2017- more of the same I suspect

[Paul.J]

Very nice Chas =D>

 

[CHJ]

Very nice Chas =D>

Thanks Paul, all very much relying on the wood for effect rather than anything artistic, but that's what the wood provider wants and there's usually enough of a challenge sorting each rough blank out to prevent the repetition of such pieces from being too boring, just hoping I can get enough shed time to do more than one in a session, one offs' waste a disproportionate time cleaning up.

 

[CHJ]

The resultant stash of Yew delivered a couple of weeks ago settling in for a couple of years at least.
End sealed with wax where I could handle it, the rest subject to a couple of coats of thick surplus emulsion.
Slabbed a higher proportion of it this time to nearer user thickness rather than just splitting the logs in the hope that I can get a better yield.

Doesn't look much when packed into space under the bench but I'll be pushed to use it all up in one season when/if it dries out successfully.

 

[Paul.J]

Very nice Chas =D>

Thanks Paul, all very much relying on the wood for effect rather than anything artistic, but that's what the wood provider wants and there's usually enough of a challenge sorting each rough blank out to prevent the repetition of such pieces from being too boring, just hoping I can get enough shed time to do more than one in a session, one offs' waste a disproportionate time cleaning up.

That's the beauty of Yew though Chas I think, you don't really need do nothing to it apart from turn it to a decent shape and finish and let the wood and what you've ended up with speak for itself

I'll be picking up a load more Yew soon from my local tree surgeon who's prices have gone up since the woodburners come back into fashion

 

[CHJ]

When I spoke to the guy thinning out the stuff from local woodland a couple of years ago when I was asked to collect the batch I'm using now, he was not interested in marketing it for turners and wood workers, just shifting it as quick as possible at the prices he was getting for firewood. Such a waste, but practicalities of making a living will always prevail I guess.

Have you managed to work any of those Burr pieces you were sorting over?

 

[Paul.J]

No not yet Chas though I have sorted through them and cut up the smaller burrs into pen blank sizes.
I'm hoping to get into the bigger burrs some time soon

 

[CHJ]

Interesting digging down this deep in natural edge, knuckle management at the maximum.
Yew 152mm dia.

 

[Dalboy]

Some more lovely pieces Chas and a very nice little wood pile of yew

 

[CHJ]

A few more shavings produced today.
Yew 90mm dia.

Yew 100mm dia.

Yew 104mm dia.

 

[TFrench]

I really like these! Especially as I have a huge pile of yew to get through! How do you dry it with the pith still in and have it not split? Leave it in longish lengths for a couple of years?

 

[CHJ]

.... How do you dry it with the pith still in and have it not split? Leave it in longish lengths for a couple of years?

Yes with smaller diameter stuff, leave it as long as practical, these have been in store over a couple of years, try to stack them somewhere that can form it's own micro-climate around them so that any one surface is not prone to dry more rapidly. Larger stuff needs splitting through the core or even slabbing.

You still get micro-cracks, it's a case of thin CA glue, filler dust and ingenuity to salvage as much as possible.

I'm fortunate that I'm not tied to a specific design brief, that would mean about an 80% wastage, I just turn whatever is recoverable between the major defects.

 

[Woodmonkey]

Those look great, just the right proportion of heart wood to sapwood

 

[CHJ]

Chased a couple more sets of splits.
Yew 137mm dia.

Yew 90mm dia

 

[CHJ]

Three more small 'dog bowl' bowls before lunch and an afternoons sport on the box.

Yew 117mm dia.

Yew 117mm dia.

Yew 118mm dia.

 

[CHJ]

'Twas a Monday morning when two more made it off the lathe.

Yew 145mm dia.

Yew 153mm dia.

 

[CHJ]

Yew 165mm dia.

 

[Dalboy]

And they keep coming Chas some great yew bowls.

 

[CHJ]

And they keep coming Chas some great yew bowls.

Yes need to fit them in when I can, I've got another long term project running for someone that could take up all my time for the next couple of months, but these pieces have been requested for the Easter break time and I need to try and get another dozen or so completed, no time to be creative or bother about the aesthetics of the form, just concentrate on containing the natural shakes and produce something that can hold a display of some description.

Can be frustrating though, thought I would have done two or three this morning but every time I went to take it off the lathe I spotted another blemish and a couple more after it was finished turning that needed re-doing. Decided that it was not going to be my day and just cleaned up the debris and closed the doors.

 

[TFrench]

I'm in awe of the speed you can knock such good looking items out!

 

[CHJ]

I'm in awe of the speed you can knock such good looking items out!

To be honest I do not turn anywhere near as quickly as you might think, certainly not up to the speed of a professional bulk output turner.

Most of the 'speed' of production is achieved by organisation off the lathe and when on the lathe batch processing if at all possible.
For instance:-
1. When sorting blank material cut to size and seal if necessary as many blanks in one session as possible, Bandsaw, sealing wax heating or paint, only out and cleaned up once.
2. Drill all blanks in one session to take spigot jaws or screw chucks etc. Pillar drill debris clean-up once.
3. When turning if time allocation allows part turn several blanks whilst spigot jaws fitted and prepare holding sockets or spigots in base for hollowing.
4. Change chucks/jaws and remount blanks in turn and finish as far as possible to sealed condition.
5. Change chuck mounting to accept reversed items to clean up bases and seal.
6. Change to buffing/polishing setup and abrade all pieces to each stage in turn, applying microcrystalline wax to each as it's finished and put on one side for volatiles to dry off.
7. Remove turning debris, and vacuum all round, put any tools, sharpening jigs, sealing finishes, glue etc. away if it's still out.
8. Subject all pieces to Final polish.
9. If there's a couple of spare minutes, fit chuck or jaws to suit the start of the next piece/s if needed.

It's the changing of setup and shop organisation that takes up a lot of time if doing One - Offs.

The odd half hour is spent cutting up abrasive sheets and servicing sanding arbores etc. so that I don't need to stop in the middle of a turning session to do it.

When you have turned a quantity of similar items you get into working methods that make the job easier and less prone to accidents/errors, possibly using tools that a purist turner would not be seen demonstrating or in a manner a purist would not admit to. The object is to remove the surplus wood at a reasonable speed and safely, keeping any finesse to the finishing cuts.