I am a fairly new turner, having done about 4 dozen pens of different styles. I have come into a fair amount of Western red Cedar 6"x8" by 5 or 6 feet. It is old wood but in good shape will this be a good wood to start learning to turn bowls and goblets? TIA
If it's free it's good wood to learn on! I have turned a lot of Cedar and it is beautiful. The only problem is it is very soft so you need really sharp tools and be prepared to use many grits of sandpaper to get a really shiny finish. Sands easy so just work your way up through the grits. Earl
Hi Triker
If you never turned bowls or goblets, than I would suggest you keep that western red cedar for later, when you have some experience under your belt. You would be much better off with green hardwood than old soft softwood, that does not mean you could not use it, just that it is challenging even for more experienced turners. I don't know where you are located, but there are few areas that do not have any trees being taken down or trimmed, and thats the places and people to go look for, IMO
Have fun and take care Leo Van Der Loo
triker3 wrote:
I agree in at least one sense with Leo. The wood I learned the most from as well as all I had at first was some beautiful hard maple (aka rock maple). The wood was a from the lower portion of the trunk and I was merrily turning away learning all the while. I look at some of the bowls and such I turned back then and often wish I had more of the wood now that I am at least a bit better. OTOH, don't save it til it rots away. DAMHIK
snipped-for-privacy@rogers.com wrote:
So many different species and different qualities are sold as Western Red and some of them are extremely course and dry/brittle that they aren't of much use to anyone for fine wodturning. Some of the junipers and old growth are actually fairly nice to work with and look nice even if they are dusty and most dent easily in the finished product. The only thing for it is to give it a try and see if it is worth it for what you have in mind. The only part I will ever take an interest in is very slow growth buttress material which generally has a nice quilt or large callouses overgrowing broken branches which are generally extremely hard and very nice visually. ymmv
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