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smiife
13th July 2014, 07:54 PM
Hi guys,
I found this elm log in my wood stash yesterday,
heaved it on to the lathe , debarked it and turned it round
today I shaped and hollowed it , still not too sure what
it will be:o,,,,,.......???
The log came from the ebor school a few years ago
there were 6 magnificent old elm trees which were planted
in1906 when the school was first built , i managed to
collect a few pieces before they were all chipped,
i think one day a branch fell down and so the powers
that be decided they should all come down,,,,,,:o
so any ideas , comments or advice appreciated

michael_m
13th July 2014, 08:21 PM
No ideas, but I'm looking forward to seeing what you make of it. You're working at a different scale to the one I'm used to!

Out of interest, how do you deal with the pith when turning entire logs?

wheelinround
13th July 2014, 11:00 PM
Show off....................... nice hollowing rig


They should (the school) be made to replant 12 Elm trees of mature sapling status not tiny seedlings. I bet that those trees were planted by some dignitaries which was part of the schools history. If this is the case and the school is of historical importance they could find themselves in deep.:((

Paul39
14th July 2014, 05:55 AM
Smiife,

That is going to be beautiful.

It is nice to see turners starting with perfectly balanced, round blanks. :D:D:D

smiife
14th July 2014, 08:41 PM
No idea, but I'm looking forward to seeing what you make of it. You're working at a different scale to the one I'm used to!

Out of interest, how do you deal with the pith when turning entire logs?

Hi michael,
I hope this will be dry by now, It, s been down for about
4 yrs, most of the pith will be taken out when hollowed
so hoping It will be ok, this is the first large log I have
turned like this!, so I will have to see what happens
there are a few small cracks already !:o


Show off....................... nice hollowing rig


They should (the school) be made to replant 12 Elm trees of mature sapling status not tiny seedlings. I bet that those trees were planted by some dignitaries which was part of the schools history. If this is the case and the school is of historical importance they could find themselves in deep.:((

Hi wheelie,
They did plant new trees , I think they are called prunus!
That hollowing rig IS the best tool i have ever bought
easy to use, quick and very effective !

s
Smiife,

That is going to be beautiful.

It is nice to see turners starting with perfectly balanced, round blanks. :D:D:D

Hi paul,
Thanks for your comments, hoping it will turn out ok (pun intended)

Thanks to all for looking :U

Paul39
15th July 2014, 12:52 AM
Hi michael,
I hope this will be dry by now, It, s been down for about
4 yrs, most of the pith will be taken out when hollowed
so hoping It will be ok, this is the first large log I have
turned like this!, so I will have to see what happens
there are a few small cracks already !:o

Once it is hollowed it should be OK. Rule of thumb is one year per inch of diameter to dry. This is why bowl turners rough turn, leaving the thickness around 10 % of the diameter, then wrapping in newspaper or any of the other methods to let it dry slowly.

Once you get your piece hollowed, let it rest around the shed or in the house for at least a couple of weeks, better a month or two. It will do whatever moving around it is going to do and dry out. Then you can finish.

I have roughed a bowl from freshly cut timber and have it turn foot ball (US not Soccer) shaped in two weeks.

I have also had a piece of red oak that was split down the middle and roughly hollowed with a circular saw and sat in the house for 7 years, move and crack overnight after I roughed it on the lathe.

Hermit
15th July 2014, 09:51 AM
Looks good Michael. It has an urn shape so far, but I'll be interested to see what you do with it.
Nice timber, too. That grain is really going to pop when it has a finish.

Drillit
15th July 2014, 10:27 AM
Hello Smife,

Have you tried using a second tool rest, using standard rest at the front of the hollowing as a second level to the long tool.
I have been doing this lately and have found that the second rest at the front really helps keep the tool from dipping on the deep hollowing.
You are lucky to have scored the elm - turns good. Impressed with the progress so far. All the best, Drillit.

smiife
15th July 2014, 09:37 PM
QUOTE=Hermit;1790977]Looks good Michael. It has an urn shape so far, but I'll be interested to see what you do with it.
Nice timber, too. That grain is really going to pop when it has a finish.[/QUOTE]

Hi hermit,
It has taken a kind of urn shape, will have to see how it goes!
hopefully It will be ok.


Hello Smife,

Have you tried using a second tool rest, using standard rest at the front of the hollowing as a second level to the long tool.
I have been doing this lately and have found that the second rest at the front really helps keep the tool from dipping on the deep hollowing.
You are lucky to have scored the elm - turns good. Impressed with the progress so far. All the best, Drillit.

Hi drillit,
Thanks for the tip , second toolrest ,had not thought of that
would need another banjo though !


Once it is hollowed it should be OK. Rule of thumb is one year per inch of diameter to dry. This is why bowl turners rough turn, leaving the thickness around 10 % of the diameter, then wrapping in newspaper or any of the other methods to let it dry slowly.

Once you get your piece hollowed, let it rest around the shed or in the house for at least a couple of weeks, better a month or two. It will do whatever moving around it is going to do and dry out. Then you can finish.

I have roughed a bowl from freshly cut timber and have it turn foot ball (US not Soccer) shaped in two weeks.

I have also had a piece of red oak that was split down the middle and roughly hollowed with a circular saw and sat in the house for 7 years, move and crack overnight after I roughed it on the lathe.

Hi paul,
Don, t yah just hate that when that happens
not to sure if i have the patients to wait too long!
I always seem to want to finish and see what it looks like:U
Thanks for your comments and advice:2tsup:

dr4g0nfly
17th July 2014, 07:03 AM
Hi guys,
i think one day a branch fell down and so the powers
that be decided they should all come down,,,,,,:o


Elm does that, there is an old English folklore saying goes,

Elm Hateth man, and Waiteth.

