Arbutus bowl

Drew Watson · Jan 10, 2010

Well I have been on the look out for some Arbutus after watching Micheal Hoslack do a bowl at out club meeting where he turned it to 1/32. It intriged me to give it a try. So after some driving to a remote construction site I found a recent blow down. I cut off a piece and .... here are the pics. It was a lot of fun to turn this. I am going back out today to get a little more of the tree.

Drew Watson · Jan 10, 2010

Oh yea I got it down to 1/16 thick and was attempting to do the feet when disaster struck and i am still looking for all the pieces :doh:

. Well like anything lick the wounds of pride and just grabed the next piece and did it all over again. This time without blowing it up :thumb:

Now the fun starts with watching it dry and do the twisting and shaping that will bring it's own natural wonder to the piece.

Stephen Bellinger · Jan 10, 2010

man what a bummer on the first one, but great job on the next. :thumb:

It seems like every time i try one of them thin bowls i end up blowing out the sides.

Steve

Frank Fusco · Jan 10, 2010

You sure did a number on that log.

Too bad about the disaster but congrats on the finished bowl.
Very interesting that thin.
What does that Arbutus compare to that most of us might be familiar with?

Drew Watson · Jan 10, 2010

Stephen Bellinger said:
man what a bummer on the first one, but great job on the next. It seems like every time i try one of them thin bowls i end up blowing out the sides.
Steve

The secret to this stuff Stephen as I have been told is that it has to be turned thin wet. The fresher the better. Unlike other woods that you have to rough turn thick and then wait to re turn. This stuff you take right to the finished product right away and sanding with wet sand paper. Though I didn't see much need for that as it was quite smooth with just the tools. I had to wipe my face shield down a couple of times from all the water spraying off it.

Drew Watson · Jan 10, 2010

Frank Fusco said:
You sure did a number on that log.
Too bad about the disaster but congrats on the finished bowl.
Very interesting that thin.
What does that Arbutus compare to that most of us might be familiar with?

The log on the lathe was just an experiment as it was too late to be running the chain saw. Took the parting tool to cut it part way through then hand saw to finish it off. The wood is really wet and hard to pull a hand saw through without doing something like that. I had to do much the same thing with the table saw to split it as it was too big for my small band saw.

I wish that I could say that I had tons of experience with this stuff but this is my firt time. I have heard all kinds of great stories about it and have seen it turned in demonstration. I was given a dried roughed out bowl of the stuff and it is so dense that I was having to continually re-sharpen my tools. I would never attempt something this thin on a dried piece. I will say that wet it was like turning butter as it cut that easy. I had long strings coming off some 3-4 ft long. Just like spagetti. It was lots of fun.

I wish that I knew what it would be like in your area I went on line and found Strawberry tree and Bearberry and Mandrona, if that helps.

larry merlau · Jan 10, 2010

i can see that making some really sharp lamps drew

and i even would part with a green back for one of those to use for a lamp.. :thumb:

well don for fresh spinny guy.your moving right along fast!!!!

Pete MoncrieffJury · Jan 10, 2010

We do this with sycamore over here in the UK, a kind of maple. Maybe fresh cut maple would work the same?

Pete

Barry Richardson · Jan 10, 2010

Drew that is very cool! Thanks for sharing. :thumb:

Did Michael mention any other species of wood that lends itself to that technique? Not much chance of getting any freshly cut Madrone in my neck of the woods

Rob Keeble · Jan 10, 2010

Drew that is real cool in fact way cool

I thought lamp too so you have two votes for a lamp shade.

Must have been some fun turning.

Chuck Ellis · Jan 10, 2010

Barry Richardson said:
Drew that is very cool! Thanks for sharing.Did Michael mention any other species of wood that lends itself to that technique? Not much chance of getting any freshly cut Madrone in my neck of the woods

I've seen pictures of Norfolk Pine turned really thin like that with a light through it... never had the opportunity myself.

Frank Fusco · Jan 10, 2010

Drew Watson said:
The log on the lathe was just an experiment as it was too late to be running the chain saw. Took the parting tool to cut it part way through then hand saw to finish it off. The wood is really wet and hard to pull a hand saw through without doing something like that. I had to do much the same thing with the table saw to split it as it was too big for my small band saw.

I wish that I could say that I had tons of experience with this stuff but this is my firt time. I have heard all kinds of great stories about it and have seen it turned in demonstration. I was given a dried roughed out bowl of the stuff and it is so dense that I was having to continually re-sharpen my tools. I would never attempt something this thin on a dried piece. I will say that wet it was like turning butter as it cut that easy. I had long strings coming off some 3-4 ft long. Just like spagetti. It was lots of fun.

I wish that I knew what it would be like in your area I went on line and found Strawberry tree and Bearberry and Mandrona, if that helps.

I didn't really think you had turned the log away, just some of my warped sense of humor again.
Nope, those comparisons don't help. I'll google it later.

Drew Watson · Jan 10, 2010

Thanks guys it was fun to turn. As for making lamps I will have to experiment with that one. I don't know how a combustable material would work well around a heat source.

I don't know if other woods can be turned this way. From what I have been told that oaks and maples crack when they dry if they are this thin. Arbutus is the opposite but it does twist while it dries. I am sure that the microwave will speed up the process but why rush things.

Tom Niemi · Jan 10, 2010

Way cool Drew :thumb:

and I agree on the lampshade

Check out this http://www.woodshades.com/

Drew Watson · Jan 10, 2010

Thanks Tom, Now the gears are going.lol Hmmmm never thought of turning the whole log for a lamp. This could be fun and profitable too.

Vaughn McMillan · Jan 10, 2010

Very cool, Drew. I've not seen any of that wood here, you sure got it nice and thin. :thumb:

Bernie Weishapl · Jan 10, 2010

Very cool Drew. That is thin.

Wayne Bower · Jan 11, 2010

That is cool and thin.

Drew Watson · Jan 11, 2010

Went back up yesterday to the new housing development spot that I picked up the Arbutus and brought the camera this time. The tree I got the wood from is a blow down but I got a bonus and found one that someone else had just cut down (honest it wasn't me). I did scoop some chunks out of it though. Then I had to sit down with the wife and just take in the view of the sannich inlet with an unexpected feathered friend. Lots are only going for $419,000.00.

Arbutus bowl

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