Help Needed - how to make end flat/square

[stevebett74]

Hi all - new member here . I don’t have a band saw or mitre saw - so I cut logs by reciprocating saw . Basically I start with logs that are not truly square / flat at either end . I see all these videos with people using a band saw to create one flat end - then they put it on a faceplate or jaw chuck . My question is - if I mount the wood on the pointy centre bit at each end - how do I then make firstly one end square /flat so I can put it on a faceplate . Then when I turn it round attached to a faceplate on the headstock - how do I then make the other end flat / square please ??
Simple question - I guess I could use a parting gouge first of all to make one end square / flat - but any tips / ideas / videos welcome please as I’m new to woodturning . Thanks

[Twisted Trees]

Parting tool, skew, spindle gouge many ways of achieving it, I am more concerned that you appear to be intending to put the end grain on a faceplate. Bad plan especially if new to turning.

What are you attempting to turn?

[stevebett74]

Thanks for the reply - I'm just finding my way and maybe will make a bowl to start with - or something like a long candle stick.

""Parting tool, skew, spindle gouge many ways of achieving it""

This is what i would like to know - i don't have a bandsaw etc - so i make the wood roughly flat at each end - but want to know exactly how do i make the end flat/square please

I keep looking on youtube but everyone seems to have a band saw or they start with a square blank - i need to use my lathe to make the end square.

Any tips or videos etc would be appreciated - thanks!

[Twisted Trees]

It is such a basic thing I don't think I have mentioned it in any YouTube video's I have done, though I am often doing it without comment.

There are 2 ways of turning a piece of wood commonly called Spindle orientation and Bowl orientation spindle is where the grain of the wood runs along parallel to the bed of the lathe and is typically used in candlesticks, rolling pins, pens etc. Bowl is where the grain direction is across the bed and is typically used in bowls and the like.

Different tools are used in each orientation, get it wrong and it could be dangerous. Can you get along to one of the many AWGB clubs? where more tailored advice maybe a bit of instruction can be given? https://www.awgb.co.uk/clubs/

I asked what you were trying to make as the advice I could give is completely different depending on the orientation of the wood on your lathe, you answered with 2 projects that are completely different orientations which makes giving you any specific answer safely an impossible task.

Lets start from the beginning. Choose spindle or bowl project, tell me how you intend to put it  on the lathe from a reciprocating saw (which cuts much flatter than many of the natural edge blanks I start with by the way) what tools you have to use and how you intend to use the tool...

Better still go get an intro lesson from one of the many teachers around the country and you may save yourself months of failure and potentially serious injury even a small piece of wood at 1000rpm is potentially very dangerous.

As I said trimming up the ends between centres is very easy to do but there is myriad ways of doing it which depend on many factors. So your opening question is impossible to answer.

[Twisted Trees]

Here is an extreeme un-flat end being made flat! about 7 minutes into the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eg2iia5SiC8

[Bourbon25]

Get yourself a bandsaw. Machine Mart has woodworking stuff on 'price crash' at the moment.

[BrianH]

My advise, Steve, would be to stop and ask yourself what exactly you are wishing to achieve.
 If, as I suspect, the primary aim is to become a competent woody then move away from working with logwood until you have amassed the gear, knowledge and skills necessary to minimise the myriad of pitfalls which come with this type of material. Don't concern yourself with making stuff other than pretty shavings at this stage....You need practice not candlesticks!
Any old recycled wood will do to get you started with your new venture.
 And finally, be aware that addiction and frustration, as well as immense satisfaction, waits around every corner!
Best of luck whatever you settle on
Brian

[John D Smith]

 Hi Steve, Welcome to the Forum I would Sugest you first join a Woodturning Club where there plenty of members who would give you excellent advice you didn't say your location so we could point you to a Club local to you Regards John.

[Bill21]

Some good advice there from Brian and John. 
Joining a club has many benefits, one of which in my case is wood turning material at very reasonable prices.

[Paul Hannaby]

If you have the wood mounted between centres, you can use a parting tool to square off each end of the wood and/or cut a spigot to mount it in a chuck. As others have mentioned, mounting the end grain against a faceplate may cause you problems because wooodscrews don't hold anywhere near as well in end grain but that can be overcome by eiither using longer screws or using more of them. I would probably go for both. Once mounted on a faceplate, you could still use the live centre in the tailstock to support the blank so the screws weren't taking the full load of the cut.

Personally I don't see anything wrong with using logs to practice on if that's what you have available/ They are good for practice but bear in mind that if the log wood isn't fully dry, your turned piece may split as the wood dries further.

If you are looking for a club, there is a map on the AWGB website. Here's a link - https://www.awgb.co.uk/club-map/