So I reckon more than one bough has landed on a head in the past.

smiife
17th July 2014, 08:51 PM
Elm does that, there is an old English folklore saying goes,

Elm Hateth man, and Waiteth.

So I reckon more than one bough has landed on a head in the past.

Hi dr4g0nfly,
Thanks for those words of wisdom:U

Paul39
18th July 2014, 03:58 AM
Elm does that, there is an old English folklore saying goes,

Elm Hateth man, and Waiteth.

So I reckon more than one bough has landed on a head in the past.

Not just elm. I have 7 maples on or overhanging my lot. I never lack for kindling wood as they rain dead branches all the time, with a few 20 foot long 6 - 8 inch ones occasionally when we have windstorms or wet sticky snow.

I've had a few dents in the roofs of my work truck and a crack in a windshield that already had a few.

chuck1
19th July 2014, 08:19 AM
Smiife have you finished it yet?! Keen to see finished project!

smiife
20th July 2014, 05:25 PM
Smiife have you finished it yet?! Keen to see finished project!

Hi chuckie,
No I have not had any shed time this weekend
unfortunately, been getting book work up to date
for Mr Abbott,:o and co...........I think I need a .:beer::~

wheelinround
21st July 2014, 09:53 AM
I thought the hold up may have been the early morning temps lowest seen o weather has been -9C with snow :cold: must have been fun on the iced up roads.

smiife
21st July 2014, 08:47 PM
I thought the hold up may have been the early morning temps lowest seen o weather has been -9C with snow :cold: must have been fun on the iced up roads.
:;

Hi wheelie,
Friday was a real #$@! day , and the weekend wasn, t
much better, so no shed time:~! Hopefully next weekend
will be better than this!


320461 320462

smiife
2nd August 2014, 08:23 PM
Hi guys,
Finally got some shed time today, tried to finish off
the elm vase , so got to about 100mm from the bottom
and heard a differant sound, stop the lathe and sure
enough cracks started to appear , so filled them with
CA, and pressed on and then..........WHOOPS!
a hole had appeared in the side OH WELL back
to the drawing board.....

Hermit
2nd August 2014, 08:59 PM
What a shame. Sorry to hear it Michael. It was looking good.
It must suck to get so far and have that happen. Still, such is life with woodturning. Never a dull moment.

wheelinround
2nd August 2014, 11:36 PM
Ah a design alteration moment do not toss it out or burn it :rolleyes: hum then again a little piro might just improve it and turn it into a gallery piece.

Check out Richard Kennedy's (http://woodturners-gallery.blogspot.com.au/2011/07/richard-kennedy-wood-turner-artist.html) work

Paul39
3rd August 2014, 11:49 AM
Hi guys,
Finally got some shed time today, tried to finish off
the elm vase , so got to about 100mm from the bottom
and heard a differant sound, stop the lathe and sure
enough cracks started to appear , so filled them with
CA, and pressed on and then..........WHOOPS!
a hole had appeared in the side OH WELL back
to the drawing board.....

Don't give up on this one yet. That is too nice a figure. Put a three wraps of tape around the outside in two places so you don't get a mouth full of timber.

Make a long taper of contrasting color timber, or a limb so the repair would look like a knot. Open the hole up a bit with a knife, wrap some 80 grit sandpaper around the taper and sand a corresponding taper in the hole. Keep sanding until you get the wall thickness in the area that you like.

Fit the plug in the hole and mark the inside, cut off the end of the plug leaving just a bit to protrude inside. Glue plug in hole, let dry overnight, carefully cut off outside of plug.

Resume turning, being very careful until plug is cut down to surrounding area.

You could sand the hole with the taper, saturate the inside of the hole with CA and keep turning. You have a vase with a hole in it.

If you are really disgusted with this piece at the moment, set it on a shelf and leave it alone for a while.

smiife
3rd August 2014, 05:26 PM
Hi hermit,
Yes,... there were a few choice words sent around the shed:~

[QUOTE=wheelinround;1795693]Ah a design alteration moment do not toss it out or burn it :rolleyes: hum then again a little piro might just improve it and turn it into a gallery piece.

Check out Richard Kennedy's (http://woodturners-gallery.blogspot.com.au/2011/07/richard-kennedy-wood-turner-artist.html) work

Hi wheelie,
Yeah,, not too sure about a gallery piece,,!


Don't give up on this one yet. That is too nice a figure. Put a three wraps of tape around the outside in two places so you don't get a mouth full of timber.

Make a long taper of contrasting color timber, or a limb so the repair would look like a knot. Open the hole up a bit with a knife, wrap some 80 grit sandpaper around the taper and sand a corresponding taper in the hole. Keep sanding until you get the wall thickness in the area that you like.

Fit the plug in the hole and mark the inside, cut off the end of the plug leaving just a bit to protrude inside. Glue plug in hole, let dry overnight, carefully cut off outside of plug.

Resume turning, being very careful until plug is cut down to surrounding area.

You could sand the hole with the taper, saturate the inside of the hole with CA and keep turning. You have a vase with a hole in it.

If you are really disgusted with this piece at the moment, set it on a shelf and leave it alone for a while.

Hi paul,
You are right should never give up!!
I did actually fill the hole and the cracks so
I will give it another go I think, thanks for your
thoughts and advice , much appreciated
used a half bottle of CA.and some shavings
and came up with what looks like a bloody mess!:o

wheelinround
3rd August 2014, 06:54 PM
Why not????