PDA

View Full Version : 1st real go at a bowl



Harry72
9th August 2007, 03:26 AM
Got me hands on some freshly cut silky oak:D, I've been rough turning bowl blanks from it and thought I might at going the full way on one... so here it is
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v725/ST170ish/bowl1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v725/ST170ish/bowl1.1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v725/ST170ish/bowl1.2.jpg

Its about 200mm high 160mm in dia and still very wet so I don't expect it to last, its started to crack already suppose thats what you get for using wood thats only been cut 1 day before hand, I did heat gun it for a little while(will that hurt at all?). I tried keeping the thickness an even 6mm but I dont own any hollowing tools:doh: .

Finished it to 800 then some EEE and burnished on some shellawax and buffed a little trad wax into it.

Harry72
9th August 2007, 03:30 AM
How about a closer look, crazy grain structure :D
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v725/ST170ish/bowl1.3.jpg

No wonder Maj likes this wood so much!

Calm
9th August 2007, 09:06 AM
Very nice grain, something to look forward to when the other peices dry

rsser
9th August 2007, 11:45 AM
Lovely figure and interesting form.

Getting the wall as thin as possible helps forestall cracking; as well, some folk advise bouts in the microwave.

But you did well to get that depth without special tools.

Caveman
9th August 2007, 04:22 PM
Hey Harry - that's a real nice piece. Lovely stuff that silky oak - I'll use it whenever I can get some.

Pity about the cracking, but I'm sure you had fun turning it. At least the pictures can't crack :-)

Shouldn't be too long till your rough outs dry and can be re-turned.

Sebastiaan56
9th August 2007, 06:55 PM
Hi Harry,

Isnt it the most beautiful timber, one suggestion, rather than the blowtorch consider the microwave for accelerated drying, there are plenty of threads on the process,

Sebastiaan

Harry72
9th August 2007, 11:48 PM
Hmmmm microwave eh... I just happen to still have the old one, out the workshop it goes!

OGYT
10th August 2007, 04:56 AM
Nice one for no tools, Harry. Good on ya! Gettin' that deep without a space shoot is worth a pat on the back. :D
I've turned quite a bit of seppo Red Oak, while it's still green and wet. If you can get one down to 4mm or less thichness, makin' sure the bottom is a mite thinner, it'll probably not crack but it'll warp like crazy. :yikes: If you can keep the curve pretty simple from the top to the bottom center, it'll put a little less stress on the wood, too, which also helps it keep from want'n to crack.

Wild Dingo
10th August 2007, 05:23 AM
mmmm Every peice of wet timber Ive tried to turn HAS without miss cracked... no matter how thin or thick I leave it... it cracks :C

Silky oak
She oak
Mock Orange
Camphor Laurel
Pear
Jarrah
Karri

makes no difference what timber if its green and newly down it has cracked!!! :~

Some of my to date finest turnings have ended up split or cracked down one side which believe you me does NOTHING for a total novice to turnings confidence :roll:

I have some lengths of Mock Orange that are now over a year down and have started cutting them into rounds about 4in thick and stacking them to one side for drying... and others Ive left at their cut length of up to 2 mtrs.. which is going to be an absolute mongrel to move shortly when we up stakes so Im thinking of cutting as much as I can down to 4 to 6in thick rounds which will be I think a good size and not to damned heavy to lift and move when the time comes.

But I tell you what Im getting seriously IRRITATED when I do what looks to be a fine turning of a bowl for me and a few hours days later theres a large an getting larger CRACK down one side!! :~

So what is the secret?

Harry72
10th August 2007, 08:16 PM
" So what is the secret?"
I reckon a big bloody ferrule!

BANNED
11th August 2007, 03:24 AM
Hi Harry72,

How did you use to get such detail in close-up pics.

Is there any price (reward) for the fastest and biggest crack/warp/twist/etc.,etc. developed from a turned peace of wood ????, I reckon, I would be with a good chance...!:D

Yeah, I agree with you Wild Dingo, "Some of my to date finest turnings have ended up split or cracked down one side which believe you me does NOTHING for a total novice to turnings confidence."
But don't worry, that same sentiment is shared by all turners, novice or not, it happen to the best, shame they don't admit it so openly, huh? oops!!:doh:

Cheers
GV

OGYT
11th August 2007, 09:14 AM
G'day, Dingo. I feel your frustration. :) Mine cracked... most of 'em... 'til I started soaking them in soap. I rough turn green wood... throw it in the soap for a minimum of a month... turn it thin, and let it go, or dry it slow in an old reefer "kiln". Not very many of them crack, anymore(some do, but not many), if I get them thin enough, and make sure the bottom is just slightly thinner... not the rim it sits on, but the concave area in the center of the bottom.
When I'm turning wet wood, I keep it wet with an occasional spraying from a 409 bottle that I've filled with the same 50/50 soap solution, because if it dries faster on the outside, and is still wet on the inside, it will crack. I keep it wet until it's at finished thickness, and may use a whole bottle. I don't allow it to get too hot from sanding. If I have to leave the lathe to eat lunch or go fight a fire, I give it a quick wrap with a plastic bag, so it don't dry out so fast in this heat. In the winter it isn't so fast to crack, but I still wrap it.
All this seems to work for me. :)
Just as a side note, a lot of times, unless you cut the tree yourself, you can't tell how it was felled. What I mean is, if it was grubbed down by machinery, or came down as a result of a storm, it will more than likely have cracks in it already, and they'll show up, sometimes later.
The pic is a 17" oak bowl just after it was sprayed again. Hope this gives you some ideas. :)

hughie
11th August 2007, 06:41 PM
Every piece of wet timber Ive tried to turn HAS without miss cracked... no matter how thin or thick I leave it... it cracks :C


Dingo do a search of the forum on seasoning blanks/timber. It has been discussed at various times using various methods.
ie Meths [DNA], soap/water mix, microwave, soaking in water, freezing etc or the old fashioned way of time and patience.

:U

Harry72
11th August 2007, 08:38 PM
Hi Harry72,

How did you use to get such detail in close-up pics.
I put the camera real close!:D

I used a 17-55mm lense with a 2x extension on my camera(canon 400D)and used a bright fluoro for back lighting, then zoomed and cropped it in photoshop.