Sure beats playing golf

[Bob Bergstrom]

Three of our club members spent a 95 degree day cutting up a mature hard maple that had been cut down on a local golf course. We sawed up about 25 blanks from curly to crotches, to great marbling pieces. Some had all three. Took the biggest pieces home and spent today (McNaughton system) coring and rough turning. The largest are 16 and 17" across and have a lot of color and figure. The rest are from 13 down to about 6". Sure beats trying to play that silly game of golf.

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[Roger Chandler]

Silly game?! :eek: No way! I used to play golf.......that is until I decided to get serious with buying woodworking tools instead of paying greens fees and buying clubs, balls and other needed items.

Golf is a very challenging game to play masterfully........I never had the time to get my handicap below a 3, but I did manage to break par once in a while, some years ago..........but for the last 20 years, I have only played a few times, and decided that woodturning, flatwork and hunting would be the things I concentrate on, with recreational time.

One thing is very similar between turning and golf.........you have to do them with some regularity and focus your attention to be good at them.............I decided I would rather be good at turning wood.......

I cannot say however that woodturning is less expensive than golf...........both are a bottomless vortex that sucks money out of your wallet! :D I still have my set of clubs........still tempted to pull them out and go to the driving range once in a while.......it would just make me start all over again if I did....:rolleyes:.......I don't have time for that anymore, too much wood to turn! :D

[Bob Bergstrom]

At least I can't break my bowl gouge over my knee!

[Brian Brown]

Some really nice figure in that wood. The only thing better than spending a day cutting wood on a golf course, is to play an early morning cool round of golf, then cut up a beautiful tree. Oh, and look (pic 3) you're all decorated for Christmas. Now you can use the time you would have used for decorating to turn. Now that's my idea of multi-tasking.

[john davey]

Well I am an avid golfer but love my ww tools as well. I have found that the golf course is a great source of wood for turning. One of my local course just cuts the wood up and lets people take it for fire wood. There are occasionally some nice crotches and burls in that pile...

[Pat Scott]

VERY nice looking Maple! I'm jealous.

Your tenons look small for the 2 big blanks at the top of the 2nd picture - time for some bigger jaws. On a 16" bowl I'd make at least a 6"-7" tenon.

[Bob Bergstrom]

VERY nice looking Maple! I'm jealous.

Your tenons look small for the 2 big blanks at the top of the 2nd picture - time for some bigger jaws. On a 16" bowl I'd make at least a 6"-7" tenon.
Pat, I am using a # 4 jaws on my stronghold chuck. I used to break a few tenons, but as I became more proficient with the McNaughton I have far less catastrophic catches. Not many funnels either. Now I'll probably do both.

[Mike Cruz]

Friends ask me why I've stopped playing golf. My answer? In the 7 hours it will take me to drive to the course, play a round, and get home, it will cost me $10 in gas, $35-100 in greens fees, $10 in food and drink, and $1000 in golf balls (okay, that's a stretch, but it depends on the day...). So, I could spend 7 hours and $55-120 to play golf, OR I could stay home, turn for 7 hours, have just as much enjoyment, have something tangible at the end, and SELL what I turned for a PROFIT.

So, fun either way. One costs me money to do, the other will potentially make me money...no brainer.

BTW, really nice looking wood you picked up! Oh, and I forgot to mention, with turning, YOU got to stay in air conditioning, where the golfers were in that 90+ degree heat you were talking about... You're gonna have some stunning bowls when those get re-turned!

[Steve Doerr]

Bob, great looking wood! I wish I had some that nice and was as proficient as you with the coring. I've tried a few times but I think I was using too dry of wood. Will have to try on some much wetter wood to become more proficient.
I use to think golf was expensive and kept telling myself that's why I never started playing. I think playing in some of the golf scrambles that are fundraisers would be cheaper than all the pens, bowl and HF that I've made for the different charities. It's seems like once you start donating everyone wants you to donate, and there is no end in sight.
Keep on turnin'
Steve

[Bob Bergstrom]

Bob, great looking wood! I wish I had some that nice and was as proficient as you with the coring. I've tried a few times but I think I was using too dry of wood. Will have to try on some much wetter wood to become more proficient.
I use to think golf was expensive and kept telling myself that's why I never started playing. I think playing in some of the golf scrambles that are fundraisers would be cheaper than all the pens, bowl and HF that I've made for the different charities. It's seems like once you start donating everyone wants you to donate, and there is no end in sight.
Keep on turnin'
Steve
Steve,
It seems that as the point is sharpen and actually gets a little narrower there are less catches. There are some good videos on Ytube on coring. Dale Baretz (sp) of the Colorado woodturners, is one is the best. One thing he talks about is fulling extending the tool when setting up the tip at the center line. If you are getting catches in the latter part of the core, it is very likely the tip is no longer at the center line. When you get a catch, pull out the blade, fully extend it and point the tip at the center line on the front surface of the bowl. Good chance it is too low.
Let the tool follow its natural arc. Don't try to pull left on the handle and force it around or fish tail it. Lastly lubricate the cut. I use a spray bottle filled with a lub of choice. Some use water, green wood sealer, or WD-40. I spray it in the grove when ever I clear the cutting kerf.

[Alan Arnup]

A great haul and look forward to seeing some results later.

The comparison between turning bowls and playing golf is
simple. With one of them you try not to make a hole in one.

[Bill Bulloch]

Looks like the effort to gather the Hard Maple in the 95 degree heat paid off, but what a mess you have made in your shop. Try this: core one piece, then sweep up the mess, core another pieces, then sweep up the mess, etc. Do that and you will keep a fairly clean shop and John K will be proud of you.

About the golf, here is my thoughts: Golf in the morning, turn in the afternoon and play poker in the even. Remember, if you are retired then every night should be a Saturday Night and every day a Sunday.

[Mike Cruz]

Alan, and in the other, you are more apt to...

[Bill Wyko]

Now if we can just get paid like a pro golfer for turning. 8-)