AWGB Woodturning Forum

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: bernuk1 on January 18, 2017, 11:34:27 AM

Title: A Challenge for me
Post by: bernuk1 on January 18, 2017, 11:34:27 AM
So far I have only turned 'shop bought' blanks,which I have bought for a specific purpose.
Yesterday,after lunch,a friend said he'd got a chunk of beech in his garage that he'd had for 10 yrs-would I like it ?

It's 43cms dia. 15cms at deepest and weighs 9kg.
It says "Bowl"   what should I look out for as I tentatively turn this ?

I have found the centre of critical mass (I think that's the term) and will be trimming to a rough circle before putting it on lathe.
Comments and advice welcome.
Title: Re: A Challenge for me
Post by: Lazurus on January 18, 2017, 01:05:44 PM
Is your lathe up to the job?  If it is I would start between centers to find the balance point and go from there. Have a look at Lyle JAMIESONS videos on you tube as this is how he turns every bowl he makes. Shows procedure and techniques for safe quality turning. Most of all enjoy the experience, if it doesn't work out wood does grow on trees......
Title: Re: A Challenge for me
Post by: bernuk1 on January 18, 2017, 01:14:41 PM
Is your lathe up to the job?  If it is I would start between centers to find the balance point and go from there. Have a look at Lyle JAMIESONS videos on you tube as this is how he turns every bowl he makes. Shows procedure and techniques for safe quality turning. Most of all enjoy the experience, if it doesn't work out wood does grow on trees......


Lathe is a Record CL4-I'll be annoyed if it isn't up to it !!   Too big to put between centres at moment. So,I found balance point by balancing it on the neck of a faceplate.
I'll look at the vids you suggest-thanks.
Title: Re: A Challenge for me
Post by: GBF on January 19, 2017, 09:36:11 PM
Have you started using this wood yet.
I see you are at Weston Super Mare that is about 10 miles from me at Burnham on Sea.
If you would like some help with it get in touch and bring it here and I will help you sort it out.

Regards George
Title: Re: A Challenge for me
Post by: bernuk1 on January 20, 2017, 08:30:07 AM
Have you started using this wood yet.
I see you are at Weston Super Mare that is about 10 miles from me at Burnham on Sea.
If you would like some help with it get in touch and bring it here and I will help you sort it out.

Regards George

Thanks for your kind offer George,I'll PM you.
Title: Re: A Challenge for me
Post by: Tim Pettigrew on January 23, 2017, 11:26:05 AM
I have recently had an almost identical challenge with this mighty trunk section of Walnut(http://www.pettigrews.org.uk/odg/images/img_2697cr.jpg).

To see how I am dealing with this click HERE (http://www.pettigrews.org.uk/odg/wt-project-current.htm#img_2697cr) which I hope might be of help.

Tim
Title: Re: A Challenge for me
Post by: GBF on January 23, 2017, 12:13:00 PM
You could get a lot bigger bowl than that Tim

Regards George
Title: Re: A Challenge for me
Post by: Tim Pettigrew on January 23, 2017, 01:12:59 PM
Yes, I guess I could have gone a bit bigger.  What has surprised me is that in spite of it breaking all the rules inasmuch as the resulting bowl was end-grain and included the pith, it has shown no sign of splitting in spite of losing a colossal 4 Kilos of water (initial weight was 8.4 Kilos when rough turned back in July last year having been felled in March April, as against 4.4 Kilos now).  The water loss has now slowed down considerably and this last week was only 14 grams. 

I would guess that Bernuk's Beech being 10 years old will be fully dried out?

Tim
Title: Re: A Challenge for me
Post by: GBF on January 24, 2017, 05:48:54 PM
Today Mike (bernuk1) met the challenge of turning his large Beech Bowl as you can see from the following Pics.
I think it was a Burr as it had some beautiful figuring in it.
It was turned to round on the bandsaw secured to a faceplate and turned into a stunning approx. 13" x 5" Bowl.
It was a hard day for Mike but he persevered and this is the result
Very well done Mike.

Regards George

Title: Re: A Challenge for me
Post by: Tim Pettigrew on January 24, 2017, 05:58:04 PM
That's fantastic!  Well done indeed Mike.

Tim
Title: Re: A Challenge for me
Post by: bernuk1 on January 24, 2017, 06:16:20 PM
Today Mike (bernuk1) met the challenge of turning his large Beech Bowl as you can see from the following Pics.
I think it was a Burr as it had some beautiful figuring in it.
It was turned to round on the bandsaw secured to a faceplate and turned into a stunning approx. 13" x 5" Bowl.
It was a hard day for Mike but he persevered and this is the result
Very well done Mike.

