Equipment Shop for Woodturning and Pyrography (http://www.peterchild.co.uk/) and I'm sure from Amazon.Amazon.com: Used and New: The Craftsman Woodturner (Master Craftsmen) (http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1861080751/ref=sr_1_1_olp?ie=UTF8&qid=1317601090&sr=8-1&condition=used)

The original might be available used.Peter died in 1986 and the company is run by his son Christopher.

[RETIRED]

I would say this one.

Jones, Bill
Notes From the Turning Shop
Bill Jones' Further Notes from the Turning Shop

[RETIRED]

It may be The Craftsman Woodturner by Peter Child. I have the original, written in the 1970s. It shows a lot of techniques from before scroll chucks.There is an updated version, available here PETER CHILD. Tools and Equipment Shop for Woodturning and Pyrography (http://www.peterchild.co.uk/) and I'm sure from Amazon.Amazon.com: Used and New: The Craftsman Woodturner (Master Craftsmen) (http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1861080751/ref=sr_1_1_olp?ie=UTF8&qid=1317601090&sr=8-1&condition=used)

The original might be available used.Peter died in 1986 and the company is run by his son Christopher.I have the original copy of this and reread it a week or two ago.

There is still some good info but some is a little outdated now.

[Sawdust Maker]

I would say this one.

Jones, Bill
Notes From the Turning Shop
Bill Jones' Further Notes from the Turning Shop


Bill Jones' Further Notes from the Turning Shop - used copy, over US$500 on Amazon :omg:

[powderpost]

Geez , you are a genius. You were right first guess, your prize is on the way. Actually there was three books involved.
1. Bill Jones',
Notes from the Turning Shop
2. The Practical Wood Turner
by Frank Pain
3. Hand or Simple Turning
Principles and Practice
John Joseph Holtzapffel
Jim

[RETIRED]

Have the other 2 but gave the first to a very good friend.:wink:

[powderpost]

Geez, I hope you get it back... and I hope that person appreciates it. :wink:
Jim

[RETIRED]

Given as a gift and I really, really think the person that got it has got a lot out of it.:)

[pyarra]

Absolutely! You know the "fight or flight" reaction? For woodturners it should be re-written as "turn or burn". Our woodshed has a separate pile for promising bits that I set aside when I'm getting in a load for the fire.

We burn various eucalypts (mainly messmate) and some Tas Blackwood (relax, I only burn the bad bits!) so there are always a few promising chunks to be rescued. And you can't argue with the price of free! This drill handle: https://picasaweb.google.com/106530426219267526445/BokerEggbeater#5569368788617655634 was Blackwood rescued from the woodshed, and the nostepinne here https://picasaweb.google.com/106530426219267526445/WoolTools#5516204630220610658 was messmate that was also destined for the coonara.

[Mrs Blackie]

Hi my name is Mrs Blackie and I am a turnaholic! I have developed a problem especially when I'm driving...my eyes are constantly searching for logs and branches and I can't stop myself from constantly looking at even the trees on the side of the road lolll I'm driving myself crazy here...Oh by the way a friend of mine gave me some redwood he had in his trailer from his land in mudgee and ohh woww they are so nice, but I see borers has got to them and hoping they don't cause me problems while turning if not I can just imagine how nice the things I turn will look with the natural holes and patterns in them. Had a look at your pictures Pyarra you got some real cool stuff there.
Cheers!

[Paul39]

Mrs. Blackie,

If you have live borers, when you have a blank small enough to fit in a microwave, give it several 15 second bursts and feel the blank after each one. When it is almost too warm to hold, the bugs are cooked.

My daughter brought me some chunks of wood from Hawaii, after a while on the bench little piles of sawdust appeared beside them. Microwaving stopped that.

[Mrs Blackie]

Heres a picture of the redwood a friend brought back from his land in mudgee and more to come, they have a lot of cracks but I'm thinking I could use the bits that are not cracked, as you can see I tried to hand saw one of them wipes my brow :roll:

[vk4]

That timber looks well dried, I doubt that the borers are still alive,.:D:D

This timber is dense and hard, a CHAIN SAW is best to cut this with. Mark out your bowl, or what ever then cut the block out , (I HOPE YOU HAVE A BAND SAW):rolleyes::rolleyes:, then trim on a band saw.

This will minimize the throw of an out of balance block.:rolleyes:
Make sure that you gouges are SHARP:2tsup::2tsup:, and be prepared to resharpen very regularly.:D:D:D

You will get some nice colour out of this timber.

jeff

[wheelinround]

Hi my name is Mrs Blackie and I am a turnaholic! I have developed a problem especially when I'm driving...my eyes are constantly searching for logs and branches and I can't stop myself from constantly looking at even the trees on the side of the road lolll I'm driving myself crazy here...Oh by the way a friend of mine gave me some redwood he had in his trailer from his land in mudgee and ohh woww they are so nice, but I see borers has got to them and hoping they don't cause me problems while turning if not I can just imagine how nice the things I turn will look with the natural holes and patterns in them. Had a look at your pictures Pyarra you got some real cool stuff there.
Cheers!

