Just spent the afternoon collecting logs & rounds (oak and maple) from my sister's property; and now, having watched this video, I have a better idea of what to so with what I brought home. Thanks.
I just came into a large amount of green wood and was trying to figure out how to get blanks out of the logs. This video was extremely helpful! Thank you
Your card templates for bowl blank cutting is a simple but fantastic idea. I'm relatively new to all this & all tips are very welcome. Cheers from Airth, Central Scotland 👍👍👍
This video has great information. I'm not a wood turner but had a silver maple removed from my yard that had outgrown it's space and was very healthy. I searched for as many wood artisans as I could in my area but no one wanted my wood. I have researched may sites like yours to learn to preserve wood from my tree to later take classes to learn wood turning so when I am ready to give it a try, the wood will have been properly preserve and ready to be worked. Thanks again for all the great information on your website.
Just found your channel. 2 days ago, I cut up an 18" x 50' maple that blew down in a storm last week. I was going to split it all to use in the barbecue, but now I'll take some of the pieces and make bowl blanks!
Kent, I have watched hundreds of hours of wood turning. This video has to be the most helpful. Thank you very much. I feel my knowledge has just doubled.
Kent, your channel is a wonderful source in a bowl turning learning application. When you explain the tools you use as you did about the Bandsaw 220 volt 2 HP this helps me understand better what to buy along with the types of Bowl Gouges 1/2 5/8 or 3/4 the type of gouge standard or swept back along with the angle of grind. I’ve watch almost all of your videos and have learned by your additional way of explanation clarification on various turning techniques. When I was in trade school my instructor said something that has stayed with me and I say this now to my new employees. You’ll never know what is wrong until you learn what is Right. Thank You for taking the time to explain.
David, Thank you for writing and sharing! Your instructor was spot on! That's exactly why I think it's so important to share all the steps. Other videos with background music and fast-forward turning clips are fun to watch but hard to learn from. I'm glad you're learning from these. Thanks again and Happy Turning!
So after 20 something years of tinkering in the woodwork room at school I’ve finally bought a lathe, and watching your vids I’ve made quite a few f#€k ups. Spindle gouge on a bowl being one, but now after watching this I’ve been cutting bowl blanks completely wrong. Rather than cut down the log I’ve just been cutting various sizes straight through (like cutting fire wood) and finding it hard as nails to gouge out the centre of the bowl. First thing tomorrow morning I’m going to cut one out this way and see how I go. Keep the great vids coming Kent. 👍🏼
Thank you for writing and sharing! Sounds great. You might want to take a look at my Tree to Bowl - Understanding Green Wood course www.TurnAWoodBowl.com/green All the best to you and Happy Turning!
As always, good teaching, Kent. You're a natural teacher. If you haven't seen it yet, see Jim Sprague's vids where he uses a bowl blank jig for the band saw. Just another way of doing it. Thanks.
The experience I have making spoons was helpful to all this. One thing I did was paint the ends of logs immediately after sawing them. This slows down the drying process, making it more even, and stops cracking in the pith as it can start right away. One guy I met makes stocks for guns out of black walnut. He would boil his blanks first, bark removed, sawn to rough final shape leaving plenty of material, and then paint them with a wax so the wood would dry very slowly, thus avoiding cracks and checking. The boiling helps to relieve internal stress, he says. He sold me a bunch of nice very black walnut that he rejected for his work, but would work fine for me to make spoons or smaller bowls. It's interesting to talk to other craftsmen working in different aspects of wood working and crafts.
Thank you for writing and sharing! Yes, boiling is a process that can help, although it's not easy to boil large bowl blanks most of the time. All the best to you and Happy Turning!
@@TurnAWoodBowl Thanks for your reply. I am sure you get a lot on your plate. This guy used 55 gallon barrels under a wood fire, and of course with that much weight, he had to make a special grate and fire pit to support it all. I would imagine he used scraps to fire the arrangement. If you get a chance, travel the Oregon coast highway and pick up some rare Pacific coastal myrtlewood, only grown in extreme northern California and lower Oregon coastal regions. This is a unique myrtle that picks up colors from the soil and is very hard with a fine grain, so you would need to put it in a plastic bag to take home wet to rough out a bowl blank first, otherwise, carbide tooling is necessary. The logs are so dense they will not float when wet! Check out the myrtlewood factory in Oregon on your browser. Also, pacific coast maple is an excellent wood to work with, not quite as hard as east coast maple.
hi i have watched a number of your videos same subjects have already seen else where but I like your teaching style best, you connected I have learned a lot from you. I stated turning from the lip and that has tremendously improved my turning thank tou for your work
Hey Kent thanks for the tips on making blanks. I'm just getting back into turning after a couple of decades away from it. I'm making a bunch of blanks so I have a good stash. Really enjoy your videos!
I love these videos! Every time I get hung up on something one of your videos always answers the question. I noticed you said you have to lift the blank because the surface can be uneven. I recently bought a turbo plane wheel for my angle grinder that I use to make them so much flatter to cut on the bandsaw. It's a little extra work but makes them a little easier to cut, mount, and turn. Just a *maybe" helpful tip from a novice to an expert!
I use an electric hand plane to smooth out the bottom because I suck at using a chainsaw. Also, I run the "top" of the blanks (bark side) over a jointer to create a flat spot which is handy for both cutting on the bandsaw (can cut from either side) and for later mounting on the lathe.
Hi Kent, thanks for the great video! Loved the "mice hunters" scene! I just started doing some power carving and bowl turning. I was able to get some cork oak from a neighbor's tree that he fell. So, my first bowl was a live edge cork oak, so cool. I am on bowl four and they are so cool looking. Learned a lot from your videos. Keep them coming!
Nice demo. Really love to hear how to safely Rotate with focus on the “danger zone”. I taught my son woodworking and always emphasize the RED ZONE and keep your fingers out of it. Much respect making rounds by hand. I still use Norm’s circle cutting jig. Thanks for sharing
Yeah make me envious for a band saw like that or in my case a band saw period. Nice Video would like to know if you seal the blank ends or log ends at all.
