Turning rough burl questions

[DaveO]

I just recently got some Cherry burl thanks to WoodArtz in the latest deal.
Now I am torn on how to turn them. I have turned burl before but it has always been in a nice square block form. These are not -

Most are half logs with the burl wood on the outside.
Normally when I turn a half log to make a natural edged bowl, I will use my wood-worm screw into the bark side. That will allow me to turn a recess or tenon in the middle of the log to chuck with. I reverse the blank and hollow out from the bark in. That gives a natural edge bowl, hopefully with some bark still attached.

In this case the figured burl wood is on the outside. If I used my natural edge bowl chucking method I am afraid that I will turn away most of the burled wood.
I would like to start the outside of the bowl as the bark side of the pieces so I can maintain the most burled figure in the bowl. My concerns are removing the bark on the lathe, the stability of chucking into the outermost layers of a burl, and how much I will have to removed to get the rough round. How have y'all approached this and what method have you used???????

TIA for your advice,
Dave

 

[CaptnA]

Dave I'm watching this with interest.
I've got some burl chunks and a huge whole burl in the shop right now.
Its a dream come true and I've got to make sure it doesn't turn into a nightmare.
I've had squares and bowl blanks before and my best plan was to cut into something I might recognize... scary to think about wasting it though.

 

[PChristy]

I am glad you have asked this Dave - I have tried to turn some burls like you have and if I don't figure out how to do it or get someone to show me what to do I think that I might not be turning anymore

 

[walnutjerry]

-

I would like to start the outside of the bowl as the bark side of the pieces so I can maintain the most burled figure in the bowl. My concerns are removing the bark on the lathe, the stability of chucking into the outermost layers of a burl, and how much I will have to removed to get the rough round. How have y'all approached this and what method have you used???????

TIA for your advice,
Dave

Dave---------I use the 60 degree live center in the tailstock of the lathe for what you are talking about. After i get the blank rounded I turn a spigot on the bottom-----------usually 1/4 to 3/8 of solid wood then blend that bottom curve to the top and spigot. I do check the tightness of the "chuck up" several times since the live center seats in the bark to begin with-----if I do need to tighten I usually end up with a dimple in the spigot which I pare off after the turning is complete.

Just the way I do it.

Jerry

 

[boxxmaker]

I know exactly how to do it,but just don't know how to explain it,Sooooooooo if you just send it to me I will evaluate the situation then return them with proper instructions :gar-Bi I promise :wink_smil Hey I know how you feel.I have a 40lb big leaf maple burl thats been walkin around my shop for 3 yrs now,one day I will get the nerve,maybe :icon_scra:dontknow:

 

[Steve Martin]

I have put such pieces between centers as Jerry suggested and also used a face plate on the flat side, turned a spigot on the bottom and then the chuck in the spigot or around it to finish the inside. Your question about turning the bark off is somewhat dependent upon when the wood was cut. If it was cut in winter when the sap was down, the bark will tend to stay on as you turn, if cut when the sap was up, it will be more likely to come off in chunks, usually towards you. As to how much bark to take off, that is a design issue which you will have to make as you turn. With cherry, the burl wood may vary considerably in depth, even in the same piece of wood, so you just have to guess and stop when you seem to be getting a change in the grain pattern or when you lkie how the piece looks. Good luck, it looks like you'll be having a lot of fun. I also start with the lathe at a very slow slow speed, usually the lowest available, until the blank is basically round, then, with burl, it can still be out of balance because of the differing densities within the wood, but if it pretty balanced you can turn up the speed.

 

[NCTurner]

Make the first couple of passes on the lathe with a stiff bristle or wire brush to remove loose bark and sand/dirt. It'll really save your tools and should ease the projectile bark.

