How thick??

[Donnie Raines]

What would be a pretty good thickness to have some spalted mapled cut into so that it can be turned? Not being a turner...I have no clue. I understand that there are a varity of things that can be made from this...but I am looking for an "average" here....

[John Szarek]

3/4 x 3/4 x 6 will give you pen blanks.

2 to 3 inch thick is an average bowl

width can be 6-? inches but I would not go less than 6X6

[Jim Becker]

Depends on the turner's interests and skills as well as their equipment capabilities. Folks who turn hollow vessels will want larger end-grain oriented blanks. Bowl turners usually go with blanks in "faceplate" orientation where the grain goes perpendicular to the spindle...the thickness will determine the ultimate depth possible with 2" being a minimum and "thick" being the maximum. Many experienced turners prefer that their blanks not be pre-determined so that they can mount between centers and "find the art" in the log, rather than have to go with what someone else sawed.

That all said, "board-like" blanks that are a minimum of 8/4 up to 12/4 or 16/4 will be quite marketable. And they don't need to be kiln dried, either. Dry wood is harder to cut on the lathe and is not preferable for non-spindle turning work such as bowls and vessels. Spindle work, such as pens, table legs, etc., are best turned from dry stock for stability.

[Gary Max]

I have sold some lathe stock---what I done was knock off the sap wood--seal the ends with wax --and it is ready to sell
Because everyone has different wants this gives them the choise of how to saw it.

[Jim Becker]

Gary, many turners like the sap...the color contrast is often used to advantage in turning while it's largely rejected for flat work.