Firewood

[Bobostro61]

I have two bundles of firewood that I bought a couple years ago sitting in the garage. Its the bundles you'd find for sale for 5 or 6 dollars at a grocery store or speedway gas station. I was thinking it would be good lathe practice wood. Do you think it would be good to use for something besides practice on the lathe or burning? Like actually making something with it? Its been sitting there for quite a while like I said and I'm just wondering if it will be too split or dried out to use for anything worth while.

 

[arioux]

Some of the best pieces i made when i started where form the fire wood pile. Look for heart wood, knots or any grain that is not just straight. You will find some and just go for it. Apply finish and sometimes the most plain looking wood can give you unexpected results.

 

[CharlesJohnson]

And what if it dosn't turn out the way you wanted it to. You still get great practice. Having fun.

 

[sbwertz]

And what if it dosn't turn out the way you wanted it to. You still get great practice. Having fun.

And worse case scenario, you can turn it back into firewood:biggrin:

 

[Sataro]

Try it on the lathe! You may find some nice grain in there. I bought some garden stakes on clearance from Tractor Supply for .25 each. The garden stakes had spalting running through them. Came out with some nice pen blanks out of it.

 

[gvarnador]

I find myself as im riding to work looking in my neighbor yards to see if I can find any trees that need trimming it helps them out and I get free wood and tips. A Friend down the street so far as gave me a hard Maple tree. a Winged Elm, Poplar, and a Oak was the bigest score thus far. On the plus side you get to market yourself.

 

[Joe S.]

Our neighbors run a compost, they let me go through the wood whenever I want! They said "Otherwise it's going to rot." I've found some cool wood!

 

[nava1uni]

I have used fire wood and some of my nicest pens have come from pallets. A lot of pallets are made of exotic hardwood. I also go to cabinet shops and get their scraps and they also make nice pens. Every pen doesn't have to be out of exotic wood. I use corian, other cabinet top materials. Anything that will turn on the lathe. Good practice.

 

[keithkarl2007]

A friend of mine made some great bud vases from a bag of firewood he bought at a store. He sold one of the bud vases and got back the money he spent on the firewood. Nowt wrong with that.

 

[CharlesJohnson]

And what if it dosn't turn out the way you wanted it to. You still get great practice. Having fun.

And worse case scenario, you can turn it back into firewood:biggrin:

And the shavings are great to 'start' the fire with.

 

[Bobostro61]

Thanks for all the replies! Guess I'll have to pull down those two bundles from the shelf.

 

[PenPal]

Once in the land of nod there were two bags of firewood sitting on a shelf now they have not been looked at for some time now, there is no description to be found, perhaps they are all African Ebony or whatever? Pure speculation the basis of mystery to be sure.

Now I have sheds plural full of mysterious stunning timbers really lurking, waiting to be used or cut up or given away or maybe someones burning wood in the future, thousands of cut pen blanks awaiting selection and use, I am a hoarder of timber.

Now you see my problem you have two bags of firewood how simple is that to solve? Are you like me a hoarder? If so you and I have a problem my answer is to steel myself and spend time sorting and using and downsizing, your problem is right before your eyes take the advice of the cooking guru Mrs Beeton first of all slaughter your ox. Step 1 take down two bags. Step 2
open and shut case. Then go buy something already cut cheap as chips anyway put them into the drill or lathe and drill. The first step is the hardest, procrastination often preceeds. Have
success multitude of pics.

Kind regards Peter. Best of good luck .

 

[LandfillLumber]

Be very careful of the checks its not worth getting hurt just for cheap wood.I would suggest that you get some fresh/green wood to play with,super easy to turn and very safe.Just my thoughts and remember wood does grow on trees.Victor