A drive through Wilmot down towards Stoney Creek rd right side heading towards Richmond spotted Wednesday some nice bits.

[wheelinround]

Heres a picture of the redwood a friend brought back from his land in mudgee and more to come, they have a lot of cracks but I'm thinking I could use the bits that are not cracked, as you can see I tried to hand saw one of them wipes my brow :roll:


Stick them in garbage bags and spray pest spray in as much as you like it will kill the buggers.

Aldi's I think might have a chainsaw.

[Sawdust Maker]

Just split it in half with an axe - probably quicker then a chainsaw

[Paul39]

Just split it in half with an axe - probably quicker then a chainsaw

I have been turning for about 5 years and have not yet bought any blanks. I pick up timber from along side the road, and as people know I heat with wood, they alert me when trees are cut or fallen.

With blocks that are starting to split, I drive a wedge into the crack to let the wood split where it wants to. If I cut new green timber I cut into blocks a bit longer than the diameter and split them where I would like to make two bowls.

On really large diameter timber I may split in thirds or quarters. I then stack the chunks on pallets off the ground on the shady side of the house for months or years.

Splitting early on mostly relieves the stress and lets the timber shrink back.

I cut the corners off the half round blocks and mount on a faceplate to rough out the outside and make a recess or spigot for the chuck. I turn it around and mount on the chuck and rough the inside, take it off and let dry or treat as below.

I sometimes rough out bowls green, making the thickness 10 - 20 percent of the diameter and wrap in paper, or put in brown bag, or soak in 50 - 50 detergent and water and let dry, or sometimes microwave smaller pieces. I recently found a discarded BIG copper pot, so I am going to try boiling roughed out blanks.

Some split, some don't. Different species act differently.

Unless a tree has been dead for years and has dried standing, timber is almost sure to split if left in the round.

I roughed out a bowl from a piece of red oak and partially hollowed it with a circular saw. It was in the house seven years until I got a lathe, when I roughed it further and left it on the lathe overnight.

By morning it had turned oval and cracked. I let it sit in the shed for several months and then finished it, filling the cracks with coffee grounds and epoxy. I let it sit for another month to see if it would further move. It did not, so I took it to my seller.

[Mrs Blackie]

Paul? thanks for the detailed info, I have so much to discover yet and with the help of people like yourself I am learning more and more on this forum. Thank You All for your input and advice.
Cheers!
Ayshen ( Whats Ayshen? its my first name :U)

[vk4]

Timber is a law unto it self:rolleyes:

I needed to do some yard work and brought a small electric chain saw from the big green shed, 14"bar ,
it works a treat for me, as I have an issue with my right shoulder:( and weight of tools and vibration are a problem.

I agree, trim your timber into slabs ,blocks etc and allow to dry , turn some green so that you have on going projects available in the shed. An old wardrobe with a heat source and fan for circulation, should work well.(not too much heat,):rolleyes::rolleyes: Just a thought , I would replace any shelves , with racking , this will improve air flow ,and moisture cannot be trapped under a rough turned bowl .drill holes at the top , to allow the warm air &moisture to escape.Remember heat rises so rotate the timber driest to the bottom wettest to the top.:2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:

[Mrs Blackie]

Timber is a law unto it self:rolleyes:

I needed to do some yard work and brought a small electric chain saw from the big green shed, 14"bar ,
it works a treat for me, as I have an issue with my right shoulder:( and weight of tools and vibration are a problem.

I agree, trim your timber into slabs ,blocks etc and allow to dry , turn some green so that you have on going projects available in the shed. An old wardrobe with a heat source and fan for circulation, should work well.(not too much heat,):rolleyes::rolleyes: Just a thought , I would replace any shelves , with racking , this will improve air flow ,and moisture cannot be trapped under a rough turned bowl .drill holes at the top , to allow the warm air &moisture to escape.Remember heat rises so rotate the timber driest to the bottom wettest to the top.:2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:

I never thought of that vk4, I have a wardrobe in my shed too has no shelves at the moment, thats a great idea will put racking in there and drill large holes on top of it for circulation, its just sitting there in my workshop with things I hardly use in it, will look into it on monday as tomorrow I have the Cumberland woodworkers to go to.
Thanks! Cheers!:2tsup:

[Don Mc.]

Hi Mrs Blachie
Asked the same question when I was learning, They told me I should turn it before I burn it and not after