Turning a natural edge platter?

[arcos]

Sorry, I am bored sat in a hospital waiting room so MISSING turning!!!

I have access to pine planks that are unuseable for commercial planking. Basically the outer cuts from the tree.

I would estimate that they are about somewhere between 10 - 20mm thick with bark on both edges.

I'm thinking about small 'square'(?) Platters but not sure where to start! 
Any tips on getting started please?

[Eric Harvey]

First ignore George, then second glue a waste block on the back,then turn the front,then reverse turn it,a piece of cloth over the jaws and tailstock brought up to waste block to sandwich it in place,then you can gently take small cuts to do the reverse and turn off/part the waste block off,should make some interesting small plates/platters especialy if you can keep some of the bark on.I hope that is helpful to you,regards,

Eric.

[BrianH]

You are talking about sapwood pine here......A sticky mess or a spitting but warm fire....The choice is yours
Brian

[arcos]

Now, now boys!

George, I like fancy firewood!

Brian that is very helpful and I will see what happens and of COURSE let you know!

I like the idea for turning plates. Even if it is with non firewood ;-)

I have some dry/aged boards that I will try first. They don't need to be anything 'fancy' they will be used to serve a bit of lunch in the forest to 4x4 mud pluggers and will, hopefully, look better than paper plates to eat their quiche off!

[Martin Lawrence]

I would not want to eat of a plate made of pine, leave for wall plaques, decorative items only nothing thata is going near consumables.

Cheers Martin

[arcos]

I think that that pine plates used to be the order of the day over here!

[bodrighywood]

There's pine and there's pine. Some is sticky 'orrible stuff, some is so soft it is useless for anything other than the fire and some is gorgeous grain and surprisingly hard. I have turned some things out of pine that have been lovely to work and the wood has been beautiful. Only you can decide if it is worth using.

Pete

[BrianH]

A pro woody told me once that he had tried a sideline in smoking cheese for a local deli. Oak shavings worked fine, apple were reet tasty but pine gave the product an interesting detol flavour.
Brian

[Bryan Milham]

Detol, an interesting analogy, as Turpentine is extracted from Pine trees.

However in days of yore plates were made of wood. Tall ships sailors had wooden platters with a hollowed section called Trenchers - leading to the modern expression 'Trencherman' although now mainly used for a gourmand.

[bodrighywood]

Trenchers were actually in common use with everyone, not just the sailors and most eating containers were bowl shaped originally and only became plate or flat bottomed when eating at tables became more accepted and possible.

Pete

[woodndesign]

May I just add:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trencher_%28tableware%29 as it is of interest.

Cheers

[Bryan Milham]

I must admit I did not think to search for a trencher - I came across my information while visiting HMS Victory. I like the look of the wooden trenchers, and the little secondary hollow - possibly for a condiment (Mustard/salt?)

[woodndesign]

I must admit I did not think to search for a trencher - I came across my information while visiting HMS Victory. I like the look of the wooden trenchers, and the little secondary hollow - possibly for a condiment (Mustard/salt?)

Hi Bryan,

I'd read up on that before, the idea of being square was for easy of use on the table and for better stowage than round plates, could the hollow be for your Rum glass ..    ..

Google trencher tableware and a whole load in images .. trencher alone is a load of trench cutters.

Arcos, this maybe a little removed from your platter ..    ...

David

[arcos]

I gotta say I am loving Trencherware!

This is the kind of stuff that dreams are made of!!!

It's rustic enough for me to find a market here 

[Bryan Milham]

I'm sure they will sit great beside your frozen olive wood wine goblets.