Nice video, thanks! I noticed the wood buildup on your bandsaw blade. I have the same issue and it gets on the guide bearings as well, I tried cleaning it off with a brass brush while the saw was running but it still doesn’t come off. It takes forever to scrape off by hand. How do you cleanup your saw, blades and guide bushings after cutting a batch of wet wood?
Great information. I like bandsaw with foot break too. The ones I used in school workshop all have breaks. My bandsaw in garage is a 14” cast iron frame one without break. I do miss that break a lot. After your blank run, you get a lot of pecan scrap to smoke some meat.
Thank you for writing and sharing! Yes, people love to use pecan to smoke meat. I usually have to fight off these people when I harvest a pecan. Lol Happy Turning!
I can relate to the pecan.. it’s very available where I live and it’s about all I have on hand besides white oak.. just hope I follow through with the success .) thanks for sharing 👍🏼
Thanks very useful info i've been turning for 5 years or so but alot here to use in practice. I do have a tendency to use the blades too long. Not being sharp is definitely a no no. I needed a refresher with 25 ft of free poplar to process.
Pecan, I have a lot of it on our property. What will you do with your chunks of scrap? Maybe saw it so it can be used by barbecue restaurants? Or if you have a strong chipper that can make chips, use it as a mulch for trees and bushes? I used the bark as a mulch in chunks for blue berry bushes. It worked pretty good!
Perfectly timed video release, I've just started turning using your Wood Bowl Turning Start to Finish e-course (incredible resource and well worth the $) and have just started milling up the logs I've been collecting for this purpose only a few days ago. Keep up the great work, always look forward to your videos.
you are the best I have come across for the detailed explanation. For instance the explanation of the power of the bandsaw explains why I am struggling to cut blanks. I wonder if a jig would be easier for lower power saws???
Finding wood in WV is the easy part. I found a 14" black walnut that had just fallen in a storm. I thought hey that's a good size. Then I cut it and was like wow that's some nice looking wood
As always, very useful information. Unfortunately, my budget has limited my and saw to a underpowered one with a max cut height of about 3 3/4". Maybe I can get some pre-shape with the chainsaw. I'm up to 14 bowls and I can see improvement. Built a sharpening jig. A sharp tool is extremely important. Thanks, wish I had your vision when selecting a chunk to turn. More practice
Kent - Thank you for doing your instructional Videos! Think about using a grommet for the bowl blank templates. It may give you a little more use time and accuracy if it has the same inner diameter as your awl.
Great video and information for turners starting out, I have been turning for about 10 years now and NEVER bought wood for turning. I follow the sound of a chainsaw in my neighborhood and the people doing the cutting are always happy to oblige and give me whatever size I request. Then I take the pieces home and cut closer with a electric chain saw in my shop. I also use a 16" piece of plexiglas with a 1/8" hole in the center and various circles scribed into it to get an accurate position on the rough piece. I say, the best wood for turning is free wood, LOL..... Love all your videos.....Ron Cumpsty
With a caster base on a band saw, they're a blessing to move about but if your shop floor is as wavy as mine, here's a simple trick to keep them safely stable. Mark out a rectangle on your shop floor where the saw is most often used and adjust the leveling screws on the base for that location and directional rotation. As I use the saw only occasionally, it's not a hardship to move it onto the same location for a limited number of cuts and back into storage to clear the floor for other activities.
I encourage everyone to heed what you say about safety! Last week I was cutting in line with the grain of a scots pine reclaimed block, suddenly, 4in from the end of the cut the piece sheered off along the grain, had my hand Ben there it was gone.
The new 4 inch battery powered chainsaws are unbelievably good. They have long life batteries and are extremely powerful. I am almost 80, small and have a lot of arthritis so I have had to give up my big chainsaws and angle grinders. This little saw lets me whack off branches and cut pieces that are too large for my bandsaw. Happy turning? You betcha.
Thank you for writing and sharing! That's so true. I'm amazed by the performance of the battery-powered tools today. Sounds like you have a good strategy. Thanks and Happy Turning!
Great question, but a loaded question. Many avenues to understand. THAT is why I created the Tree to Bowl - Understanding Green Wood online course. Check it out www.TurnAWoodBowl.com/green All the best to you and Happy Turning!
My first lathe showed up today. Just a few hundred dollar midi lathe. Started turning my first bowl on it and following what I've seen having no feel for making my cuts to round off. I was catching too much bite and completely stopping the lathe in its tracks I was so scared that I got a lemon lathe. But once I got it roundish and cranked the speed up. Luckily I got a variable speed not a multi speed . But once I crank the speed and put the tension on that belt to speed it up it really started to eat some wood and got myself much more comfortable but I had to stop because the weather today is a freezing storm and it was jumping all over the place and with the cold I just got my basic shape of the bowl and stopped before the lathe jumped off it's stand.. I need to anchor it tmrw and I'll finish my first ever bowl on my own equipment.. pretty pumped to start this new area of woodwork
Very timely video. Getting a bandsaw in July. Been using a carpenters hand saw 👀 lots of work. BTW I could benefit from a lesson on design. Thanks for the eCourses. I think my next-door neighbor may be starting up soon.
Glad I could help. Design online course is the fourth in line that I have planned. Please be patient, I will be offering exactly what you need. All the best to you and Happy Turning!
Kenneth, it depends on many factors. They could dry enough to turn once, but for the most control and least cracking twice turning is best. Check out the Tree to Bowl course for tons of answers www.TurnAWoodBowl.com/green All the best to you and Happy Turning! Kent
also what did you coat your slices with as they were drying so the don't crack? Thanks so much! I ask because I. it the pith out and had some beautiful pecan slabs but they all cracked
Hi Kent. I sometimes worry about the section of the bandsaw table that is where the blade can be removed from the saw. You have a lot of overhang when turning a large blank. Do you think having a table extension on this side of the table would make stability safer? If yes, what sort of construction would you suggest? Online, only bandsaw extension tables are on the infeed and outfeed sides of the table, not the front side or where the blade is moved in or out. Thanks for any insight.
Thank you for writing and sharing Skip. Yes, I understand your point. I guess I've got used to the overhang. I try not to turn anything where the center pivot point is off the table. I also find I have plenty of control of the blank as it extends beyond the table. I think an extension would be fine, I just don't have the shape. Good question. Happy Turning!
