Wood Turning

okietreedude

Treehouser
Joined
Jan 1, 2008
Messages
412
Location
enid, ok
I know there are several on here that have talked/showed wood turning projects - now Im about to start too!

Couple days ago I bought my first lathe. Its a delta 46-460 variable speed. It will turn 12x20. Its currently on back order but should be shipping soon.

Now im looking for fun stuff to turn. If anyone cuts down anything out of the ordinary and is willing to send it my way, Id sure appreciate it. Ill pay for shipping w/ advanced notice its coming.

This is a pepper mill and a small bowl I turned on a friends lathe just before Christmas. It was spalted maple w/ a walnut oil finish.
 

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Wood turning looks like a lot of fun. My wife Heide has talked about taking it up as a hobby.

Looks like you have some talent there. Nice work!
 
Anyone can learn to turn. I mean there are techniques and tips that are helpful to know, but it is a self teaching thing that comes with practice. I've always thought it could be a woodworking hobby or trade that one could do even when they became quite old. It sure is fun to make pretty things from wood, and with turning, finding good material isn't very hard.
 
I still haven't got my lathe up and running. Been too preoccupied working. I just need a pulley for the motor. I did a tree job for it. I'll get it going in the next month or so.
 
Jay is right.
It is so easy that even Danes can figure it out, somewhat:lol:

Nice work, but a sharper photo would be nice.

Watch out for the dust from spalted wood, it is not good for you.

I just cut a little piece of South African Sneezewood, that Richard brought me once.

I'm having a damasced vegetable knife forged in England and this will be the handle.

Found out that the name was not just for fun, the dust is like finely ground pepper, goes right in the nose.
The knifemaker who is making the knife is going to hate my choice of wood, when he starts sanding it:lol:
 
I have a customer who had a large pecan tree struck by lightning last spring. She called and asked my advice as to whether or not she should go ahead and have me take it down. I told her if it were mine, I'd at least let it go the summer and see if it would bear any pecans. Well, it had a bumper crop! I saw her in town the other day, and she mentioned having it taken down this winter. She said she knows a guy who wants the trunk wood. He makes dulcimers out of it. Is pecan good for anything else?
 
Never used Pecan myself, but googling around the web, there are examples of various woodwork out of it.

"Pecan wood is characterized as a close-grained hard wood. They are a light reddish-brown wood with irregular dark streaks. Pecan wood is abundantly available because these trees can grow to a height of 25-40 meters. They grow well in areas that are classified as hardiness zones of 5 to 9. Plantations thrive in areas where summers are hot and humid. Pecan, along with other "hickory woods," is classified in the third hardwood group in the United States. Pecan wood is highly valued and is cultivated in areas around the lower Mississippi river and its tributaries, central and southern United States and Mexico. Pecan wood for dining room furniture can also be imported from Australia, Brazil, Israel, Mexico, Peru and South Africa".
 
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Nice work, but a sharper photo would be nice.
Yea, i took it w/ my cell phone and the room was kind of dark but its all i had.

Is pecan good for anything else?
we split and sell it for cooking wood in smokers. some people burn it in thier fireplaces but most smoke w/ it.

As for types of wood, burls would be nice if you come across one. Id like to have some boxelder that has alot of red in it, olive, mahogany, anything from hawaii. Im not too picky, if you wonder, shoot me a message.
 
I made these both from one of the pecan trees that I took down in Tennessee back in February.
 

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That's my only natural edge bowl attempt Jay. I saw how to do it on a PBS show. I gave it to my Nephew. Last I heard they were deciding what to put in it.
 
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how bout pin oak? you can send fedex to my job sites and they can pick it all up and bring it to you!
Thanks but we have lots of pin oak around here, pin oak splits pretty bad too.

Anyone in the oregon area, its my understanding big leaf maple is pretty burly and there's no use for it but pulp/paper. If you have access to any, can you send some my way? Doesnt have to be burly either.
 
I was going to ship a chunk of shag bark hickory to somebody in the west but the price was outragious .Whoever it was wanted to turn a salad or nut bowl but because of the cost involved it wasn't practical .
 
What wood do you need and how fresh does it need to be. Ive got a whole field full of wood , take your pick. I am waiting for a good snow so I can burn it but thinking it might not happen this year.......
 
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Been a while and havent turned a lot (been too busy working) but have started getting the bug again so here goes: ambrosia maple, curly koa, curly maple, any sort of burl but elm (we have lots of that). If in doubt, ask as I may take it. Pics are great too to start with.

Best way is to cut it square to fit in a large flat rate usps box (about 12x12x5) and wrap w/ plastic wrap first if its not too much trouble. Some bark is fine but please dont waste 1/2 the box on a rounded edge.

Please: no bugs & no ash especially if it had anything to do w/ eab.

Thanks!
 
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  • #24
Here are some recent turnings ive done. The first two pics are the same bowl made from an apple tree that came from a friends back yard.
apple 1.jpg
apple 2.jpg

This is a baby rattle w/ captive ring made from some maple:
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And this is from a scotch pine that died from pine wilt.

100_0925.jpg
 
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