Basswood as glue/waste block?

[Aaron Buys]

Is basswood acceptable to use as a safe glue/waste block for turning?

[Jim Sebring]

I wouldn't use something that soft. I once tried to use a piece of Fir - note that I said 'once'. It separated at the growth rings. I usually use Maple. Either the Eastern hard variety or Western Big Leaf variety seem to be OK. Whatever you use, it needs to be a fairly dense specie to hold together well.

[John Keeton]

No way would I do that. I always use hardwood - occasionally poplar simply because I usually have some around. Maple is best IMO. And, I have gotten away from using CA in favor of 5 minute epoxy unless I am ready to quit for the evening - then I clamp it in the lathe with Titebond.

[Keith E Byrd]

I use 3/4 in plywood and haven't had any trouble. I also use hot glue to attach and have had no problems -
Being fairly new at this I have only done this 3 times -but no trouble so far.

[Wally Dickerman]

I'll go against the grain here. I never use anything but alder which is quite soft. Why should it be harder wood? Alder has very little grain so it isn't apt to split. Alder never warps so it's always true and flat for making the glue joint. Softer wood is easier to part off then hard wood. I have a source for alder lumber that is unplaned so that it's a full inch thick which is what I want.

Never use plywood because it might delaminate. Never use MDF. Not enough strength.

I use med CA glue. Put a lot of glue on, use hand pressure only. The piece is on the lathe in a couple of minutes. I've found that a glue block failure is nearly always because not enough glue was used. I want to see squeezout glue.

[Bill Bolen]

Seems to me the only bowls I have turned with basswood (linden) suffered atleast one broken tennon per bowl. And a recess broke the sides out. Go with hardwood. This stuff is way to weak to depend on.