I made a big circle jig for my bandsaw which is a similar theory - i dial in the width and put a hole centre of the blank, then just turn it around... It's kind of like a reverse compass, where the centre point is a 5mm dowel, and the outer arc is the bandsaw blade... I'm not sure it'd work for those bits taht aren't super flat though :)
I have a very beautiful Burrell and it’s got some termites. Is there any suggestions you would use to save it by putting it in maybe a bag but I don’t know what kind of chemical to use
That's a great question but the answer is not so simple to fit here. Check out my Tree To Bowl - Understanding Green Wood course www.TurnAWoodBowl.com/green All the best to you and Happy Turning!
A question from a "newbie" in bowl turning & cutting the blanks for my bowls. In my small woodshop I only have a "bench top" Grizzly band saw & I'm wondering/guessing that cutting larger bowl blanks is going to be an issue for me. Am I correct in assuming that may not work too well ?? Are there other methods that I may try/use if my bandsaw will not make the cuts ? Thank you, David WoodWorking Made Simpler Ada, MI
David, Great question. You can lop off corners in the field with the chainsaw to make octagonal blanks vs square blanks. That's a big help on the lathe. Check out this other bandsaw video ua-cam.com/video/6yTSYjHrmmw/v-deo.html Happy Turning!
More great tips. I'll have to get myself a decent Bandsaw for doing the same. At the moment I cut my blanks out of logs using a Bandsaw Mill, and it's depth is about what you suggest for the height of bowls. I then take the corners off with the chainsaw after bucking the thick board to length, usually as long as the width of the board to make a square blank. I also find it helps to square up the bottom and top of the blank, and not have to worry about the chainsaw bar (not blade, chainsaw's don't have blades, it baffle's me why people call them blades, they are a bar and chain with teeth) not cutting square to each side. Sometimes I even buck the lengths at an angle so there's only 2 corners to cut off later.
Trying to talk the hubby into a floor size bandsaw. We have a small one. That Pecan is rough to turn when it has been cut with the chainsaw. We have Pecan trees that shed 10 to 14 in branches all the time lol they are very old. But man it beautiful to turn.
19:28 That thing that you mentioned about turning green cherry after turning other harder, drier wood... I had that same experience. In my yard, I have lots of Madrone, and Asian pear wood, and both are fairly hard. I was given a few pieces of green cherry by my landlord, who has been bringing me lots of interesting wood as he does tree work around the property, and like you said, it was like turning a bar of soap. Big beautiful spirals that just flew off of the chisel. It was really a delight to work with. Unfortunately, it began to check and split within a few days, and I was not able to work with it further, but I had made it into a rough mallet shape, and it still works great for hitting things, so I use it to this day, I just can't turn it any further. I saved the other three pieces of that same Cherry log to try and do something else with, as my skills improve. They are waiting fairly patiently. 😊
Good video. I never used a bandsaw with a brake so I guess I don't know what I am missing. My 18" Rikon is not a high end BS and needs guide adjustments everytime I raise the blade guard but seeing your small table space supporting that blank to the right of the blade makes me really appreciate the larger table my saw has with 2 miter slots.
Raising and lowering the guard should not require resetting the guides. I would recommend going back to the very basics of setup, including making sure the table is horizontal to the blade. Basically, reset the entire machine. One time and you should be able to raise and lower the guides as needed without any change. The only time you should need to adjust the guides is when you change the blade.
@@benjohnson8972 I understand. The issue is when the saw left the factory it did not track properly. The manual does not deal with this as it is not something the end user would typically mess with.
Have you ever tried using a circle cutting jig on the table? Seems like it would make things a little easier. Especially as many blanks s you cut. I do like the 5" safety rule. Maybe draw a red 5" radius circle on the table as a visual reminder whenever it can be seen.
Apologize if it is already in the comments but do you have an opinion as to what the best size blade is to use for cutting bowl blanks on the bandsaw? Minimum? Maximum? Love your videos! Thanks!
People think bandsaws are scary? I always considered them one of the safer powered cutting tools available. I even had my lower shaft on my jet break in half and the lower wheel come off during a cut and was very startled but never felt in danger
Thank you for writing and sharing! Yes, I agree. I think it's most scary because you can accidentally get your fingers crazy close to the blade if you're not paying attention and can be startling. Happy Turning!
I enjoyed watching this and thank you for a pleasant presentation. I am brand new to this and I have a strong desire to make my own bowl blanks and get to turning. My questions will all be very "Rookie" type questions. For example...I have some pecan available to me with an average diameter of 8"-10" and varying in length. Could I just cut the lengths I want and chuck them up on my lathe or is it a necessity to cut the log in half and make blanks as you demonstrated ? Thank you and peace be with you
Great questions. You can just cut them in half. We cover this and much more in detail in my Tree To Bowl Course, check it out at TurnAWoodBowl.com/green All the best to you and Happy Turning!
Hello. Thanks. I enjoyed your tips and ideas. Im blessed with airdried slabs, lg. logs and a new bandsaw to cut to speck. I did not notice a contact address. Thanks again
I cut discs from 1/4” plywood. They last a lot longer than cardboard discs. I have had these discs for ten years and they are still working. Nice tutorial. I agree that really big bowls are not very practical.
love this video. my question if the bottom of the blanks is not flat, should it be before you start to turn it?? or can that be taken care of during the turning? Is that difficult for a brand new turner?
The base is rarely flat when you start to turn a piece and yes, you can easily smooth it out when you begin. Check out my turning course. We cover all the steps you'll ever need www.TurnAWoodBowl.com/turn All the best to you and Happy Turning!
I am lucky enough to have a custom hardwood shop that specializes in slab tables near where I live. Where they cut a tree with a Woodmizer the long way. I get their scraps to turn wood bowls really cheap, 2 to 3" thick walnut, butternut, maple oak and cherry.
Kent, may I ask how to store waxed/green bowl blanks? I came across your videos well after already acquiring bowl blocks from commercial sources, and I to start on waste wood.
Patricia, if you have commercial bough blanks you should be able to place them on a shelve in a cool dry place with no problems. If you want to make your own bowl blanks, I JUST finished my new course Tree to Bowl Online eCourse. Here's a link > turnawoodbowl.com/green All the best to you and Happy Turning!
