Cutting blanks for bowls

[kelLOGg]

During my quest for local turners I contacted a customer for sources and he recommended a group called Chapel Hill Wood Turners. They are a group of 50 who turn wood so I contacted them and when they asked "how many bowls?"  I pulled out a number and said "100" with fingers crossed. Long story short - two of them came to my place and met with me and key church members last Wednesday to see the logs and worked out a plan. Not final yet but very promising. I'm sawing blanks now and they have picked up the first batch of 12. I'll follow this up on "Whatcha Sawing".

[btulloh]

Looks like it's working out well. Glad you found the right people. Thanks for the update. 

[Joe Perkins]

I did a zoom demonstration for my woodturning club a couple of months ago.  The subject was how to make a bowl from the raw material.  These are a few of the pictures I used in my demo.














































I show three ways to round the blank.  First is to cut the corners off with the chainsaw, second is to use a template and round the blank on the bandsaw, and third is to round it completely on the lathe (my normal method).

The tree was cut down a little over a year ago and is red maple.  When I want to to turn a bowl I wack off 6" to get rid of checks than cut my bowl blank.  The tree is just now beginning to spalt.

All I want say, Thank you for sharing this.
It's a helpful one.

[kelLOGg]

The bowl blank project is proceeding perfectly!. I have cut 100+ blanks ranging from bowl sizes of 3" to 20" diameters which is the number of bowls we initially agreed upon with the turner club. They have picked up 2 pickup loads and I have delivered 1. They are really on top of this and keep us informed on the progress. The ball is definitely in the church's court concerning funding more bowls - I could cut maybe 50 more with the limbs I have. Holding such short limbs/logs on the mill is the time consuming part of this project.



 

Another aspect of this ash tree that I am thinking about taking on is putting legs or wheels on this 14 foot "dragon" for kids at church to play on. It's a bear to handle, not because of weight, but because it rotates when you lift it due to its asymmetry. Ideas, anyone?

[aigheadish]

It sounds like both a neat project and a lawsuit waiting to happen! I struggle to see how kids could be left to play on it without fear of it breaking apart. 

[trimguy]

I can see multiple sets of legs for it. Make it good and sturdy and might add to the creature look.

[kelLOGg]

Legs would make it more creature-like but it will need to be moved periodically so it will probably get wheels on the "legs". I'll have to get a license plate to tow it to a garage for wheel alignment. ;D