Grain direction

Ned Bulken

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Lakeport NY and/or the nearest hotel
I was sorting through my boxes of cut-offs today, and came upon a number of pieces similar to this one:
DSC01901.jpg


8/4 Mahagony pieces... I realize I could turn bottle stoppers or some such, with the grain along the axis of the turning. can those be turned with the grain going opposite the axis?

Also, I've got a bunch of pieces similar to the one in the background: 10/4 QSWO. That one is probably going to be a bandsaw box, but I've got a fair amount of 3/4 oak pieces. I was thinking of small platters or bowls out of those, or should I just toss them on the burn pile?
 
USUALLY, i have large chunks facet off with my normal spindle turning tools. When I use a bowl gouge, though, i have better luck. The geometry of spindle tools seems to get under the grain enough to blow it out.
 
...Can those be turned with the grain going opposite the axis?
I think you'll be fine with either orientation. One may be easier than the other, depending on your tools and how the wood cuts, but I've done both.

...Also, I've got a bunch of pieces similar to the one in the background: 10/4 QSWO. That one is probably going to be a bandsaw box, but I've got a fair amount of 3/4 oak pieces. I was thinking of small platters or bowls out of those, or should I just toss them on the burn pile?
If they are 3/4 thick, I'd think you could get small platters out of them. Best way to find out is try one or two. If you don't like it, then go for the BTUs instead. ;)
 
Burn pile? BURN PILE??? My goodness, Ned. You have a lathe! You need to find a place for shavings! :rofl:
Carol,
that's where I got them... literally from the burn pile at my wife's fire company field days... they cook their bbq chicken on scrap cut offs. At most they're about 6" long by 5 or 6" wide. I'm not out much if I toast them. Cost was right.
As Jason said, bowl gouge. I would say that also but bowl gouges are impossible to use. ;):rofl:
Pictures later are mandatory.
I wish I Had a bowl gouge...

one of these days...
 
The only luck I have had with short grain ( that's my term for it) is with a skew. Everything else seems to knock chunks out, then again I haven't tried out a bowl gouge on some yet. Maybe tomorrow....
 
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