I got some “ditch wood” yesterday - red oak and maple - so I signed up for your “Tree to Bowl” course this morning. But since I had the wood yesterday I jumped in only to find out as I started going through your course that I am doing it all wrong. So the first turning I started was end grain. Should I cut my losses and pitch it or can I keep going and so something with it?
Mike, thanks for signing up. It's your call. You can turn it as an end-grain turning. Now you know the differences. All the best to you and Happy Turning!
Yes, absolutely, You most likely have spalt inside. Highly desirable. I'm working on my new online eCourse Tree to Bowl and this will be covered there as well. Stay tuned.
Thanks for another informative video Kent. I’ve been lucky enough to get some free (or almost free - bartered for it) but so far Ash, Cedar, Elm, Oak and Paulownia. I also scored some once turned bowls from a fellow club member that had some Cherry, Black Walnut, Maple, Sycamore and “P-creat” (very dry Pecan). I loved the grain of Pecan but it was very, very hard (no punk in mine). I had to sharpen my tools a lot and resorted to my Easy Wood Tools more than I wanted and a lot of sanding, but still worth it. Would love to get a big log like you scored in your area, but until I move back South, not much to be found around here (NW VA). Guess I need to take a road trip back to my old home place in NW FL (assuming they haven’t clear cut all the Pecan orchards for people habitats [row after row of rubber stamped townhouses]). 😡. Anyway, stay safe and well to keep the videos coming. Cheers, Tom
Tom, Thank you for writing and sharing! I like P-creat. I learned all my turning skills with punky pecan. It's a great teacher! Ha! I have a green wood turning online course in the works. Stay tuned. All the best to you and Happy Turning!
Just spent the afternoon collecting logs & rounds (oak and maple) from my sister's property; and now, having watched this video, I have a better idea of what to so with what I brought home. Thanks.
I just came into a large amount of green wood and was trying to figure out how to get blanks out of the logs. This video was extremely helpful! Thank you
Glad it helped! Also, check out my course Tree To Bowl www.TurnAWoodBowl.com/green Happy Turning!
Very knowledgeable video with all the good, little details we actually need to hear!!! Thanks. Those are beautiful blanks
Glad you enjoyed, Paul! It's all in the little details. Happy Turning!
Your card templates for bowl blank cutting is a simple but fantastic idea. I'm relatively new to all this & all tips are very welcome. Cheers from Airth, Central Scotland 👍👍👍
Thank you, Jim! All the best to you and Happy Turning in Scotland!
This video has great information. I'm not a wood turner but had a silver maple removed from my yard that had outgrown it's space and was very healthy. I searched for as many wood artisans as I could in my area but no one wanted my wood. I have researched may sites like yours to learn to preserve wood from my tree to later take classes to learn wood turning so when I am ready to give it a try, the wood will have been properly preserve and ready to be worked. Thanks again for all the great information on your website.
My pleasure, Patricia. Be sure to check out my new course too, www.TurnAWoodBowl.com/green
Just found your channel. 2 days ago, I cut up an 18" x 50' maple that blew down in a storm last week. I was going to split it all to use in the barbecue, but now I'll take some of the pieces and make bowl blanks!
Oh yes, make bowls not bbq! Hey, that could be a shirt! ;) Happy Turning!
Thank you! Great information for beginners!
My pleasure, Niccole. All the best to you and Happy Turning!
@@TurnAWoodBowl Do you have a video on how to remove the pith?
Kent, I have watched hundreds of hours of wood turning. This video has to be the most helpful. Thank you very much. I feel my knowledge has just doubled.
Can't wait to do this!!
Have fun Denise! All the best to you and Happy Turning!
This video was so helpful, can't wait to watch more of your videos!
Thanks Emily! I hope you subscribe too. All the best to you and Happy Turning!
Das Holz ist ein Traum 😀 viel Spaß damit
Dankesehr! Jeden Tag Holz drehen ist ein Traum. Viel Spaß beim Drehen!
Kent, your channel is a wonderful source in a bowl turning learning application. When you explain the tools you use as you did about the Bandsaw 220 volt 2 HP this helps me understand better what to buy along with the types of Bowl Gouges 1/2 5/8 or 3/4 the type of gouge standard or swept back along with the angle of grind. I’ve watch almost all of your videos and have learned by your additional way of explanation clarification on various turning techniques. When I was in trade school my instructor said something that has stayed with me and I say this now to my new employees. You’ll never know what is wrong until you learn what is Right. Thank You for taking the time to explain.
David, Thank you for writing and sharing! Your instructor was spot on! That's exactly why I think it's so important to share all the steps. Other videos with background music and fast-forward turning clips are fun to watch but hard to learn from. I'm glad you're learning from these. Thanks again and Happy Turning!
So after 20 something years of tinkering in the woodwork room at school I’ve finally bought a lathe, and watching your vids I’ve made quite a few f#€k ups. Spindle gouge on a bowl being one, but now after watching this I’ve been cutting bowl blanks completely wrong. Rather than cut down the log I’ve just been cutting various sizes straight through (like cutting fire wood) and finding it hard as nails to gouge out the centre of the bowl. First thing tomorrow morning I’m going to cut one out this way and see how I go.
Keep the great vids coming Kent. 👍🏼
Thank you for writing and sharing! Sounds great. You might want to take a look at my Tree to Bowl - Understanding Green Wood course www.TurnAWoodBowl.com/green All the best to you and Happy Turning!
Shorts and CROCKS! 😁🪵😉🪵🥰🪵😎🪵
Oh, you noticed?! ;) We have 10 months of summer here. Some people think that is desirable, but I could use a few extra cool months. Happy Turning!
Great ideas on how to cut my blanks!
Thanks and Happy Turning!
I like the cardboard template with the awl. Now I just need a beefy-er band saw.
Thank you, Rick. Yes, a bigger bandsaw helps a lot! Happy Turning!
As always, good teaching, Kent. You're a natural teacher.
If you haven't seen it yet, see Jim Sprague's vids where he uses a bowl blank jig for the band saw. Just another way of doing it. Thanks.
Sounds good. Thanks Dave and Happy Turning!