 

[Glennbear]

I can offer no help with your question Dave but I am VERY glad you asked it. I have a humungous maple root burl in my shed for several months now and I have no clue how to approach turning it. Hopefully some of the answers you get will help me also. :wsmile:

 

[flyrod444]

DaveO,
You have a good problem looks like to me. I usally start out turning between centers. Doing this allows you to adjust the piece to get the most out of it. What I mean is you can losen the tail stock and shift it this way or that to acheive the largest bowl or get the natural edge more even in heigth. The burl on the right is screaming to be cored. You can flating the cut side and glue a waste block on it to get the deepest bowl possible. It would be worth your time to get with a turner that has a coring set up if you don't for that burl. It looks a lot like the burl I cored in this picture.
Good Luck,
Jack

 

[CaptnA]

Jack Awesome stash of bowls. What coring system do you use?
Is it for the pm or ow?
I've got to look into one. the better wood I get the more it hurts to pile it up in the floor.
NCTurner the wire brush thing is a great tip. I just forget to do it sometimes. I've gotten better at using the metal detector, now I need to dedicate a wire brush to the lathe, the rocks sand etc I brush out make my tools scream THANK YOU~

 

[DaveO]

Make the first couple of passes on the lathe with a stiff bristle or wire brush to remove loose bark and sand/dirt. It'll really save your tools and should ease the projectile bark.

Gary, good tip! I will definitely do that...and wear my face shield :icon_thum

Dave

 

[DaveO]

DaveO,
You have a good problem looks like to me. I usally start out turning between centers. Doing this allows you to adjust the piece to get the most out of it. What I mean is you can losen the tail stock and shift it this way or that to acheive the largest bowl or get the natural edge more even in heigth. The burl on the right is screaming to be cored. You can flating the cut side and glue a waste block on it to get the deepest bowl possible. It would be worth your time to get with a turner that has a coring set up if you don't for that burl. It looks a lot like the burl I cored in this picture.
Good Luck,
Jack

Jack that is where my question is originating from. In your bowls you had enough burl stock to turn them in a normal natural edge configuration. The rim of the bowl(s) is the outside of the burl. I am afraid that if I turn in that orientation that I will turn away most of the burl wood and end up with a little on the rim and then normal Cherry trunk wood at the bottom of the bowl. So I would like to make the bottom of the bowl the outside of the burl. Hopefully I can shape it, removing the bark, cut my tenon/recess and flip it to mount in my chuck for hollowing.
Is this a crazy way to go about this????:icon_scra:icon_scra

Dave

 

[Trent Mason]

Looks like some great advice has been given so far. I have one of skeeter's dvds with me where he turns the crotch of a tree. I can bring it over if you like. This may at least get the wheels turning. :eusa_thin



Man, I'm pumped. :icon_cheers

 

[flyrod444]

DaveO,
My two biggest bowls have burl on the the outside edge and the normal grain in the bottom. They are turned on the shallow side so to get the most bowls and keep the bark edge. Good luck with your problem. I had this burl sitting in my shop for 4 or 5 months before I finially cored it. I had planned on coring it with the bottom bowl having the tree come out of two sides, but that just didn't work out when the foot I had broke off and I had to turn another one.
CaptnA,
All my coring is done with the oneway system and done on the PM 3520 at school so far. I have the base and the largest knife set for my oneway at home, just haven't had the need yet to use it since I have the set up at school with the first 3 knife sets. The neat thing about doing this on my Oneway lathe is that I can use the base on the 16" inboard side or mount it on the outboard side on the riser block that the tail stock sits and have 24" swing for coring. The oneway system is very pricey, but easy to use. One of or club members uses the McNaughton system with ease and gave lessons to Boxxmaker to help him get a handle using it. It is a good system for half the price, but takes some time to get a handle on how to use.
Jack

 

[boxxmaker]

Hey Jack,after a few wacks up side my head,he had me usin that sucker like a pro,well almost like a pro :gar-La;
Ken

 

[MrAudio815]

DaveO,
You have a good problem looks like to me. I usally start out turning between centers. Doing this allows you to adjust the piece to get the most out of it. What I mean is you can losen the tail stock and shift it this way or that to acheive the largest bowl or get the natural edge more even in heigth. The burl on the right is screaming to be cored. You can flating the cut side and glue a waste block on it to get the deepest bowl possible. It would be worth your time to get with a turner that has a coring set up if you don't for that burl. It looks a lot like the burl I cored in this picture.
Good Luck,
Jack

WOW I don't know what to say. :elvis:I am sooooo drooling right now and have no idea how to help DaveO.:dontknow: :tinysmile_tongue_t:

I wish I could make my own coring tool though, thats awesome!:icon_scra


Good Luck DaveO!!!