Regards George


Actually I met two challenges today-One to produce a bowl from 9kg of burr and the other to correct bad turning practices that I had taught myself over the last 5mths of my turning career.
George was very patient whilst being firm and explained the reasons and theory behind all the things I needed to change.
The day progressed at a steady pace and apart from the bowl he made time to improve the grind on my two bowl gouges and totally reshape my heavy duty scraper.
Mrs George (Sue I think,but my brain was on overload so I could be wrong) provided an excellent lunch and mugs of tea,I apologise for the amount of sugar.
All in all an excellent day giving me plenty to build on.

Thanks a lot George.

Mike
Title: Re: A Challenge for me
Post by: GBF on January 24, 2017, 06:26:45 PM
Thank you Mike I am pleased you enjoyed your day here.
You were right it was Susan she always makes Students welcome it is all part of the experience.

Regards George
Title: Re: A Challenge for me
Post by: Les Symonds on January 24, 2017, 06:33:03 PM
I'd say that Mike has overcome quite a hurdle......no, not working with George  ;D , but getting to grips with a difficult lump of timber and not only making something out of it, but something of considerable  beauty. Those of us who watch George on Facebook will be quite used to seeing the results of his students, and this piece is right up there with the best of them. Well done to the two of you....an excellent effort of cooperation.
Les
Title: Re: A Challenge for me
Post by: bernuk1 on January 24, 2017, 07:27:53 PM
That's fantastic!  Well done indeed Mike.

Tim

Thx Tim,I'm well pleased with the result.

Mike
Title: Re: A Challenge for me
Post by: bernuk1 on January 24, 2017, 07:31:53 PM
I'd say that Mike has overcome quite a hurdle......no, not working with George  ;D , but getting to grips with a difficult lump of timber and not only making something out of it, but something of considerable  beauty. Those of us who watch George on Facebook will be quite used to seeing the results of his students, and this piece is right up there with the best of them. Well done to the two of you....an excellent effort of cooperation.
Les

Thx Les,it's nice to get comments like that.

Mike
Title: Re: A Challenge for me
Post by: The Bowler Hatted Turner on January 24, 2017, 07:49:44 PM
I may have said this before...a professioanl turner at the top of his game, well done George. (Oh and bernuk1)
Title: Re: A Challenge for me
Post by: bernuk1 on January 25, 2017, 03:10:53 PM
And here's the finished bowl.
Title: Re: A Challenge for me
Post by: seventhdevil on January 25, 2017, 03:31:35 PM
has no one told you that it is not beech but is a piece of ash???

nice work by the way.
Title: Re: A Challenge for me
Post by: bernuk1 on January 25, 2017, 03:38:53 PM
has no one told you that it is not beech but is a piece of ash???

nice work by the way.

OOPS  ;D The guy I got it from just said he had a chunk of beech in his garage,would I like it. I didn't query it,my excuse is inexperience. Don't know about others who've said nowt .  ;D

Mike
Title: Re: A Challenge for me
Post by: duncanh on January 26, 2017, 12:02:09 AM
has no one told you that it is not beech but is a piece of ash???

nice work by the way.

You beat me to it - that's definitely ash and not beech
Title: Re: A Challenge for me
Post by: GBF on January 26, 2017, 07:14:00 AM
To be perfectly honest I never gave it any thought as to what the wood was.
Mike brought it here as part of a days woodturning Tuition and said his mate told him it was Beech and I was more interested in teaching than thinking about what the wood was.
At they end of the day Mike had turned a beautiful Bowl and that was all that mattered.
I rest my case  ;)

Regards George
Title: Re: A Challenge for me
Post by: Bryan Milham on January 26, 2017, 10:37:49 AM
Mike,

You found a smashing bowl in that old burr. It looks great, well done and alos well done to George in guiding you through the process of making it.
Title: Re: A Challenge for me
Post by: Mayo Mick on January 26, 2017, 02:12:49 PM
Well done lads, lovely bowl
Title: Re: A Challenge for me
Post by: edbanger on January 26, 2017, 11:05:26 PM
Well done George you have again got a new turner under your wing and the results show.

Congratulations Mike that looks like one very nice bowl made from a lovely looking piece of wood :)

All the best

Ed