The experience I have making spoons was helpful to all this. One thing I did was paint the ends of logs immediately after sawing them. This slows down the drying process, making it more even, and stops cracking in the pith as it can start right away. One guy I met makes stocks for guns out of black walnut. He would boil his blanks first, bark removed, sawn to rough final shape leaving plenty of material, and then paint them with a wax so the wood would dry very slowly, thus avoiding cracks and checking. The boiling helps to relieve internal stress, he says. He sold me a bunch of nice very black walnut that he rejected for his work, but would work fine for me to make spoons or smaller bowls. It's interesting to talk to other craftsmen working in different aspects of wood working and crafts.
Thank you for writing and sharing! Yes, boiling is a process that can help, although it's not easy to boil large bowl blanks most of the time. All the best to you and Happy Turning!
@@TurnAWoodBowl Thanks for your reply. I am sure you get a lot on your plate. This guy used 55 gallon barrels under a wood fire, and of course with that much weight, he had to make a special grate and fire pit to support it all. I would imagine he used scraps to fire the arrangement. If you get a chance, travel the Oregon coast highway and pick up some rare Pacific coastal myrtlewood, only grown in extreme northern California and lower Oregon coastal regions. This is a unique myrtle that picks up colors from the soil and is very hard with a fine grain, so you would need to put it in a plastic bag to take home wet to rough out a bowl blank first, otherwise, carbide tooling is necessary. The logs are so dense they will not float when wet! Check out the myrtlewood factory in Oregon on your browser. Also, pacific coast maple is an excellent wood to work with, not quite as hard as east coast maple.
hi i have watched a number of your videos same subjects have already seen else where but I like your teaching style best, you connected I have learned a lot from you. I stated turning from the lip and that has tremendously improved my turning thank tou for your work
Thanks writing and letting me know. All the best to you and Happy Turning!
Hey Kent thanks for the tips on making blanks. I'm just getting back into turning after a couple of decades away from it. I'm making a bunch of blanks so I have a good stash. Really enjoy your videos!
Thank you, PA and welcome back to the fun stuff. All the best to you and Happy Turning!
Great video, my favorite part is the safety crocs 🤣 glad I’m not the only one who wears crocs in the shop.
Pat, You and me both! Happy Turning!
The new additions are adorable!
Thanks, I think so too. Happy Turning!
I love these videos! Every time I get hung up on something one of your videos always answers the question.
I noticed you said you have to lift the blank because the surface can be uneven. I recently bought a turbo plane wheel for my angle grinder that I use to make them so much flatter to cut on the bandsaw. It's a little extra work but makes them a little easier to cut, mount, and turn. Just a *maybe" helpful tip from a novice to an expert!
Wyatt, sounds great. Thank you for writing and sharing! I'll have to check that out. Happy Turning!
I use an electric hand plane to smooth out the bottom because I suck at using a chainsaw. Also, I run the "top" of the blanks (bark side) over a jointer to create a flat spot which is handy for both cutting on the bandsaw (can cut from either side) and for later mounting on the lathe.
Hi Kent, thanks for the great video! Loved the "mice hunters" scene! I just started doing some power carving and bowl turning. I was able to get some cork oak from a neighbor's tree that he fell. So, my first bowl was a live edge cork oak, so cool. I am on bowl four and they are so cool looking. Learned a lot from your videos. Keep them coming!
Sounds great! Cork Oak?!! Very cool!! All the best to you and Happy Turning! Kent
@@TurnAWoodBowl yes, actual cork bark, like in Portugal. We have some in our NorCal neighborhood..
Hi Kent! Thanks for giving such a clear lesson on a safe technique for making bowl blanks with a bandsaw.
Glad to help. All the best to you and Happy Turning!
Thanks for the info, Kent. Do you like to seal the endgrain after making these cuts, to avoid cracking?
Nice demo. Really love to hear how to safely Rotate with focus on the “danger zone”. I taught my son woodworking and always emphasize the RED ZONE and keep your fingers out of it. Much respect making rounds by hand. I still use Norm’s circle cutting jig. Thanks for sharing
Thank you for writing and sharing! Yes, safety is mostly about being aware and alert. All the best to you and Happy Turning!
Yeah make me envious for a band saw like that or in my case a band saw period. Nice Video would like to know if you seal the blank ends or log ends at all.
Nice video, thanks! I noticed the wood buildup on your bandsaw blade. I have the same issue and it gets on the guide bearings as well, I tried cleaning it off with a brass brush while the saw was running but it still doesn’t come off. It takes forever to scrape off by hand. How do you cleanup your saw, blades and guide bushings after cutting a batch of wet wood?
Very good information I like to learn from you not stop keep doing thank you
Thank you! All the best to you and Happy Turning!
Very good video Kent.
Glad you enjoyed it. Thank you! Happy Turning!
Nice job; good tips and reminders of safety requirements.
Glad it was helpful! Safety is important. Happy Turning!
Excellent lesson, very timely, I have struggled to cut blanks but they have not turned out quite round. I will certainly try the template, thanks!
Thank you and you will get better the more you practice. All the best to you and Happy Turning!
Great information. I like bandsaw with foot break too. The ones I used in school workshop all have breaks. My bandsaw in garage is a 14” cast iron frame one without break. I do miss that break a lot.
After your blank run, you get a lot of pecan scrap to smoke some meat.
Thank you for writing and sharing! Yes, people love to use pecan to smoke meat. I usually have to fight off these people when I harvest a pecan. Lol Happy Turning!
I can relate to the pecan.. it’s very available where I live and it’s about all I have on hand besides white oak.. just hope I follow through with the success .) thanks for sharing 👍🏼
You'll get there Kyle. Remember; persistent, patient practice will yield the bowls you imagine creating! Happy Turning!
Thanks very useful info i've been turning for 5 years or so but alot here to use in practice. I do have a tendency to use the blades too long. Not being sharp is definitely a no no.
I needed a refresher with 25 ft of free poplar to process.
Great information thanks so much Senior in Green Bay
Pecan, I have a lot of it on our property. What will you do with your chunks of scrap? Maybe saw it so it can be used by barbecue restaurants? Or if you have a strong chipper that can make chips, use it as a mulch for trees and bushes? I used the bark as a mulch in chunks for blue berry bushes. It worked pretty good!
