Firewood ??

J-G · 25 Oct 2014

I'm fortunate to have Sykes Timber on my doorstep and can pop in there for the odd plank of Maple/Ash/Elm/Walnut etc. and see a large number of bags full of what they consider 'Firewood' which they sell at £5 a bag. Laid flat the empty bag is 60 x 90cm.

Knowing that I generally turn what I buy from them, the clerk suggested that these bags wouldn't be much use to me since the wood is 'wormy' and 'end of log with shakes'. Notwithstanding this comment, I thought to try a bag of Ash which had 13 pieces mostly 75 x 170 and 150 - 300 mm long.

Today I finished the first bowl which at 168mm dia is about the largest I can turn on my S7. Sanded to 600, two coats of Sanding Sealer, Grain filled and finished with Microcrystalline Wax.

I've also made a few jewellery boxes by cutting the longest piece into what finishes at 5mm thick.

Comments & critique appreciated.

cusimar9 · 25 Oct 2014

Lovely!

CHJ · 25 Oct 2014

I see a convert to simple segments on the horizon (hammer)

procell · 25 Oct 2014

Exactly what was going through my mind Chas.

Those are lovely pieces you have done so far though.
Have you tried looking around your area for Kitchen/window/furniture making companies. I was fortunate to spot an advert from a window company near me for free firewood in Freecycle a while back. On visiting them the guy had several of the huge 1 cubic meter builders bags filled with offcuts of sapele and olive wood. His instruction was take as much as you like. He even offered to load a full bag into the back of someones estate car with his forklift. Apparently most companies have wood burning boilers that they keep running with offcuts but they still end up with surplus that they have to pay to get rid of. Never know they may be grateful that you can take some off their hands.

J-G · 25 Oct 2014

Thanks for the positive comments.

CHJ - you probably forget that I have already been inspired by your work and made an elliptical segmented box - but yes you may well see more in the future as I've now bought a chop-saw.

Procell - Two of my computing customers are 'wood butchers' - one supplying custom joinery to joe-public and the other to the public sector and the likes of Tesco - but despite heavy hints I've only had one batch of 'off-cuts'. Maybe I ought to make a point of asking point blank #-o As it happens I do have to see both of them this week . . . . watch this space!