Large maple log that nailed me

[Joe Meirhaeghe]

Everything started off well with this large maple log (460 lbs) 213858
I had turned most of the bark off it the all of a sudden it nailed me.213859 213860
I chopped around it & finally got it pulled out. Then I reground the nicks out of my roughing gouge and went back at it. Then you guessed it, It nailed me again.213861 This time I found a easier way to get it out. I used a parting tool to cut on each side then chiseled out just around the nail. Once again I reground the gouge & went back at it, only to get nailed 2 more times. Hit a total of 4 nails that were buried about 1 1/2" under the bark each nail was 2 3/4" long.
For a while I didn't think I'd ever get it turned. Then when I went to turn a tennon to chuck it in I found this.213862 It was starting to rot in the center. This originally was going to be the bottom of my piece,but I decided to make it the top figuring I could leave a little larger opening in it & hollow out the rotted part. The other end was solid so I made it the bottom.
Here's what I finally came out with.213863 Now on with the hollowing.

[Baxter Smith]

A roughing lathe AND a finishing lathe. This is totally over my head!;):)Awesome turning too!

[Bob Bergstrom]

Been there and done that. We were slabbing out boards with a Alaskan mill on that was about 30" across when we hit a spike 1/4" in diameter. An hour latter after sharpening the 30+ inch saw chain we hit a 16 penny nail. Totaled 3 nails and 3 sharpening for the day. Looks like another great start to a beautiful vase.

[Roger Chandler]

How deep are you going to hollow? How long is that form? Pretty nice set of lathes you have there! ;)

[Steve Schlumpf]

Joe - sure looks like you got that form down to a science!! Nice work! Looking forward to seeing it finished!

[Donny Lawson]

WOW!!!!! Big Vase. Explain how big it is and just "How you are going to hollow it"? Great job.

[Harry Robinette]

I fell your pain. Hit a clothes line hook with my McNaughton Coring system took the tip off of my one blade.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Nice lathes and a nice HF Joe.

[Ryan Baker]

Metal detectors are your friend for yard trees...

[Joe Watson]

With the shop you have and the size of work you are doing, im sure this is no hobby for you so it leads me to...
No metal detector/wand ? After time and time again of turning "clean" wood does one just become comfortable and stop checking ?

_

[Jim Burr]

Looks like you have this one nailed Joe!! Well done sir!!

[Rick Markham]

Now that's cool!!! We'll not the part about the nails. I too want to see your hollowing set up, and the finished piece! Super cool!

[joel nucifore]

now thats what I am talking about....... on your word got steves bar and all I can say is WOW can't wait to try it...

but question is it the rolly 2 what I needed?????? putting roof on shed today still about a month off but looking foward to 460 lb pc.

[Richard Jones]

Joe,

And looks like you have a great view from your shop windows. At least, you have windows............

Keep us posted..........

Rich

[John Keeton]

Joe, I recall seeing pics of your shop before, and these just add to the allure! Great setup and another great piece in the making. I suspect with all the large pieces you do, this isn't the first bunch of nails you have run into.

What amazes me is the small base on this piece before hollowing. I guess the steady takes the force pretty well. Still - amazing!

[Russell Eaton]

I am glad you were not hurt. That seeing said, cool shop and lathes. Look forward to seeing some final pictures.

[Terry Quiram]

Joe you were lucky that you pulled the nails whole and didn't break them off and have to dig deeper. The vessel has a very nice grain pattern. It will be a real beauty.

[Carl Civitella]

Wow!! what a bowl.... I am just going to give up....

[Joe Meirhaeghe]

Joe, I recall seeing pics of your shop before, and these just add to the allure! Great setup and another great piece in the making. I suspect with all the large pieces you do, this isn't the first bunch of nails you have run into.

What amazes me is the small base on this piece before hollowing. I guess the steady takes the force pretty well. Still - amazing!
John thanks for your comments. Actually I started this piece in my friend Steve Sinner's studio on his Robust. It started out at 23" dia. to large for my Powermatic. After I got it shaped I took it home to hollow it. I still had to have a friend help me get it on my lathe as it was still very heavy.
Also this is actually the 1st time I've hit anything with metal in it. I guess I've just been lucky so far.

As to base it's probably a little less than 2" dia. where it's chucked. All the tennon has to do is drive the piece. The steady supports the all the weight.
If you recall I think I showed you this at the Symposium this summer where my friend Steve was demoing his hollowing set up.
Most of my smaller pieces I'll turn down to less than 1".

[Joe Meirhaeghe]

WOW!!!!! Big Vase. Explain how big it is and just "How you are going to hollow it"? Great job.
Thanks Donny. The log started out at 38" long X 23" dia. The finished size after roughing was 31" tall. I rough hollowed it to 30 1/2" deep. I haven'tchecked the dia,after shaping it.
I'll try to start a new thread & post some pic's of the hollowing later today.

[charlie knighton]

thanks for sharing Joe, very nice

[Bill Bolen]

That is going to be another beauty Joe. Looking forward to a few process shots as I find them Fascinating. You and Steve do some spectacular work with exceptional finishing.

[Russell Neyman]

Anyone else found bullets in a piece? I have. What a surprise, and the metal is generally soft, so you can actually turn through it.

[Joe Meirhaeghe]

Thanks Bill. I do have a few pic's of the hollowing. I'll try to post.

[Joe Meirhaeghe]

A roughing lathe AND a finishing lathe. This is totally over my head!;):)Awesome turning too!
Thanks Baxter. Actually I did the rough shaping in a friends studio on his Robust & finished the rough hollowing at home on my Powermatic. It was 23" in dia. when I started, to large for my lathe. However my friend does have a Robust, 2 Powermatics & a Oneway in his turning studio so we often do start a piece on one lathe and finish it on another.

[Joe Meirhaeghe]

now thats what I am talking about....... on your word got steves bar and all I can say is WOW can't wait to try it...

but question is it the rolly 2 what I needed?????? putting roof on shed today still about a month off but looking foward to 460 lb pc.
Joel I'm glad you decieded to go with Steve's boring bar. Put the Rolly 2 in it and go deep! It takes a little learning on how far to open the cutter on the Rolly. But with some experimenting you'll get the hang of it pretty quickly. I open it up a fair amount on the rough hollowing, but almost close it down to next to nothing for my finish turning. When you start to get up to about 24" deep or so you'll want to start closing it down a little on the roughing too.