Russell, good suggestions. Blueberry bushes benefit from the acid content of the mulch, correct? I may need to plant some. Happy Turning!
Ya need to teach the kitties how to turn wood. Those critters are sho cute.
Great idea! Kittens turning bowls would send my YT numbers through the roof. I’ll work on that. Lol. Happy Turning!
Perfectly timed video release, I've just started turning using your Wood Bowl Turning Start to Finish e-course (incredible resource and well worth the $) and have just started milling up the logs I've been collecting for this purpose only a few days ago. Keep up the great work, always look forward to your videos.
Fantastic! Thanks for joining the online turning course! All the best to you and Happy Turning!
This is what I need to do so I can free up some room in my shop lol. What do you seal with after making the blanks?
Stephen,
Great weekend project!
I use Anchorseal here's a link amzn.to/3V4e9M1 A little goes a long way.
All the best to you and Happy Turning! Kent
you are the best I have come across for the detailed explanation. For instance the explanation of the power of the bandsaw explains why I am struggling to cut blanks. I wonder if a jig would be easier for lower power saws???
Me too. I've turned a lot of old dry pecan. When I put some cherry on the lathe it's like a vacation. Cleaning it up slick takes way less time.
KC, "Like a vacation!" I love it...exactly! All the best to you and Happy Turning! Kent
Finding wood in WV is the easy part. I found a 14" black walnut that had just fallen in a storm. I thought hey that's a good size. Then I cut it and was like wow that's some nice looking wood
Neal, oh yeah! You have some good stuff there!! Enjoy and Happy Turning!
As always, very useful information.
Unfortunately, my budget has limited my and saw to a underpowered one with a max cut height of about 3 3/4". Maybe I can get some pre-shape with the chainsaw. I'm up to 14 bowls and I can see improvement. Built a sharpening jig. A sharp tool is extremely important.
Thanks, wish I had your vision when selecting a chunk to turn. More practice
Kent - Thank you for doing your instructional Videos! Think about using a grommet for the bowl blank templates. It may give you a little more use time and accuracy if it has the same inner diameter as your awl.
Great video and information for turners starting out, I have been turning for about 10 years now and NEVER bought wood for turning. I follow the sound of a chainsaw in my neighborhood and the people doing the cutting are always happy to oblige and give me whatever size I request. Then I take the pieces home and cut closer with a electric chain saw in my shop. I also use a 16" piece of plexiglas with a 1/8" hole in the center and various circles scribed into it to get an accurate position on the rough piece. I say, the best wood for turning is free wood, LOL..... Love all your videos.....Ron Cumpsty
Thank you for writing and sharing, Ron! Good tips, especially listening for chainsaws. ;) All the best to you and Happy Turning!
This is good stuff. Next it would be great to see how you cut up a whole log as a prequel to this.
Yup, online eCourse coming with all that soon. ;) Happy Turning!
With a caster base on a band saw, they're a blessing to move about but if your shop floor is as wavy as mine, here's a simple trick to keep them safely stable. Mark out a rectangle on your shop floor where the saw is most often used and adjust the leveling screws on the base for that location and directional rotation. As I use the saw only occasionally, it's not a hardship to move it onto the same location for a limited number of cuts and back into storage to clear the floor for other activities.
Thank you for writing and sharing! Much appreciated! Happy Turning!
I encourage everyone to heed what you say about safety! Last week I was cutting in line with the grain of a scots pine reclaimed block, suddenly, 4in from the end of the cut the piece sheered off along the grain, had my hand Ben there it was gone.
Yikes! So glad you are ok. Yes, that side grain wood can cut very fast. Be safe…mostly by being alert and present. Take care and Happy Turning!
Great video as always 🤙 Now I only need a bandsaw lol . Keep up the great work. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks 👍 Happy Turning!
The new 4 inch battery powered chainsaws are unbelievably good. They have long life batteries and are extremely powerful. I am almost 80, small and have a lot of arthritis so I have had to give up my big chainsaws and angle grinders. This little saw lets me whack off branches and cut pieces that are too large for my bandsaw. Happy turning? You betcha.
Thank you for writing and sharing! That's so true. I'm amazed by the performance of the battery-powered tools today. Sounds like you have a good strategy. Thanks and Happy Turning!
never done it but am interested,I have several large bradford pear Im taking down in my yard.
Great video and safety info. I use some of the spalted cut offs to make pen blanks too.
Thanks for shaping.
Yes, indeed the spalted wood is beautiful. Thanks for sharing and Happy Turning!
Interesting thank you. Courtesy of recent storms (UK) I’ve acquired some logs. I’d like to know what to do with them prior to this video.
TIA.
Great question, but a loaded question. Many avenues to understand. THAT is why I created the Tree to Bowl - Understanding Green Wood online course. Check it out www.TurnAWoodBowl.com/green All the best to you and Happy Turning!
New subscriber for you………..I live in Oklahoma City and it’s May 2023…….. Tornado Season. I never buy wood😊
My first lathe showed up today. Just a few hundred dollar midi lathe. Started turning my first bowl on it and following what I've seen having no feel for making my cuts to round off. I was catching too much bite and completely stopping the lathe in its tracks I was so scared that I got a lemon lathe. But once I got it roundish and cranked the speed up. Luckily I got a variable speed not a multi speed . But once I crank the speed and put the tension on that belt to speed it up it really started to eat some wood and got myself much more comfortable but I had to stop because the weather today is a freezing storm and it was jumping all over the place and with the cold I just got my basic shape of the bowl and stopped before the lathe jumped off it's stand.. I need to anchor it tmrw and I'll finish my first ever bowl on my own equipment.. pretty pumped to start this new area of woodwork
Thanks!
Welcome!
Very timely video. Getting a bandsaw in July. Been using a carpenters hand saw 👀 lots of work. BTW I could benefit from a lesson on design. Thanks for the eCourses. I think my next-door neighbor may be starting up soon.
Glad I could help. Design online course is the fourth in line that I have planned. Please be patient, I will be offering exactly what you need. All the best to you and Happy Turning!
Are these logs dry? How do you dry your logs or do you dry the blanks after, if so how?
Hey Kent - nice work!
Just curious to the width of that bandsaw blade? 3/8” ?
