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Bowl from Chinese Tallow

My inlaws in central Florida just lost a beloved tree in Hurricane Charley. I cut it up this weekend and saved a couple of logs. I would like to turn a bowl out of it to give them as a momento. It's "Chinese Tallow" about 8-10" in diameter.

My first thought was to turn it as a "bullseye" (grain parallel to the lathe axis). But I'm told that's almost certain to warp and/or crack. So I'm ready to slice the log into a "crosswise" blank.

I have several questions:

Should I dry it first, then turn it; or turn it green? What's the best/fastest way to dry it? As a log or as a sliced blank?

When I slice it, should I use one of the outside slices or the center cut, for turning? My bandsaw won't accomodate the log, so I'll be using a chainsaw. I'm guessing I should then lay the slice down and bandsaw it close to circular before mounting on the lathe to avoid loosening my teeth while trying to round it up. Any thoughts?

Concerning Ch. Tallow: Any toxicity issues (I can't imagine they'll ever use the bowl for food, but just in case...)? Once I get a decent bowl, is the rest worth saving for woodworking...or better firewood? (I have PLENTY to practice with until I get a good bowl!)

I guess I should say I'm an intermediate woodworker, some lathe experience (all between centers, no bowls!) and no experience with green wood...working it or drying it.

Thanks in advance for ANY recommendations!

Reply to
WoodButcher
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I turned a bit of tallow when I lived on the Texas gulf coast. It's not that great to work with.

I'd slice the pith out of the log and rough turn it green: use wax or your personal favorite trick to slow the drying. It will warp a fair bit (based on my experience) so leave the rough out with probably an inch to 1.25 inch wall thickness.

I have heard it said that tallow sap has some toxicity, but never really researched it since it wasn't something that I considered good turning stock. And it is not good firewood either!

Hope this helps, feel free to email if you have more questions

Kip Power Rogers, AR

Reply to
Kip055

snip

Cut in lengths a few inches longer than the diameter. Make two lengthwise cuts with chainsaw about an inch apart so that neither blank will contain the pith or center part of the log.

Rough turn to about 3/4 inch thickness then dry in paper bag for a few months before finish turning. I boil mine after rough turning. You can look it up. You will get other ways to do all this, this is my own preferences.

If you have a router, you can round it off on the lathe with the router. I did this before I had a large bandsaw. Let me know if you are interested and I can post pictures of the setup I used. NOT freehanded.

Reply to
Gerald Ross

Reply to
Doug Dubowski

Reply to
Gerald Ross

Man to think of all the Chinese Tallow trees I injected with herbicides inorder to kill them.

I spent a summer where I supervised a prairie restoration project in South Texas. I call it the year I killed 10,000 trees. I started the process of turning 100 acres back from forest to tall grass prairie.

I >My inlaws in central Florida just lost a beloved tree in Hurricane

Reply to
william kossack

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