Bowl Blank Questions

Bill Grumbine

Member
Messages
252
Location
Kutztown PA
Yes, it really is me asking questions about bowl blanks, not someone who has taken over my screen name. :D But this isn't what you might think.

Today I was out in the field sawing up some stuff I was given for firewood. It turned out to be some very nicely figured curly maple. I usually use the firewood pile for student wood, since it is mainly for practice, and many of my students will testify to the very nice wood they get to turn while they are here. I don't palm off poplar or other stuff like that. People often get to turn very nice cherry, maple, or walnut most of the time, with the occasional mulberry, osage, locust, etc thrown in for spice. But anyway...

I was in the firewood pile sawing up some blanks for a class I am teaching tomorrow and I got to thinking. People would string me up if they caught me throwing this stuff into the wood furnace. :eek: And, I feel a little guilty about doing it too. I don't mind burning stuff that I don't like (or do like for firewood, like red oak), but I hate the idea of burning up a bunch of curly maple. But, I am never going to get to it, at least not the smaller pieces. So I thought, I wonder if people would be interested in buying some of this stuff from time to time? What would they be willing to pay? I am thinking smaller pieces, in the 6" - 8" diameter and 3" -4" thick, stuff that could go in a priority mail box for shipping cost control.

Any input would be appreciated, and moderators, if this is verboten, please delete this and slap my hand.

Bill
 
Yes. and to give you an idea LOML put a piece of silver maple in a bag for me for Christmas and itis 8"x 5 1/2". She paid $15. I would extimate that if you could pack a few pieces of some nice wood you could get $30-$40 per box maybe more if it were highly figured. I have bought some 12"x12"x3" bay laurel for $25.
 
bill, post an add in the "hot deals" forum? maybe take pictures? or try and figure out what you can safely stuff in a fixed rate box? it`d be a good way to get rid of your scrap and hopefully give folks a fair deal on wood they`d be buying retail somewhere else....tod
 
Do we have a "drool" smiley?

I am thinking smaller pieces, in the 6" - 8" diameter and 3" -4" thick, stuff that could go in a priority mail box for shipping cost control.
That "small stuff" is dead-center in the sweet spot for us mini-lathe people.

I've seen firsthand what Bill calls "firewood", and a flat-rate box full of it has to be worth $20-30 minimum. Sign me up.
 
I've started buying a few bowl blanks on eBay, and have been paying $15 to $30 for blanks. For example, I recently won 6 blanks, 5" diameter x 3" tall, two walnut, two spalted hackberry, and two spalted honey locust, and it's costing me about $28 shipped. As another example, I won 9 walnut blanks, each 4" diameter x 3" tall, and that was also about $28.

This is my long way of saying, yes, I'd likely be interested in buying some Grumbine firewood. ;) 6" to 8" diameter pieces are right up my alley.

Tod mentioned the Hot Deals forum, but I'd think the Classified Ads forum might be a more appropriate place to advertise if you do decide to sell some.
 
Careful Bill, this kind of thing can take off and all you will be doing is stuffing boxes with firewood :D

Make sure that you charge enough to make it worth your while, it is one thing to give a good deal to a buddy or a new student etc, but if you open yourself up to orders.......

This is the way businesses start!! :rolleyes: :D

Good luck!
 
Well Daddy always said that timing is everything…:doh:

So I have pizzeesed away my time in the hardwood forests of southwestern Wisconsin without having used my lathe, and I will not use it ‘till I get to the deserts of Arizona.:eek:

Would you ship pallets motor freight, Bill?:dunno:
 
Thanks guys! I will get right on it, and Stu, I will be sure to make it worth my while. I have already been warned by SWMBO that the house is not allowed to get cold because I have sold all the firewood to turners. I have two tons of coal in reserve though. :D

Frank, it may be a while before I get to pallets, unless I just roll a trunk onto one and strap it down. :eek:

I will not say how soon I can get to this, but as soon as I can, I will post something in classified with pictures of the specimens.

Bill
 
Bill, if the pieces are narrow but with interesting grain, they might appeal to the pen turners amongst us. If you don't mind messing with the small stuff, you could get a dozen or more good-sized blanks in a USPS flat rate envelope, so postage wouldn't be too much of a killer.

Cheers,

Kevin
 
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