Big Red Gum Burl

[smiife]

Hi guys,
Looks like it, s going to be a great weekend........
Large red gum burl to play with and an extra
day off work , should be interesting if I can
get this on the lathe and turned it out, should
make a nice bowl :2tsup:

[rod1949]

Looks like a gut buster.... I'll just watch thanks:luck:

[Rod Gilbert]

Very promising indeed what are the dimensions of the burl.
Regards Rod.

[Christos]

I will take a seat to watch this one.

[Cliff Rogers]

Very promising indeed what are the dimensions of the burl.
Regards Rod.


There is a tape under the 2nd pic.

It looks big enough to keep him busy for a day or too.

[BobL]

Nice.

Have you got some body armour?

[greyhound]

What brand of lathe are you going to put it in ?
Will the out of balance give you much problems

[turnerted]

The burl looks a bit iffy just where you want to screw a faceplate .I would consider glueing/screwing a disc of 1/2'' plywood over this, reaching to the sound wood and then screwing your faceplate on to the ply.Best of luck.
Ted

[dai sensei]

Rough turn it only and leave for a few weeks. Something that big will move

[Pat]

Rough turn it only and leave for a few weeks. Something that big will move


Yes the lathe, first, doing the tango around the shed . . . unless someone has finally bolted it down :)

[Simplicity]

That is going to make the best tooth pick.

[smiife]

Very promising indeed what are the dimensions of the burl.
Regards Rod.

Hi rod, approx 480mm x 460mm and about 290mm deep


What brand of lathe are you going to put it in ?
Will the out of balance give you much problems

Hi greyhound, I have got a woodfast 910,
Yeah, mounting It might be a challenge !


The burl looks a bit iffy just where you want to screw a faceplate .I would consider glueing/screwing a disc of 1/2'' plywood over this, reaching to the sound wood and then screwing your faceplate on to the ply.Best of luck.
Ted

Hi ted,
thats a good idea, it is a bit holey in the middle:o

[smiife]

sensi;147198]Rough turn it only and leave for a few weeks. Something that big will move[/QUOTE]

Hi niel,
It, s been stored under the house for a while, but
I will take your advice, which way would you turn It.?
It has a big nasty rotten bit on the side , so I was
thinking about doing It natural edge .


Yes the lathe, first, doing the tango around the shed . . . unless someone has finally bolted it down :)

Hi pat, It is bolted down now , but I think it will
test out the 910 a bit ! should be interesting :U


That is going to make the best tooth pick.

I thought a pen blank ........:U

[shedbound]

watching with interest

[dai sensei]

s..which way would you turn It.?
It has a big nasty rotten bit on the side , so I was
thinking about doing It natural edge

Natural edge would work, certainly show off the better burl grain that is probably nearer to the edge, but more risky if the burl is not solid. As for shape, all in the eye of the turner which looks better, as long as you follow the golden rule and traditional proportions.

Good luck with it.

[Dalboy]

Lovely piece of burr I am not green with envy at all OOH YES I AMhttp://d1r5wj36adg1sk.cloudfront.net/images/smilies/standard/biggrin.gif:D:D, just wish it did not cost a small fortune to buy even a small piece over here.

Certainly look forward to seeing the outcome, or should I say bowl when finished not the hospital photo's:hahaha::hahaha::hahaha:

[Jeff Leslie]

The other option is to buzz the back of the burl flat, glue a waste block on. affix a faceplate and turn the bad face first and as much as possible of the other side before reversing it on a jam chuck or a vacuum chuck. Just another option.

[smiife]

Nature edge would work, certainly show off the better burl grain that is probably nearer to the edge, but more risky if the burl is not solid. As for shape, all in the eye of the turner which looks better, as long as you follow the golden rule and traditional proportions.

Good luck with it.

Hi neil, I appreciate your thoughts and ideas,,
I just weighed the beast.......26.7 kgs:o:o


Lovely piece of burr I am not green with envy at all OOH YES I AMhttp://d1r5wj36adg1sk.cloudfront.net/images/smilies/standard/biggrin.gif:D:D, just wish it did not cost a small fortune to buy even a small piece over here.

Certainly look forward to seeing the outcome, or should I say bowl when finished not the hospital photo's:hahaha::hahaha::hahaha:

Hi dalboy,
I could always bring some over for you,,,,,,,!
Just send the fares to..............:U
You guys have nice burls/ burrs over there too don, t you ?