Will the bowls from these blanks have to be twice turned. Great Video a great idea you cut up a bunch of blanks and turn turn turn.
Kenneth, it depends on many factors. They could dry enough to turn once, but for the most control and least cracking twice turning is best. Check out the Tree to Bowl course for tons of answers www.TurnAWoodBowl.com/green All the best to you and Happy Turning! Kent
also what did you coat your slices with as they were drying so the don't crack? Thanks so much! I ask because I. it the pith out and had some beautiful pecan slabs but they all cracked
All in the description. Anchorseal.. Happy Turning!
Hi Kent. I sometimes worry about the section of the bandsaw table that is where the blade can be removed from the saw. You have a lot of overhang when turning a large blank. Do you think having a table extension on this side of the table would make stability safer? If yes, what sort of construction would you suggest? Online, only bandsaw extension tables are on the infeed and outfeed sides of the table, not the front side or where the blade is moved in or out. Thanks for any insight.
Thank you for writing and sharing Skip. Yes, I understand your point. I guess I've got used to the overhang. I try not to turn anything where the center pivot point is off the table. I also find I have plenty of control of the blank as it extends beyond the table. I think an extension would be fine, I just don't have the shape. Good question. Happy Turning!
Great video. I am just trying to learn how to do this on my bandsaw... thank you so much! I hope you left some of the wood for those kittens.
Ha, LOL yeah there are a few pieces of wood left. LOL Happy Turning!
Serious wood store envy lol
You can do it. Happy Turning!
I made a big circle jig for my bandsaw which is a similar theory - i dial in the width and put a hole centre of the blank, then just turn it around... It's kind of like a reverse compass, where the centre point is a 5mm dowel, and the outer arc is the bandsaw blade... I'm not sure it'd work for those bits taht aren't super flat though :)
Thank you for writing and sharing Paul! Happy Turning!
I have a very beautiful Burrell and it’s got some termites. Is there any suggestions you would use to save it by putting it in maybe a bag but I don’t know what kind of chemical to use
I am looking to upgrade my band saw to a 2HP machine. Can you tell me what brand and model saw you have? Thank you
Grizzly. Here's the model amzn.to/3Cgmapo Happy Turning!
You can also make a circle cutting jig forthe bandsaw, it's pretty easy to do.
Do you have a video on drying bowls for twice turned bowls? Thanks
Yes, check this out ua-cam.com/video/0X5xyq2ikzY/v-deo.html Also, I have a course on the subject coming soon. Stay tuned. Happy Turning!
Quick question, now hat you have the blank, how or what do you do with it before you start turning it? How do you preserve it? Great channel.
That's a great question but the answer is not so simple to fit here. Check out my Tree To Bowl - Understanding Green Wood course www.TurnAWoodBowl.com/green All the best to you and Happy Turning!
A question from a "newbie" in bowl turning & cutting the blanks for my bowls. In my small woodshop I only have a "bench top" Grizzly band saw & I'm wondering/guessing that cutting larger bowl blanks is going to be an issue for me. Am I correct in assuming that may not work too well ?? Are there other methods that I may try/use if my bandsaw will not make the cuts ?
Thank you,
David
WoodWorking Made Simpler
Ada, MI
David,
Great question. You can lop off corners in the field with the chainsaw to make octagonal blanks vs square blanks. That's a big help on the lathe. Check out this other bandsaw video ua-cam.com/video/6yTSYjHrmmw/v-deo.html Happy Turning!
After cutting the blank, I wrap the circumference with 3inch wide stretch wrap to keep the drying to a minimum until I can rough turn the bowl.
More great tips. I'll have to get myself a decent Bandsaw for doing the same. At the moment I cut my blanks out of logs using a Bandsaw Mill, and it's depth is about what you suggest for the height of bowls. I then take the corners off with the chainsaw after bucking the thick board to length, usually as long as the width of the board to make a square blank. I also find it helps to square up the bottom and top of the blank, and not have to worry about the chainsaw bar (not blade, chainsaw's don't have blades, it baffle's me why people call them blades, they are a bar and chain with teeth) not cutting square to each side. Sometimes I even buck the lengths at an angle so there's only 2 corners to cut off later.
Thank you for writing and sharing! This is a great description of bucking blanks. Thanks so much for sharing. Happy Turning!
Trying to talk the hubby into a floor size bandsaw. We have a small one. That Pecan is rough to turn when it has been cut with the chainsaw. We have Pecan trees that shed 10 to 14 in branches all the time lol they are very old. But man it beautiful to turn.
You are lucky to have pecan at the ready. Enjoy and Happy Turning!
19:28 That thing that you mentioned about turning green cherry after turning other harder, drier wood... I had that same experience.
In my yard, I have lots of Madrone, and Asian pear wood, and both are fairly hard. I was given a few pieces of green cherry by my landlord, who has been bringing me lots of interesting wood as he does tree work around the property, and like you said, it was like turning a bar of soap. Big beautiful spirals that just flew off of the chisel. It was really a delight to work with.
Unfortunately, it began to check and split within a few days, and I was not able to work with it further, but I had made it into a rough mallet shape, and it still works great for hitting things, so I use it to this day, I just can't turn it any further.
I saved the other three pieces of that same Cherry log to try and do something else with, as my skills improve. They are waiting fairly patiently. 😊
Patrick, Thank you for writing and sharing! So glad you've had the chance too to turn green cherry. Everyone should. ;) Happy Turning!
Good video. I never used a bandsaw with a brake so I guess I don't know what I am missing. My 18" Rikon is not a high end BS and needs guide adjustments everytime I raise the blade guard but seeing your small table space supporting that blank to the right of the blade makes me really appreciate the larger table my saw has with 2 miter slots.
Great point! A bigger table would be nice. ;) Happy Turning!
Raising and lowering the guard should not require resetting the guides. I would recommend going back to the very basics of setup, including making sure the table is horizontal to the blade. Basically, reset the entire machine. One time and you should be able to raise and lower the guides as needed without any change. The only time you should need to adjust the guides is when you change the blade.
@@benjohnson8972 I understand. The issue is when the saw left the factory it did not track properly. The manual does not deal with this as it is not something the end user would typically mess with.
