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End Grain on the Lathe

Started by Patty, September 05, 2009, 05:08:02 PM

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Patty

Today I finally got back on my lathe.   8)   It was alot of fun. I found a chunk of wood that someone sent to me a few years ago, and I regret I do not remember who. Anyway, the chunk has end grain that is giving me fits. I do not know how to proceed. You can see by the photos below, the trouble I am having. If anyone has helpful hints, I would really appreciate them.









Women are Angels.
And when someone breaks our wings....
We simply continue to fly ........
on a broomstick.....
We are flexible like that.

Burlkraft

First off that's a Jet Lathe   Where's that purdy Yellow Power-Matic?

That wood looks kinda punky. Is it?

I have trouble like that myself....I think it was firewood by the time I got done.

Sharp, sharp tools and small cuts and then sanding may be the only answer

On the udder hand what do I know?  ::)  ::)  ::)
Why not just 1 pain free day?

Radar67

Patty, Steve sent me some wood just like that. I think it was burl yellow birch. The end grain was giving me fits too. I got it roughed down, then dipped it in polyurethane. The first coat soaked in really quick, so I dipped it again after it dried. I had it close to the finished size when I dipped it, so to finish it, I used 36 grit sand paper. I got it down fairly smooth, but there are still a few "pock" marks that will just have to be. I have smoothed the edges of them with sandpaper best I can. I will continue to add coats of poly until I get the finish built up like I want.
"A man's time is the most valuable gift he can give another." TOM

If he can cling to his Blackberry, I can cling to my guns... Me

This will kill you, that will kill you, heck...life will kill you, but you got to live it!

"The man who can comprehend the why, can create the how." SFC J

SwampDonkey

Is it basswood Patty? Light and soft? That'll be a hard turn. I have not experimented with soft woods while turning end grain on spindle mounts. Soft woods yes, but not with the grain direction you are. My end grain is usually on the mounted ends of face plate turnings or columns on spindle mounts. It might, I said might, be accomplished with a skew chisel but go slow and don't take big bites. It's got to be real sharp, hone your tool with compound on a felt wheel. It's not going to get done by a tool that has a wide bevel > 20 ° on the cutting edge. I think there is a rounded skew chisel by Henry Taylor that is easiest to handle. Here is a video of a skew chisel being used. I've not viewed it here on dial-up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F-EnlcBY1M
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

SwampDonkey

Quote from: Radar67 on September 05, 2009, 08:27:14 PM
Patty, Steve sent me some wood just like that. I think it was burl yellow birch. The end grain was giving me fits too.

Probably those large pores, not as large as oak, but they are uniform across the early and late wood so harder to smooth up. You can see the pores easily by naked eye. Yellow birch is even a little finicky to get sanded smooth to. Darn butternut does the same, same deal with the pores, only it's softer so it's worst. :D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

pasbuild

That bowl blank is a Yellow Birch burl from a standing dead tree with its top gone, the blanks are soft and need to be sanded down to the final finish. Here is a table made from the same burl.

If it can't be nailed or glued then screw it

Patty

Thanks so much! I came to the conclusion too, that sanding was going to be the answer. However I may try the scew chisel Donk suggested. I will let you all know how it turns out.
Women are Angels.
And when someone breaks our wings....
We simply continue to fly ........
on a broomstick.....
We are flexible like that.

Patty

 




I got busy with the sand paper today.
Women are Angels.
And when someone breaks our wings....
We simply continue to fly ........
on a broomstick.....
We are flexible like that.

Radar67

I see you got some thinning on some of the edges too.
"A man's time is the most valuable gift he can give another." TOM

If he can cling to his Blackberry, I can cling to my guns... Me

This will kill you, that will kill you, heck...life will kill you, but you got to live it!

"The man who can comprehend the why, can create the how." SFC J

Burlkraft

That looks pretty good Patty  8)  8)  8)
Why not just 1 pain free day?

Dodgy Loner

Skew chisels are really not meant for bowl turning. I rarely use them, and when I do, it's for spindles only. Bowl turnings call for a deep-fluted bowl gouge. You must make shearing cut, rather than scraping cuts, to get a good surface on end grain. I would highly recommend that you purchase a basic woodturning book or video. It will cut years off of your learning curve. Also, the wood looks very punky. Life's too short to spend it sanding difficult wood! Although the bowl did turn out nice :)
"There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey." -John Ruskin

Any idiot can write a woodworking blog. Here's mine.