The other option is to buzz the back of the burl flat, glue a waste block on. affix a faceplate and turn the bad face first and as much as possible of the other side before reversing it on a jam chuck or a vacuum chuck. Just another option.

Hi jeff,
Yeah, thats what I, m thinking, turn the flat side
and make a natural edge bowl !
Thanks for your opinion, much appreciated:2tsup:

[smiife]

Hi guys,
Any more ideas or options would be greatly received :U
Just weighed the burl and at almost 27kgs ....I would
like to hear others approach to something like this.
I must admit i am a bit nervous and apprehensive
where to actually start with this one:o.
Looks like sunday morning is free to start on this beast:oo:

[Jeff Leslie]

Smife,

one of my good friends is a world-class woodturner and he always buzzes the back off burls first then glues a waste block on. No name dropping. It's safer than putting a foot on to hold by a chuck - or worse, use the chuck in expansion mode. There is very little grain strength in burls as we all know. Good luck with the burl. My Stubby s750 wouldn't blink an eyelid..... Good God, I'm starting to sound like Calm!

[artful bodger]

Hi guys,
Looks like it, s going to be a great weekend........
Large red gum burl to play with and an extra
day off work , should be interesting if I can
get this on the lathe and turned it out, should
make a nice bowl :2tsup:

Oh boy! I admire your optimism with an unsound cracked burl like that one smife.
Looking forward to seeing what silk purse you can make out of that sows ear.
Good luck.
Watching with baited breath.
Hope you have a good first aid kit.
Ambulance on speed dial,etc,etc

[Dalboy]

Hi dalboy,
I could always bring some over for you,,,,,,,!
Just send the fares to..............:U


:lolabove::lolabove::lolabove:



Hi dalboy,
You guys have nice burls/ burrs over there too don, t you ?


Don't start on that one as the lads on a forum here would hang you we call them burrs:o:lb::lb::lb:

[Mobyturns]

Don't start on that one as the lads on a forum here would hang you we call them burrs

Burrs are for carving or standing on. Ask for a burr here and you will get sent to the tool shop for carving burrs, or be given a "prickly seed case." :wink: May be we should start a scam "500 burrs for $100" - selling goats heads isn't illegal - is it? :D

[Sawdust Maker]

yeah dad hated burrs - bvggered up the wool
http://weeds.dpi.nsw.gov.au/WeedImages/ShowThumb/1068

and concerning that bit of redgum - cut it up into about 4 pieces and send each of us a 1/4

[Woodturnerjosh]

If I was going to turn it with a natural edge (using the round part of the burl as the top of the bowl) I would actually turn it between centres using a large drive dog (like the vicmarc one that screws on). First I would cut it round on the bandsaw and then as you start roughing it down you can shift the axis to get the top as even as possible.
I've used this method successfully a few times on green wood up to 300mm.

I look forward to seeing the finished piece!

Josh

[turnerted]

If you choose to turn between centers as Josh has suggested , a method I have used when turning heavy blanks , is to bore a shallow hole just slightly larger diameter than your drive dog .Then lift the headstock end of the blank on to the lip of the hole and then lift the other end and position on the live center . This way you only have to lift one end at a time and are not trying to juggle the whole weight while you pick up two center points .
Ted

[asheddie]

I'm also very interested in this one. I'll wait for some pictures. Good luck with it

[smiife]

Smife,

one of my good friends is a world-class woodturner and he always buzzes the back off burls first then glues a waste block on. No name dropping. It's safer than putting a foot on to hold by a chuck - or worse, use the chuck in expansion mode. There is very little grain strength in burls as we all know. Good luck with the burl. My Stubby s750 wouldn't blink an eyelid..... Good God, I'm starting to sound like Calm!

