well jim, i look at turning as a series of steps. step 1 being cutting the blank to size, step 2 mounting it between centers and turn it to a cylinder, step 3 decide what to make. what i did yesterday, is to eliminate steps 1 and 2, so that i can procede right to step 3. that, and i wanted to see what was hiding under such ugly blanks, and i do mean they were ugly.
here are the pics i promised. the scene of the crime, the 19 blanks turned to round and ready to be used, the 11 blanks i couldn't get to (being 10:30 at night), all 30 blanks ready to be used, and 4 sides of the first vase to be turned from the ugly maple.
one thing i found out about this one, is that there is a fairish amount of figuring, and some odd grain. when i took the pics, it is still attached to the rest of the blank, and not parted off. not the best of pics, but good for the moment.