John Keeton
12-30-2009, 7:20 PM
I played hookie from the office today (for the most part) and, along with cutting into the cherry stump, and cutting up some other wood in hopes of getting some bowl blanks, I decided to play around a bit.
A friend of mine gave me a couple of crosscuts of sassafras several months ago. At the time, I didn't have a clue what I would do with it! It was firewood size, but I hated to split it and burn it since he thought enough to give it to me. But, now that I have a lathe......;)
So, along with some other wood I split up today, I sawed the sassafras in half. It was uninspiring, at least to me. I really had been wanting to practice some tool control, and see if I could cut a thin bowl, and this sassafras was disposable. It measured 18% moisture, and I know nothing about turning wet wood. But I figured as it got thin it would move quickly. Seemed like a fun challenge - with a face shield on!;)
I got it down to .10 inch! I left it a little thicker at the bark because it was coming off quickly. It actually looked kind of interesting, and I decided to sand it a little and save it. But, it doesn't take much sanding on .10" !!!! Got it too thin in one spot, and it cracked!!:(
136655136656
But, it was still fun!
Still had a little time left before my wife would summons me for supper, and I have been thinking about doing some inlay on a bowl. I didn't want to start with a decent blank. So, I turned a little walnut dish/bowl out of a scrap, and cut a recess in the rim. Mixed up some System Three, added the black paste, and mixed in some brass filings. Looks like a mess to me!!!:eek:
136653136654
It has been an hour, and no sign of it setting up. I got the proportions pretty close on the parts A and B, but not sure on the black - kind of guessed at it. If it sets up, then I will chuck it back up and see what happens?!?! Glad I did a test run!!
A friend of mine gave me a couple of crosscuts of sassafras several months ago. At the time, I didn't have a clue what I would do with it! It was firewood size, but I hated to split it and burn it since he thought enough to give it to me. But, now that I have a lathe......;)
So, along with some other wood I split up today, I sawed the sassafras in half. It was uninspiring, at least to me. I really had been wanting to practice some tool control, and see if I could cut a thin bowl, and this sassafras was disposable. It measured 18% moisture, and I know nothing about turning wet wood. But I figured as it got thin it would move quickly. Seemed like a fun challenge - with a face shield on!;)
I got it down to .10 inch! I left it a little thicker at the bark because it was coming off quickly. It actually looked kind of interesting, and I decided to sand it a little and save it. But, it doesn't take much sanding on .10" !!!! Got it too thin in one spot, and it cracked!!:(
136655136656
But, it was still fun!
Still had a little time left before my wife would summons me for supper, and I have been thinking about doing some inlay on a bowl. I didn't want to start with a decent blank. So, I turned a little walnut dish/bowl out of a scrap, and cut a recess in the rim. Mixed up some System Three, added the black paste, and mixed in some brass filings. Looks like a mess to me!!!:eek:
136653136654
It has been an hour, and no sign of it setting up. I got the proportions pretty close on the parts A and B, but not sure on the black - kind of guessed at it. If it sets up, then I will chuck it back up and see what happens?!?! Glad I did a test run!!