Have you ever tried using a circle cutting jig on the table? Seems like it would make things a little easier. Especially as many blanks s you cut.
I do like the 5" safety rule. Maybe draw a red 5" radius circle on the table as a visual reminder whenever it can be seen.
Thanks. Looks like what I did in my shop recently 😀
Nice! It's pretty satisfying, right? Happy Turning!
Apologize if it is already in the comments but do you have an opinion as to what the best size blade is to use for cutting bowl blanks on the bandsaw? Minimum? Maximum? Love your videos! Thanks!
Thanks, yes, check out this article. turnawoodbowl.com/bandsaw-basics-wood-bowl-turners/ Happy Turning!
Interesting video Kent
Glad you enjoyed it Happy Turning!
People think bandsaws are scary? I always considered them one of the safer powered cutting tools available. I even had my lower shaft on my jet break in half and the lower wheel come off during a cut and was very startled but never felt in danger
Thank you for writing and sharing! Yes, I agree. I think it's most scary because you can accidentally get your fingers crazy close to the blade if you're not paying attention and can be startling. Happy Turning!
Do you treat wood in the shed to prevent moisture loss? If not, how long will you let things sit before you cut them in the bandsaw?
I seal the end-grain fibers with Anchorseal. Happy Turning!
I enjoyed watching this and thank you for a pleasant presentation. I am brand new to this and I have a strong desire to make my own bowl blanks and get to turning. My questions will all be very "Rookie" type questions. For example...I have some pecan available to me with an average diameter of 8"-10" and varying in length. Could I just cut the lengths I want and chuck them up on my lathe or is it a necessity to cut the log in half and make blanks as you demonstrated ? Thank you and peace be with you
Great questions. You can just cut them in half. We cover this and much more in detail in my Tree To Bowl Course, check it out at TurnAWoodBowl.com/green All the best to you and Happy Turning!
Hello. Thanks. I enjoyed your tips and ideas. Im blessed with airdried slabs, lg. logs and a new bandsaw to cut to speck. I did not notice a contact address. Thanks again
do you have a wood heater to use the scrap in
That would be nice on a cold day. Happy Turning!
Do you adjust the tension of your blade before doing these round cuts?
I cut discs from 1/4” plywood. They last a lot longer than cardboard discs. I have had these discs for ten years and they are still working.
Nice tutorial. I agree that really big bowls are not very practical.
Which size would you recommend for a band saw to process blanks in the approved size?
A 17" bandsaw is good for make a wide range of blank sizes. Anything smaller than a 17" can work but will be somewhat limiting. Happy Turning!
what brand and inch is that bandsaw it's awesome
17" Grizzly with foot break. See the description below.
love this video. my question if the bottom of the blanks is not flat, should it be before you start to turn it?? or can that be taken care of during the turning? Is that difficult for a brand new turner?
The base is rarely flat when you start to turn a piece and yes, you can easily smooth it out when you begin. Check out my turning course. We cover all the steps you'll ever need www.TurnAWoodBowl.com/turn All the best to you and Happy Turning!
I have a 30 year old 14 in Jet. I think I need to up grade to a larger band saw. Thanks!
Perhaps. The throat of the 14" saws seems a bit shallow for doing large blanks. All the best to you and Happy Turning!
I am lucky enough to have a custom hardwood shop that specializes in slab tables near where I live. Where they cut a tree with a Woodmizer the long way. I get their scraps to turn wood bowls really cheap, 2 to 3" thick walnut, butternut, maple oak and cherry.
Wow, that's fantastic! Enjoy and Happy Turning!
Kent, may I ask how to store waxed/green bowl blanks? I came across your videos well after already acquiring bowl blocks from commercial sources, and I to start on waste wood.
Patricia, if you have commercial bough blanks you should be able to place them on a shelve in a cool dry place with no problems. If you want to make your own bowl blanks, I JUST finished my new course Tree to Bowl Online eCourse. Here's a link > turnawoodbowl.com/green All the best to you and Happy Turning!
I got some “ditch wood” yesterday - red oak and maple - so I signed up for your “Tree to Bowl” course this morning. But since I had the wood yesterday I jumped in only to find out as I started going through your course that I am doing it all wrong. So the first turning I started was end grain. Should I cut my losses and pitch it or can I keep going and so something with it?
Mike, thanks for signing up. It's your call. You can turn it as an end-grain turning. Now you know the differences. All the best to you and Happy Turning!
What do you do with all the scrap cutoffs after this process? Some of that looks like you could process that down even further into small blanks.
Cut small blanks, sometimes pen blanks for friends. Then I gift the scraps to family members to smoke on their grill. Happy Turning!
WHAT WOOD DO YOU RECOMMEND TO MAKE THE BOWLS I AM FROM GUATEMALA HERE IS TEAK WOOD CEDAR MAHOGANY PALO BLANCO OAK
Any wood will work. Experiment and see what turns the best and looks the best. Great species by the way. Enjoy and Happy Turning!
Hi Kent, I stored some wet logs for turning. I noticed toadstools growing from the blanks! Would you use them?
Yes, absolutely, You most likely have spalt inside. Highly desirable. I'm working on my new online eCourse Tree to Bowl and this will be covered there as well. Stay tuned.
Thanks for another informative video Kent. I’ve been lucky enough to get some free (or almost free - bartered for it) but so far Ash, Cedar, Elm, Oak and Paulownia. I also scored some once turned bowls from a fellow club member that had some Cherry, Black Walnut, Maple, Sycamore and “P-creat” (very dry Pecan). I loved the grain of Pecan but it was very, very hard (no punk in mine). I had to sharpen my tools a lot and resorted to my Easy Wood Tools more than I wanted and a lot of sanding, but still worth it. Would love to get a big log like you scored in your area, but until I move back South, not much to be found around here (NW VA). Guess I need to take a road trip back to my old home place in NW FL (assuming they haven’t clear cut all the Pecan orchards for people habitats [row after row of rubber stamped townhouses]). 😡. Anyway, stay safe and well to keep the videos coming. Cheers, Tom
Tom, Thank you for writing and sharing! I like P-creat. I learned all my turning skills with punky pecan. It's a great teacher! Ha! I have a green wood turning online course in the works. Stay tuned. All the best to you and Happy Turning!