At last

[Paul.J]

Found this placetoday after seeing it advertised in last months Woodturning.
I say at last because it is fairly local for me about 10 minute drive.
Had a good old chat to Kevin the owner for nearly 3 hours :shock: who was really friendly and full of helpful advice.
This September there is going to an open day with demonstrations so i will try and get their for that.
Luckily it is situated in a craft centre so swmbo and the kids could have a mooch round at other things.
Bought some more finishing to try and a piece of Indian Rosewood to try.
Also on the way back home i saw a pile of big logs in a garden so we pulled over and asked if i could have some.
The owner said it is from one of two very large Willow trees that they had felled.So i just took 4 lumps of it
Does anyone know what Willow is like to turn :?:

 

[PowerTool]

Looks an interesting place,judging by the website.Nice selection of timber as well.
As for willow,mine's still drying - from what I've read,it is prone to holding pockets of water/moisture even when it seems dry.

Andrew

 

[Bodrighy]

Hi Paul, I suspect thatit depends where the willow was growing as down here it grows on the Somerset Levels which are maily bogland and it is very very wet and stringy. I had a piece in the range for 2 days as an experiment and it was still wet. If it has been growing in a garden it may be a lot better. I keeps it's sap for ever, hence the cricket stumps that supposedly rooted. I have known sticks that are at least 12 months old taking root.

Pete

 

[Paul.J]

Thanks Andrew/Pete.
Bodrighy wrote
I had a piece in the range for 2 days as an experiment and it was still wet.
Pete was that piece cut down into round block size or still in log form :?:
I thought i had read on here that Willow was very wet and difficult to turn which was why i only had the 4 logs.
Still i'm in no rush to have a go with it.

 

[Steve Jones]

Hi Paul
I managed to find Kevin at the end of last year, picked up a piece of sweet chestnut from him to turn a barometer surround for my sister for xmas, very friendly chap also gave me a small piece of yew to turn a few mushrooms.
Can highly recommend a visit if anyone is in the area.

regards

Steve

 

[Paul.J]

Hello Steve and welcome
I don't think i've welcomed you before :?
I just thought i'd put the site on here as i haven't found anywhere more local for me to go and have a look at what i buy or what the wood,tools,finishes,etc are like,so was quite pleased with what Kevin as available and what he can get.
I was surprised when he said that they have been their for 6-7 years,although the woodturning part is fairly new.

 

[Bodrighy]

Bodrighy wrote
I had a piece in the range for 2 days as an experiment and it was still wet.
Pete was that piece cut down into round block size or still in log form :?:

The piece was a log about a foot long and 4 inches dia. It went on the fire and sizzled as it burnt.

Pete

 

[Paul.J]

Bodrighy wrote
It went on the fire and sizzled as it burnt.
Did it put the fire out :lol:
I suppose the only thing in my favour then is that it came out of a back garden.
I will cut it to size to get rid of it as much as poss.So watch this space in a bout 5 years time :lol:

 

[greybeard]

In my experience, like all the water-loving trees, willow dries very slowly, and it seems very reluctantly too. But when it does it's very light for its size - which I suspect supports the idea of a relatively coarse cell structure?
I found it very difficult to get a good finish. I've no idea whether the pieces I acquired are representative, but mine's all coarse-grained stringy material. My technique or the nature of the beast? - not sure which, some of both perhaps, but I couldn't get a finish I was happy with

I guess it looks ok as a rough arty kind of product. But I made an executive decision not to acquire any more!

 

[Steve Jones]

Paul
Thanks for the welcome , I've been lurking for a while but decided to join up towards the end of last year. I'll see if I can get my sister to take a picture of the finished barometer and if so post it on the forum.

regards

Steve

 

[Paul.J]

Steve Jones wrote
I'll see if I can get my sister to take a picture of the finished barometer and if so post it on the forum.
Will look forward to it Steve.