What do I do now?

[Alex Zeller]

Someday I'll hopefully be as talented as most of the others here (some just seam to be well beyond where I think I'll get to). For now I'm just still working on my skills with using tools. I'm getting the hang of how to use the gouge without getting tear out so last week I decided to tackle a yellow birch log that had been sitting for over a year. It was over 8' long and about 2' in diameter. I've gotten 6 large bowls out of it and was working on my 7th when I found this.

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There was no signs on the outside of the log that there was a void in it. I'm assuming it was from a branch that broke off and started rotting and the tree eventually healed itself covering it up. I think the two dark spots are connected. The log was very wet inside and had the smell of sap fermenting but there was no rot. There's lots of spalting so I'm hoping for some interesting bowls. I used the face plate with 1 1/2" screws because of the weight and it being out of balance so I don't think I can get a platter out of it. The black area is about 2 1/2" from the face plate. I could try to keep turning it and leave the void and hope it stays together. I can take a picture from a different angle if it would help. The void is about 2" x 3" and a good 2" + deep from what I can see. I could just turn it into a small bowl but by the time I remove it there might not be much left.

From what I've found so far with yellow birch is the larger stuff has stuff, like bark, commonly hidden inside of it. But it's all be small stuff and mostly solid. But the grain has some nice patterns to it and the colors seam to range from a nice southern pine yellow to almost cherry red. With so much of it growing around me and not seeing much on the internet made from it I would like to learn how to best turn it.

[Steve Eure]

I want to hear what the experts have to say on this also. Personally, I had a cherry blank that had a rotted spot like that and I ended up putting epoxy with coffee grounds in it to stabilize it so that I could turn it. Like yours it was spalted and had some interesting grain in it. I haven't finished turning it so I cannot tell you if it worked.

[Mike Goetzke]

Forget about the bowl - is that window bulletproof :eek:?

Mike

[Roger Chandler]

I have run into that situation a few times. It looks like a place where a branch of the tree was starting, and it can compromise the structural integrity of the form. If it were me, I would go ahead and turn away the bad wood, and settle for a smaller form, but a better form. To me, that is an ugly scar I would not want on any bowl or form I did with that wood..........your mileage may vary, however! ;)

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Personally I'd pass on turning that any more. I do love inclusions, but that one looks like it will let that whole branch part loose eventually..... Good choice in stopping, IMO. Just my $0.02.

[Reed Gray]

Well, no spalting in that one, the dark color is from rot. That whole part where the branch is, is a risk for coming apart, and it looks like it may go all the way to the bottom part of the bowl. Looks like you may be able to get a shallow platter out of it though, and it may have some nice color to go across the bottom... I have found those 'invisible' flaws before, and am getting better at seeing them before I turn. The signs are subtle...

robo hippy

[Alex Zeller]

Forget about the bowl - is that window bulletproof :eek:?

Mike

The picture makes it look closer than it is. I have the lathe close enough to it so I can put a fan in the window and draw some of the dust away while sanding. It's too far away to do much though and my dust collector is too heavy to move in and out.

[Pete Staehling]

I am no expert by a long shot, so take this for what it so worth. I'd pitch it and start with a new piece. It looks dangerous to me.

[Mick Fagan]

Without seeing close up, I probably would lock the spindle, pull out my electric chainsaw and lop the bottom off that blank then start turning a platter.

As for that window, glass can shatter after being hit with a multitude of small missiles over time; don't ask how I know.

Mick.

[Don Jarvie]

Disclaimer: I can’t tell how big the void is so my suggestion is something to consider. You could try filling the void and scrap a little more to the final shape. Flip it around and hollow it out to see what the void looks like. If it’s too deep even the epoxy won’t keep it together so on to Plan B. Most likely you will have a hole but it may be worth investigating how deep it is.

[Mark Greenbaum]

If you're like me, and hate to waste time and effort - you have 2 choices. 1) quit while you're ahead and uninjured; 2) bore that cavity with a very large forstner bit and fill it with a cylindrical slug and glue, and wait. Then finish turning. But, life it too short to turn crappy wood.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Alex, when I first started turning, I treated each piece of wood like it was the last piece of wood I would ever see. As a result I struggled to turn some pieces that wouldn't even make for good firewood. Advice from someone with a few more hours behind the lathe, toss it and turn something solid. When you have a lot more experience under your belt, then you can start considering the really challenging pieces but at this point, if it blows up while you are turning it, what are the potential consequences? Is it worth it?

Good luck and happy turning!

[Pat Scott]

WAY too big of a void to try and fill, and the end result would look like crap (to be blunt). I agree with others to stop and throw this in the firewood pile. I know you want to save the piece but it's not worth your time or effort. Besides, you said it yourself that it grows all around you so grab another piece and stop before you invest anymore time in it.

[Bill Boehme]

The fact that you're asking about it shows that you really don't want to become the poster child of bad decisions. Listen to the graybeards, they know of what they speak. There are other trees out there waiting for you. Don't keep them waiting.

[Alex Zeller]

I asked because I don't want to have it blow up in my face. The wood seams very solid and I think I could continue to turn it but, as others have said, what if I'm wrong. My plan now is to take the chain saw to it and cut out the bad areas then the bandsaw to true it up and see what's left.

While this is an extreme case I also like hearing possible ways to fix defects as I come across them. These are defects that I've come across with yellow birch. The first is just void that's not very deep. The second is clearly from a limb that broke off and healed. Both the crack in the pith and the crack where the bark is go all the way through the wall in the bowl blank. I turned them both so the walls are about 1 1/4" as they are 15" to 16" diameter bowls. I'm hoping that when the first bowl is try and ready to be turned those voids will not be an issue. The second bowl I'm thinking could be a good chance to learn how to repair with epoxy.

The local tuners club met on days I worked last month and this month but next month they are on my days off. Thanks to the holiday they pushing back their non club meeting 'sawdust' session in July so I was able to go to one. But I really didn't have any experience turning so I didn't have many questions.

[Alex Zeller]

Sorry the pictures didn't post.
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[Alex Zeller]

So after slicing off lots of wood this is what I ended up with. If I didn't use long screws in the face plate it could of been a platter.
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And this is what I ended up with. I still need to remove the mortise from the bottom so it's more stable.

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Worse comes to worse it'll end up in the fire place or a gift. Right now I'm more concentrating on how to make different shapes (both what look 'correct' and how to properly use the gouge to make them) and spotting potential problems. Thank you for all those who gave advise.

[Dave Bunge]

I agree with previous posters that it's best not to turn the original piece.

And I'd really recommend learning how to rough turn the outside of bowls left handed. I.e. left hand on the handle, right hand on the metal of the gouge. This puts your body out of the line of fire, so shavings (and pieces of bark, and chunks of wood from unseen defects) don't hit you. You can watch Glenn Lucas turn left handed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jalnX5W7VkE