Hi jeff, good idea , planed off the top as suggested ! :2tsup:


Oh boy! I admire your optimism with an unsound cracked burl like that one smife.
Looking forward to seeing what silk purse you can make out of that sows ear.
Good luck.
Watching with baited breath.
Hope you have a good first aid kit.
Ambulance on speed dial,etc,etc


Hi AB, so far so good .....no cuts or bruises
and no 000 calls........YET....:q


:lolabove::lolabove::lolabove:



Don't start on that one as the lads on a forum here would hang you we call them burrs:o:lb::lb::lb:

Funny that ...with all the european forefathers here I wonder
where the burr/burl debate come from , anyway from now on they are
...................BURLS ........OK!...........:cool:

[smiife]

yeah dad hated burrs - bvggered up the wool
http://weeds.dpi.nsw.gov.au/WeedImages/ShowThumb/1068

and concerning that bit of redgum - cut it up into about 4 pieces and send each of us a 1/4

Hi SM,
Nice burls ......errrrr!! .... I mean BURRS ,
cut it in 4, s........:noway:



If I was going to turn it with a natural edge (using the round part of the burl as the top of the bowl) I would actually turn it between centres using a large drive dog (like the vicmarc one that screws on). First I would cut it round on the bandsaw and then as you start roughing it down you can shift the axis to get the top as even as possible.
I've used this method successfully a few times on green wood up to 300mm.

I look forward to seeing the finished piece!

Josh

Hi josh,
Yeah , I had to cut the corners off with my chainsaw.
It wouldn, t fit under my bandsaw :o


If you choose to turn between centers as Josh has suggested , a method I have used when turning heavy blanks , is to bore a shallow hole just slightly larger diameter than your drive dog .Then lift the headstock end of the blank on to the lip of the hole and then lift the other end and position on the live center . This way you only have to lift one end at a time and are not trying to juggle the whole weight while you pick up two center points .
Ted
Hi ted,
Thanks for your Idea , i did drill a hole for the live centre !

[smiife]

I'm also very interested in this one. I'll wait for some pictures. Good luck with it


Hi asheddie,
Thanks for your interest,,, I think I will need a bit of luck too :o



Woow dude, good luck with that :2tsup:


Hi steve,
Thanks for your thoughts , some photos to follow soon !:U

[smiife]

Hi guys,
Progress so far , flattened the top off with planer , chopped
off the corners with chainsaw , took out a bit of rotten stuff
in the centre , drilled in the centre with forstner bit to take my
live centre,, sharpened up the bowl gouge , changed the speed
down , safety gear on, face shield , dust mask , thongs whoooops !
Deep breath and away we go ..........

[Cliff Rogers]

Awesome. :o

[mick59wests]

doing fantastic!
cheers
Mick

[Nubsnstubs]

Smife, looks like you're progressing right along without any problems. When done, it's going to be a beautiful bowl. Several questions.

How did you originally mount it at the head stock?

How tall is it?

Do you have the means to split it into 2 pieces instead of hogging out that beautiful interior into a pile of shavings? I'm asking because I just recently borrowed a McNaughton bowl saver and yesterday used the big straight blade to split a 4" thick x 18" blank to make 2 book matched platters instead of making 10 extra pounds of shavings.

Did you add color to the almost finished bowl in the first 3 pictures, or is that what it looks like with just sanding? ............... Jerry (in Tucson)

[Dalboy]

That BURR:harhar::harhar::harhar: is looking good so far. Doing a great job on it when finished I can see it having a nice colour

[smiife]

Awsome. :o


Thank you Cliff, appreciate your opinion:cool:


doing fantastic!
cheers
Mick
Hi Mick ,
Cheers mate ,:2tsup:


Smife, looks like you're progressing right along without any problems. When done, it's going to be a beautiful bowl. Several questions.

How did you originally mount it at the head stock?

How tall is it?

Do you have the means to split it into 2 pieces instead of hogging out that beautiful interior into a pile of shavings? I'm asking because I just recently borrowed a McNaughton bowl saver and yesterday used the big straight blade to split a 4" thick x 18" blank to make 2 book matched platters instead of making 10 extra pounds of shavings.

Did you add color to the almost finished bowl in the first 3 pictures, or is that what it looks like with just sanding? ............... Jerry (in Tucson)

Hi jerry,
I used a faceplate ring to go Into my chuck,, it, s 125 mm
The blank origanally was 470mm x 235 mm, In the photo
It, s 400mm x 150mm ,
The weight was 29.7.kgs, not sure what it is now!:o
I wish I had a bowlsaver , but It had a rotten bit in
the middle so wouldn, t have been worth saving,
The first 3 photos ,,,, I gave It a lick of D.O.
They should have been the last 3 :no:

[smiife]

That BURR:harhar::harhar::harhar: is looking good so far doing a great job on it when finished I can see it having a nice colour

Hi derek,
Thanks for your comments,, I have just given a coat of D.O.
So the grain should pop with a few more coats, not sure
what to finish off with yet so stay tuned !!
THE BURL IS ALMOST DONE ,,,!:ranting2:?...............

