In this video I share what NOT to do when you get a new batch of wood and why. It’s a rant of sorts but I think good info for new turners. Hope it helps save someone some headaches. Thanks for watching! 😀
Check out these Australian blokes for excellent tips on turning:
@KerryCorney
@RichardRaffanwoodturning
Two more guys I think have it figured out at the lathe:
@tomislavtomasicwoodturning
@Bowlmaker60
That's exactly what I use, Elmer's, full strength! As cheap and easy as it gets, great video. I like it when guys go against the status quo. Also bug holes are the worst, I agree.
I totally agree with you about those bits you cut off on the rim, Stu. Can't have that. You're doing great, mate. I keep my end-sealing glue neat, too. I also used paint before using glue, and it worked. You should see if any clubs around you will take your roughed bowls off you. Some turners might want to purchase those bowls with cracks in them. I would seal them and call your local club. One man's trash is another man's treasure. Great video, Stu. Cheers for the mention, mate. Kezza.
Thanks for the advice Kerry, I appreciate it! 😁
I am fortunate in that I’ve been given a lot of wonderful turning wood. I would love to turn every bit of it but I’m old and not very spry. All the things you describe are happening to a walnut trunk that is laying on my shop deck. 😢
Sorry to hear that you’re unable to process your walnut chunk. Thanks for watching 😊
Great info my friend. It is all trial and error with sealing these things and depends on where you live too. I’ve been doing more glue sealing these past couple months. My bad thing is getting the reclaimed wood from people and just cutting them down to lengths and not splitting them. I do however seal the ends. It does help with minor cracks but you still get the big ones. Great work my friend.
How has glue sealing worked for you? Another thing I like about glue over house paint is it dries clear so can still see what the grain looks like. Thanks for watching CJ!
@@STMwoodturning glue has been great for me. ESPECIALLY when doing a rough turn. When having whole logs I still get some cracking but it’s just the major cracks and not all the small splits.
Good call Stuart to get those logs processed asap I use PVA and sometimes old wax rendered down from my bee hives but even then, if one or two are going to crack, they will. Cheers Bram
Thanks for watching Bram and nice to hear from you! I agree that if wood is going to crack, it will despite what we do. Haven’t tried beeswax for anything other than a finish although I’ve seen other turners use melted candle wax as a sealer. Cheers to you as well! 😁
@@STMwoodturning melted candle wax will work mate
You can avoid the cracking very easily by ripping the logs to remove the pith as soon as possible. Then just seal the end grain. I've had great luck with paste wax, latex paint or the glue you have there. The moisture has to have a way to escape and this method will slow the drying, but the chances of cracking are greatly reduced. As for the worm holes and insect invasion, I embrace the character it offers.
I’m doing better with my chainsaw processing than when I first started turning. Thanks for watching! 😁
Yes, Om guilty of doing the same thing by not getting to my logs quick enough.
Glad I'm not alone in making this error!
Interesting video Stuart. You mentioned a few things I did today. One we have a friend who had an Oak tree cut down in her front yard. She asked me if I wanted some. I took 3 pieces and as soon as I could I cut them in haves. I sealed the ends with guess what. Glue! But it was not cheap wood it was Titebond llll I had bought a gallon and I hate the stuff. I used it on some segmented work. It now thick and slimy so I sealed the oak which I will get at soon. The other thing is the turning I just finished (English Walnut) had lots of bug holes. But the reason the tree was cut down was the bugs got in it and pretty much killed it. The tree was our friends and I got all the wood from it. Bug holes and all. Sorry for the long story but what you talked about reminded me of it. Good job of explaining how to process bowl blanks. I would use it but I do not sell and have no use for that many bowls. Gary
Funny that you mention selling… I do sell a little and wouldn’t mind selling more but I’m still working full time and do not want a second job. However, I love turning green wood and have hard time walking away from free wood. That’s how I ended up with so many bowl blanks. Guess I could sell the blanks like Mike Mahoney does. I do enjoy giving them away and get requests for bowls. However nearly all of the requests are for salad bowls and a lot of the free wood I get is smaller stock. Guess I need to figure out a plan for where this going. All I really know right now is I LOVE WOODTURNING! 😊
You must keep pretty busy if you still work full time and have them many blanks made. I do not want to sell because it becomes a job. I had one of those and I loved it. I worked with wood all day long building things much cooler than a bowl. Even though some had a bowl shape at the start. I have started a thing where I give a bowl away now and then. I think my first turning might be in our attic. I did it in 1961 grade school shop class. And I still love wood turning. Have fun!
@@ThePapa1947 The blanks have been accumulating gradually since late last year. I just need to say no to free wood for a while! 😂😂
Nice work that’s Some very nice bowls Steuart, yep them suckers start cracking if ya can’t get to em quick enough, and I hear ya on the resin, I use it from time to time but when I do I usually make a big gom mess with the stuff, I’m not the best with that stuff but it’s helpful stuff just gotta do it sometimes, I got some cracked pieces I’ve worked on probably have the video out next week about what I did on some stuff that I just didn’t want to fix a bunch of cracks Lol, must be in the air about not wanting to fix a bunch of cracks, I made more cracks, You might want to try to embrace the cracks and make some artwork out of the cracks instead of throwing them in the burn pile that’s what I would do, carve something on them or highlight them.
I agree Kimsey that sometimes you need to embrace the cracks, bug holes etc as a feature of the bowl. Thanks for watching!