Patty

Yes Radar the edges are uneven for sure. The bowl started out  askew, as it was cut unevenly to begin with. So the wobble was huge, and added to my difficulty. The only way I knew to correct the wobble was to whittle down the edges until the wobble went away....and ultimately led to the uneven edges.  ::)

Dodgy you are right in that this is not the ideal chunk of wood. But it was a gift to me, and I felt I owed it, to try to make something from the gift. No the scew is not the ideal tool for this , but it worked better than the gouge, since it didn't catch in the end grain. I am an equal opportunity tool user! Yes I could do with lessons, of course I realize my ineptitude. But I have so much fun trying, that I really am oblivious to my less than stellar results.  My hobbies are strictly for pleasure not financial reward.

Women are Angels.
And when someone breaks our wings....
We simply continue to fly ........
on a broomstick.....
We are flexible like that.

SwampDonkey

A skew chisel is not really a scraper, it's very sharp edged. Now a square end scraper, is just that. Some people make them from old files. I've smoothed bowl surfaces with skew chisels a few times. It's delicate work though. ;) ;D

Spindle turning, as I've used the term here, refers to mounting both ends, as apposed to a face plate mount.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Dodgy Loner

Quote from: Patty on September 08, 2009, 10:00:35 AM
No the scew is not the ideal tool for this , but it worked better than the gouge, since it didn't catch in the end grain.

If your gouge is catching worse than a skew chisel, you're either using a spindle gouge instead of a bowl gouge, or you're using a bowl gouge incorrectly ;). Skew chisels are known for their ability to catch when you least expect it. A bowl gouge, properly used, will usually only catch when you're trying to take a cut too deep or too far from the tool rest. I recommend Richard Raffan's book Turning Wood as an excellent resource to get you started.
"There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey." -John Ruskin

Any idiot can write a woodworking blog. Here's mine.

Patty

OK, so I didn't use what you are thinking of as a scew, I used a Skewchigouge. I was just too lazy to go look up the spelling.  ::)     It is an awesome tool that Charlie turned me onto, and for this bowl, it worked very well. The sandpaper then finished it nicely.

I do have the book you suggested, I just don't feel like reading it. (the pictures are pretty cool, though!  ;D) Lessons are not available to me, and it is doubtful I would go anyway, even if they were. This turning for me is a pleasure, not a mission. I will learn new technique and maybe someday even get better, if not, that's ok too.

Someday, when you get a bit older, you might understand my nonchalant attitude, Dodger. This is just a hobby for me, no more, and no less.

Women are Angels.
And when someone breaks our wings....
We simply continue to fly ........
on a broomstick.....
We are flexible like that.

Reddog

It looks nice Patty.

Keep enjoying your hobby. :)

Patty

Women are Angels.
And when someone breaks our wings....
We simply continue to fly ........
on a broomstick.....
We are flexible like that.

Roxie

I think that bowl looks beautiful!  I know how much work and love goes into your projects and there is no price tag on the sentimental value.
:)
Say when

smith2bj

you did a very nice job on that bowl.  keep up the good work.

Dodgy Loner

Quote from: Patty on September 08, 2009, 06:59:55 PM
Someday, when you get a bit older, you might understand my nonchalant attitude, Dodger. This is just a hobby for me, no more, and no less.

I take my hobbies more seriously than most folks ;D. It's a hereditary thing, far as I can tell :D
"There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey." -John Ruskin

Any idiot can write a woodworking blog. Here's mine.

pasbuild

Patty your an inspiration  smiley_sun tonight I dusted off the lathe through a rotten piece of Maple on it and spun a bowl, it isn't perfect has some soft spots got a little thin in a few spots but it was great therapy












I gave it away after the pics were taken, that makes two happy people.
If it can't be nailed or glued then screw it

Lud

I give away a lot of bowls........everybody wins..........
Simplicity mill, Ford 1957 Golden Jubilee 841 Powermaster, 40x60 bankbarn, left-handed

Don K

Lucky to own a WM LT40HDD35, blessed to have a wife that encouraged me to buy it.     Now that\'s true love!
Massey Ferguson 1547 FWD with FEL  06 GMC Sierra 2500HD 4X4 Dozer Retriever Husky 359 20\" Bar  Man, life is getting good!

SwampDonkey

Be great gifts around Thanksgiving or Christmas with a bowl of fruit, nuts and jams for a family.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Norm


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