[Dalboy]

Hi derek,
Thanks for your comments,, I have just given a coat of D.O.
So the grain should pop with a few more coats, not sure
what to finish off with yet so stay tuned !!
THE BURL IS ALMOST DONE ,,,!:ranting2:?...............

I think most people I know when doing burrs/burls use oils or spray finish those that have tried waxes found that they ended up with a white residue in the crevasses(spelling)

[Sawdust Maker]

hey - looking good!

[smiife]

I think most people I know when doing burrs/burls use oils or spray finish those that have tried waxes found that they ended up with a white residue in the crevasses(spelling)

Hi derek,
Yeah, I have made that mistake before with wax
I think when the D.O. is dry I might use a ncl lacquer
or just see how the DO looks!
Good to see you are multi linguistical (burr/burl):U:q


hey - looking good!

Hi SM , thank you:2tsup:

[Pat]

Smiife, for some burls, read the ones I really like, its Oil daily for a week, then once a week for a month then leave for a month to fully cure. Then spray poly, 3 light coats over 3days, then leave for a month to gas off/cure, then it's ready for display.

[smiife]

Smiife, for some burls, read the ones I really like, its Oil daily for a week, then once a week for a month then leave for a month to fully cure. Then spray poly, 3 light coats over 3days, then leave for a month to gas off/cure, then it's ready for display.

Hi pat,
Do you wipe off the oil or just leave It to dry ?

[Bagis]

Nice pieces... Like to see the end result.... My burl is huge and flat 800 wide....

[Jeff Leslie]

Nice going.

Probably too late now, but I would have got the West Systems out with their black dye and filled all the voids before you removed it from the faceplate. Just a personal preference. I and my mate Paul do a lot of redgum work for furniture and the black WS just looks like gum veins.

[Pat]

Hi pat,
Do you wipe off the oil or just leave It to dry ?

Smiife, the first couple of coats are heavy/flooding, so I leave for 20 - 30 minutes then wipe off any excess. The remaining coats should not have any excess.

[smiife]

nice pieces... Like to see the end result.... My burl is huge and flat 800 wide....

Hi bagis,
Thank you , not sure when I will finish yet
800mm wow thats a big sucker ! :o
What kind of lathe do you have ?


Nice going.

Probably too late now, but I would have got the West Systems out with their black dye and filled all the voids before you removed it from the faceplate. Just a personal preference. I and my mate Paul do a lot of redgum work for furniture and the black WS just looks like gum veins.

Hi jeff,
Not sure what west systems are ?
Most of the voids are filled with black shiney bits anyway



Smiife, the first couple of coats are heavy/flooding, so I leave for 20 - 30 minutes then wipe off any excess. The remaining coats should not have any excess.

Hi pat , thanks for the your thoughts and info !:cool:

[TongueTied]

Hi jeff,
Not sure what west systems are ?
Most of the voids are filled with black shiney bits anyway


West Systems is a brand of epoxy. Great stuff for filling voids.

Burl is looking fantastic!

[smiife]

West Systems is a brand of epoxy. Great stuff for filling voids.

Burl is looking fantastic!

Hi TT.
Thanks for the Info , I had never heard of it before
Any photos of It in action ! :U

[smiife]

Hi guys,
Finished off the big burl bowl today , gave it another coat
of oil , and weighed it ....... started off at 26kgs+.....now it, s
2.6kgs, i had good fun turning it , now i have to clean up:C

[Cliff Rogers]

Photo(s)? :think:

[smiife]

[QUOTE=Cliff Rogers;1949179 Photo,s)? :think:[/QUOTE]

Yeah, Photos.......of what It looks like ,,,,:doh:
Say, a before and after of a bowl with the
stuff being used......a finished Item of how it
looks, how does it improve the look or finish........etc.
are you with us now cliff?

[Jeff Leslie]

Smife, not exactly sure of what you are saying. All Cliff and the rest of us want is a pic of the completed bowl!

[Cliff Rogers]

Sounds about right, you have to watch out for those pizz fairies. :D

[smiife]

Sounds about right, you have to watch out for those pizz fairies. :D

:roflmao::roflmao::roflmao: