Blanks

[jeff...]

What are good sizes for turning blanks? I have several Americian Elm crotch chunks I would like to saw up into blanks for bowls, plates, vases, etc...

Thanks

 

[DaveO]

Just about any size hunk of wood is good for a turning blank. But I would think that square pieces about 6" thick at most and 6, 8, 10" etc. square could make good bowl blanks. For vases and hollow forms you would need rectangular blanks probably twice as tall as long (6 x 6 x 12" for example). And grain orientation is important also. Some things are turned with a face grain orientation and others are turned into the end grain. So mix it all up and seal the end grain of all the blanks.
Dave