Had a limb come down off of a Walnut tree this week from storms and thought about learning how to quickly dry these out to make blanks for both pens and small bowls. What would be the process to make these into something we could turn in a months time frame?
Green wood to Blanks
- Thread starter CMC75
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Alan Morrison
Member
For a pen cut a blank a bit oversize and zap it for about 15 seconds every minute or so, until dry. That's the quickest method, but others may have other suggestions.
Bowls can be rough turned green ane stored until dry.
Bowls can be rough turned green ane stored until dry.
Mortalis
Member
If you were to use the larger diameter piece for bowl blanks you would get blanks that measure about 2 1/2" x 2 1/2". Small for bowls, IMO though I have turned quite a few what I call finger bowls that are that size.
Cut the limb into pieces that are as long as half the diameter. Then cut each of those pieces in half along the length. You will two blanks per chunk. You could turn the entire chunk without cutting it in half. Gives you a rather unique artsy kind of bowl.
Drying:
Weigh each blank before beginning, using a scale that measures in grams. Record the weight on a piece of paper. Microwave for 10-15 seconds and reweigh the blank and record that. Continue to microwave and reweigh until the weight does not change. Once that happens the blank is dry.
The V shaped bowl was a whole limb section that I turned. It measures about 3 1/2" tip to tip and 3 1/2" tall.
The two smaller bowls were turned from typical bowl blank as I describe cutting above. The measure just about 3" diameter and 2" tall.
Cut the limb into pieces that are as long as half the diameter. Then cut each of those pieces in half along the length. You will two blanks per chunk. You could turn the entire chunk without cutting it in half. Gives you a rather unique artsy kind of bowl.
Drying:
Weigh each blank before beginning, using a scale that measures in grams. Record the weight on a piece of paper. Microwave for 10-15 seconds and reweigh the blank and record that. Continue to microwave and reweigh until the weight does not change. Once that happens the blank is dry.
The V shaped bowl was a whole limb section that I turned. It measures about 3 1/2" tip to tip and 3 1/2" tall.
The two smaller bowls were turned from typical bowl blank as I describe cutting above. The measure just about 3" diameter and 2" tall.
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The V shape bowl is great looking! Thanks for the explanation. I will have to get a microwave now and try this.