Pecan Bowls?

[rvrdivr]

Anyone out there ever use pecan to make a bowl?

I have been collecting pecan logs for the last couple of weeks that fell from the hurricanes here in Florida. A lot was cut up before I got to it and is now in fire wood size pieces. Some are 30" dia. I have delivered some to my friends that like it for smoking meat. I hate to see it all go up in smoke so I was wondering if it might make good bowl blanks?
Also, not knowing a thing about bowl making... besides end sealing, how would I prep the blank? Should I keep them fire wood size? How thick? ect...

Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Brian

[Tom]

Pecan makes good bowls.

There is a thread on here with pictures of how to cut a bowl blank.  I think it might have ended up in the knowledge base but can't remember.  

Basically, blanks come from the side of the log.  Lay it on the mill and level a small face on the top.  drop down 4 to 6 inches (usually depending on the customer) and cut a "slab".(do not include the pith)    To make a blank at this point, chainsaw the "slab" into lengths that are as long as the widest points of the "slab".  

Many turners turn green wood and would put this on the lathe right away to "rough it out".  If you are going to store it then sealing it all over would be a necessity.  The bowl turners use Johnson's paste wax. The lumber sawyers use a product like anchor seal.

[fencerowphil (Phil L.)]

Just some observations:

1.  Pecan is very subject to mold.   I milled some during the last couple of weeks.
2.  Dry, Pecan is as hard as stone.  Work it green.
3.  If the blanks were cut to thickness and stored submerged in a mix of PEG solution with some (1%) ammonium chloride dissolved in it,   they could be worked later.  Ideally,  a turner could plan to work the blank to almost-finished, then resoak in PEG solution (without ammonium chloride this time) for a couple of weeks.  As the bowl was worked to final shape and thickness,  more PEG could be rubbed-in while still on the lathe.  Neither the PEG, nor the weak ammonium chloride would pose any health threat, if done this way.
PHil L.

[JoeyLowe]

I've milled quite a bit of pecan and I have to agree.  If left to dry, pecan becomes very hard in short order mkaing it almost impossible to turn.  Rough out your bowl shapes immediately and then keep them wet until ready to use.  Some turners I know, keep a bucket full of wet sawdust and just toss their rough bowl blanks into that bucket until ready to use.

On another note, I was in Hawaii back in July and decided to visit some galleries on the island of Maui.  One of the first things I noticed were the large amounts of blue-stained pine used to turn vases and bowls.  Some of those things were selling for as much as $7k a bowl.  Nothing fancy, just blue stained pine.  Go figure! ;D

[rvrdivr]

Thanks guy's,  I think I'd like to learn more about using the wood I have at my disposal. At the moment...no time :(

Tom, you said,  "(do not include the pith)".

Are you saying to leave the pith out completly, or not to cut through it leaving it whole?

  

[Ianab]

Cut the pith completely off your bowl blanks. If the pith is included in a lump of wood it is almost sure to crack in some way.

Ian

[CHARLIE]

I've heard that wood treated with PEG will not take a finish like varnish. Somehow the chemical reacts with the finish.

Personally, I'd seal the ends of the logs real good and not cut them into bowl blanks until I was ready to turn bowls. If you do cut your logs into bowl blanks, be sure to seal them real good with Greenwood End Grain Sealer like Anchorseal and store them in a cool place out of the sun. Otherwise they'll split. Don't ask me how I know.

For bowl blanks, cut a chunk of log about the same length as it's diameter. Then cut this in half lengthwise (with the grain) being sure to remove the pith.

Take a look at my thread on Turning a Sunken Bowl. It has pictures showing how I cut the bowl blank out using a bandsaw.

Pecan is related to Hickory, so it's as hard as Hickory.    

[beenthere]

Charlie
Pecan likely won't take a PEG treatment. Also, PEG is 'hygroscopic' which means it works its way out of the wood when the humidity is high and just pushes off any varnish that is in its way. PEG treated wood usually needs to be wiped down with a damp cloth yearly to clean off PEG residue that comes to the surface.
I have lots of walnut (bowls, lamps, slab) treated with PEG and without cracks, with the pith included. The finish I use and like the best is Watco Danish oil. Re-finishing is easy because it is just wiping down with new oil. However, I don't recommend trying to treat wood with PEG. Too risky, time consuming, and expensive.    (I like these guys!)   ;D