Good news sold Apple pens and Bowls..bad news is

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pete00

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methuen, massachusetts, USA.
howdy

went to the local farm and apple orchard to buy some bread and stuff yesterday. In front of the building they had two bins 4x4 x4 feet filled with chopped wood. Stood there a while looking at this mountain of pens just waiting for me. So i go inside and this guy is looking at me.

I walk up and say "you look like a boss"
he says "how much fire wood do you want"
I said "how many pens do yo want me to make out of your firewood"
he said "what are you nuts"
I said "here look at these" then i showed him some pens i just happen to be carrying.

After his mouth closed we had a chat.
Long story short, the wood in front was not his apple wood, just some local trees that had fallen.

He is going to prune and cut his apple trees in march, then give me some wood to make a few pens and bowls. I told him no problem can do.

Thats the good news.

The bad news...lol ...never cut fresh wood, never turned a bowl.
This is what i know about bowls.
Sometimes there round sometimes not.
Sometimes there smooth sometimes not.
Sometimes there deep somtimes not.

This is perfect i know enough !!
I have only one question is there a IAB(bowl) association i should know about....:D:D:D:D:D:D
 
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Hey Pete...
Going to be fun learning to turn bowls eh? I've yet to attempt one myself, but can suggest to maybe head down to your local woodworker's store. At a store here, I bought a DVD that showed a honey dipper, bulb planting tool, and plate being turned. The last project, the guy grabbed his chainsaw and cut some wood, made a bowl blank and turned it. That would be real helpful to you. I believe it is a Rigid tools video, around $9.95 or so.
Hope this helps...
Radman[8D]
 
Pete
A very good book to have is Michael O'Donnells' "Turning Green Wood" The book cost 15 to 20 dollars but it has great information. I have seen it listed in a number of web sites. It's worth the bucks, for what you learn.

David
Juneau, AK
 
I'll second the Turning Green Wood by O'Donnell. I got mine of eBay for about $10.00 total [:D]...if you get lucky you can also get Richard Raffan's Turning books (there are 3...Wood, Bowls, Boxes). All are highly recommended (by me).
 
Pete,
I would look up the nearest local chapter of the IAW http://www.woodturner.org/ and find a mentor in that group. There is nothing like hands on help to make the experience fun. They can help with chisel selection, sharpening (the most important part) and just general assistance. I really struggled with my work at the beginning, but went to a regional symposium in St. Louis many years ago, and that made the difference. Now if you would like to send me a skid of that wood, I can turn just a couple examples for you to study.[}:)][}:)] There might be some material that falls off the skid that would not be able to be returned as bowls!!!!!! Apple really likes to crack in drying, so I cover the ends with green wood sealer and then wrap it in newspaper or a paper bag to slow the drying. I cut up limbs all the time for pen blanks and put them on top of my furnace duct in the basement for drying. Good Luck!!!!!! email me if you need my address for the wood shipment!!!![:D]
 
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It never ceases to amaze me how helpfull some folks can be.Thanks for the offer, but i wouldnt want to hurt you with all that wood falling off the skid......so i'll have to send the skid to someone more carefull....[:D][:D][:D][:D]
 
Rule one - There are too many rules.
Rule two - Look at pottery.

A bowl must be appealing in shape. No matter what the wood if the shape is poor, it will look good.
Get a bowl gouge with a fingernail grind. Yes a bowl grind will give you tighter corners, but you will catch edges at this point so go with a fingernail grind.

Experiment now with pieces of cheep wood. Heck if you can get a smoothe cut on pine everything esle is easy.

For green wood you have 3 options, turn thin and let warp. Call it art.
Turn 1/10 diam min and let dry in a paper bag. the turn to final thickness when done.
Turn close to final and soak in DNA, Costco dish soap, elmers glue... and draw the water out. After about a week re-turn.

Hope those tips help if you have any problems, ask.
 
thanks for the info everyone, i have one of each on order ..lol
Iv'e been experimenting the last couple days. Cant call this a bowl or a dish.
It was 3-4 inches wider, and 3 inches deeper when i said "yes this is the shape
Now all i have to do is clean it up."
With every dig and catch a chunk came out. One good catch broke off a whole inch of the side. With every chunk i made it smaller. I figured if i didnt stop i would end up an attic pull again. Most of the shaping was done by scraping because i couldnt get it to cut right. Signed up for bowl turning class at local rockler store.
thanks for all the suggestions .....pete


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